Leviticus 16:19

19 Then he must sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times over the altar. In this way, he will cleanse it from Israel’s defilement and make it holy.

Leviticus 16:19 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 16:19

And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger
seven times
This was done with his right finger, or forefinger, as the Targum of Jonathan, and seven times, to denote the perfect cleansing of the altar with it. Jarchi observes, that after he, the high priest, had put the puttings (of blood) upon the horns of it, he sprinkled of it seven sprinklings on the top of it: the Misnah says {u}, upon the pure place of it, that is, upon a place of it, from whence the coals and ashes were removed, and where the gold appeared:

and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of
Israel;
by sprinkling the blood upon it; Jarchi's note is, "and cleanse it" from what was past, "and hallow it" for time to come.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 Yoma, c. 5. sect. 6.

Leviticus 16:19 In-Context

17 No one else is allowed inside the Tabernacle when Aaron enters it for the purification ceremony in the Most Holy Place. No one may enter until he comes out again after purifying himself, his family, and all the congregation of Israel, making them right with the LORD .

18 “Then Aaron will come out to purify the altar that stands before the LORD . He will do this by taking some of the blood from the bull and the goat and putting it on each of the horns of the altar.

19 Then he must sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times over the altar. In this way, he will cleanse it from Israel’s defilement and make it holy.

20 “When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place and the Tabernacle and the altar, he must present the live goat.

21 He will lay both of his hands on the goat’s head and confess over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people of Israel. In this way, he will transfer the people’s sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specially chosen for the task will drive the goat into the wilderness.