Leviticus 16:21-31

21 He must place both of his hands on its head. While he does that, he must tell me about all of the sins the people of Israel have committed. He must tell me about all of their evil acts and the times they did not obey me. In that way he puts their sins on the goat's head. "Then he will send the goat away into the desert. The goat will be led away by a man who was appointed to do it.
22 The goat will carry all of their sins on itself to a place where there are no people. And the man will set the goat free in the desert.
23 "Then Aaron must go into the Tent of Meeting. He must take off the linen clothes he put on before he entered the Most Holy Room. He must leave them there.
24 He must take a bath in a holy place. And he must put on his regular clothes. "Then he will come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself. He will also sacrifice the burnt offering for the people. That will pay for his own sin and the people's sin.
25 He will also burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.
26 "The man who sets free the goat that carries the people's sins away must wash his clothes. He must take a bath. After that, he can come back into the camp.
27 "The bull and the goat for the sin offerings must be taken outside the camp. Their blood was brought into the Most Holy Room. It paid for sin. The hides, meat and guts must be burned up.
28 "The man who burns them must wash his clothes. He must take a bath. After that, he can come back into the camp.
29 "Here is a law for you that will last for all time to come. On the tenth day of the seventh month you must not eat anything. You must not do any work. It does not matter whether you are Israelites or outsiders.
30 "On that day your sin will be paid for. You will be made pure and clean. You will be clean from all of your sins in my sight.
31 That day is a sabbath for you. You must rest on it. You must not eat anything on that day. That is a law that will last for all time to come.

Leviticus 16:21-31 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.

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