Leviticus 16:14-24

14 "Moreover, 1he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it 2with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; also in front of the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.
15 "Then he shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering 3which is for the people, and bring its blood inside * * the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat.
16 "4He shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the impurities of the sons of Israel and because of their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and thus he shall do for the tent of meeting which abides with them in the midst of their impurities.
17 "When he goes in to make atonement in the holy place, no one shall be in the tent of meeting until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household and for all the assembly of Israel.
18 "Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat and 5put it on the horns of the altar on all sides.
19 "6With his finger he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it seven times and cleanse it, and from the impurities of the sons of Israel consecrate it.
20 "When he finishes atoning for the holy place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall offer the live goat.
21 "Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and 7confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness.
22 "The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.
23 "Then Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting and take off 8the linen garments which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there.
24 "9He shall bathe his body with water in a holy place and put on 10his clothes, and come forth and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people and make atonement for himself and for the people.

Leviticus 16:14-24 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 16

This chapter treats of the day of atonement, and of the rites, sacrifices, and services of it, directs when Aaron should come into the holy of holies, Le 16:1,2; and in what habit he should then appear, and with what offerings both for himself, and for the people, Le 16:3-10; and that having slain his own sin offering, and that for the people, he should offer incense before the mercy seat, and sprinkle that with the blood of both, Le 16:11-15; and by these offerings make atonement for the holy place, the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, Le 16:16-19; and having done this, he was to take the live goat, lay his hands on it, confess over it, and put upon it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and then send it away by a fit man into the wilderness, Le 16:20-22; upon which he was to put off his linen garments, wash his flesh, and put them on again, and offer the burnt offering for himself, and for the people, Le 16:23-25; also he that let go the goat, and he that carried and burnt the sin offerings without the camp, were to wash themselves and clothes also, Le 16:26-28; the observance of this day, once a year, which was on the tenth of the seventh month, as a day of affliction and atonement, was to be a statute for ever to the children of Israel, Le 16:29-34.

Cross References 10

  • 1. Hebrews 9:25
  • 2. Leviticus 4:6, 17
  • 3. Hebrews 7:27; Hebrews 9:7, 12
  • 4. Exodus 29:36, 37; Exodus 30:10; Hebrews 2:17
  • 5. Leviticus 4:25; Ezekiel 43:20, 22
  • 6. Leviticus 16:14; Ezekiel 43:20
  • 7. Leviticus 5:5
  • 8. Leviticus 16:4; Ezekiel 42:14; Ezekiel 44:19
  • 9. Leviticus 16:4
  • 10. Exodus 28:40, 41

Footnotes 6

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