Leviticus 16 Study Notes

16:11 The first phase of purification took place through the blood-sprinkling rituals. The sin offering—for intentional or inadvertent sins—appears first in chap. 4.

16:12-14 The fragrant incense had a very practical purpose since the blood on the mercy seat would produce an unpleasant odor. The incense included spices such as stacte, onycha, and galbanum mixed with pure frankincense (Ex 30:34-35).

16:15 See vv. 11-14.

16:16 The atoning blood would purify the people of their sin and rebellion. This definitely points toward Christ, whose blood provides for the purification of all sin (Heb 9:24-28).

16:17-19 Only here and in 8:15 is the altar said to be set . . . apart or sanctified. Scholars differ on whether this is the incense altar or the main altar, but the latter is more likely. John Hartley says the sprinkling of the mercy seat cleanses all the furniture inside the tabernacle, and the sprinkling of the altar cleanses the outside furniture.

16:20-28 The second phase of purification occurred through the removal of the scapegoat. The author of Hebrews drew a parallel to this ritual when he affirmed that Christ offered himself as a sin offering once and for all (Heb 10:10). Jesus is also compared to the scapegoat because he also “suffered outside the gate, so that he might sanctify the people by his own blood” (Heb 13:12). The fact that Jesus took our sins upon himself is also affirmed in Is 53:5-6; 2Co 5:21; Gl 3:13; 1Pt 2:24. From a symbolic perspective, when Jesus died on the cross, the curtain that divided the holy of holies from the holy place was torn from top to bottom (Mt 27:51; Mk 15:38; Lk 23:45), signaling access to God by all people through Christ’s atoning act on our behalf.

Akkadian and Arabic cognates mean “wipe on,” “wipe away,” or “cover.” Kaphar as cover occurs with koper, asphalt, in Gn 6:14. Elsewhere kaphar uses other conjugations with different meanings. The intensive verb means make/provide atonement (Ex 29:36), atone for (Ps 65:3), wipe out (1Sm 3:14), or atone for (Dn 9:24). It suggests appease (Gn 32:20), ward off (Is 47:11), or wipe away the guilt of (Dt 21:8). It denotes make atonement or make atonement for (Lv 16:10,16). Passive forms also indicate be atoned for (Is 27:9), dissolved (Is 28:18), or absolved of responsibility (Dt 21:8). Some verbs connote “ransom” and could possibly derive from a homonym koper, “ransom.” But this connotation could have developed secondarily because cleansing so often came through substitutionary sacrifice. Capporet (27x) indicates mercy seat (Lv 16:13), the place of atonement. Kippuriym (8x) is atonement (Lv 25:9).

16:29 The Day of Atonement (Hb yom kippur) was an annual ceremony held on the tenth day of Tishri (September/October). Self-denial is usually associated with fasting and prayer (Is 58:3,5). The Targum adds that the people should abstain from “food and drink, from the enjoyment of the baths and anointing, from wearing shoes, and from marital intercourse.” Today, yom kippur is generally celebrated as a day of confession of sin and asking for forgiveness. Readings from Leviticus are included in this celebration, one of the most important holy days in Judaism.