Leviticus 16:19

19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times and cleanse it and sanctify it from the uncleanness of the sons of Israel.

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 And no man shall be in the tabernacle of the testimony when he enters in to make reconciliation in the sanctuary until he comes out and has made reconciliation for himself and for his household and for all the congregation of Israel.

18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD and reconcile it and shall take of the blood of the bullock and of the blood of the he goat and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.

19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times and cleanse it and sanctify it from the uncleanness of the sons of Israel.

20 And when he has made an end of reconciling the sanctuary and the tabernacle of the testimony and the altar, he shall cause the live he goat to be brought;

21 and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live he goat and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their rebellions and all their sins, putting them thus upon the head of the he goat and shall send him away into the wilderness by the hand of a man prepared for this;