Leviticus 16:19

19 He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and make it holy from the uncleanness of the children of Yisra'el.

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.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 Yoma, c. 5. sect. 6.

Leviticus 16:19 In-Context

17 There shall be no one in the Tent of Meeting when he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, and has made atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the assembly of Yisra'el.
18 "He shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the bull's blood, and some of the goat's blood, and put it on the horns of the altar round about.
19 He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and make it holy from the uncleanness of the children of Yisra'el.
20 "When he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat.
21 Aharon shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Yisra'el, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them on the head of the goat, and shall send him away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness.
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