Leviticus16
New International Version
1The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the Lord.
2The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.
3“This is how Aaron is to enter the Most Holy Place: He must first bring a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.
4He is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are sacred garments; so he must bathe himself with water before he puts them on.
5From the Israelite community he is to take two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.
6“Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household.
7Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
8He is to cast lots for the two goats—one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat.
9Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering.
10But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.
11“Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household, and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering.
12He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense and take them behind the curtain.
13He is to put the incense on the fire before the Lord, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the tablets of the covenant law, so that he will not die.
14He is to take some of the bull’s blood and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover.
15“He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as he did with the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it.
16In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the tent of meeting, which is among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
17No one is to be in the tent of meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of Israel.
18“Then he shall come out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it. He shall take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar.
19He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and to consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.
20“When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat.
21He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task.
22The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.
23“Then Aaron is to go into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there.
24He shall bathe himself with water in the sanctuary area and put on his regular garments. Then he shall come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people, to make atonement for himself and for the people.
25He shall also burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.
26“The man who releases the goat as a scapegoat must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp.
27The bull and the goat for the sin offerings, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, must be taken outside the camp; their hides, flesh and intestines are to be burned up.
28The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp.
29“This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or a foreigner residing among you—
30because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins.
31It is a day of sabbath rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance.
32The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments
33and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the members of the community.
34“This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.” And it was done, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Leviticus 16.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The great day of atonement. (1–14). The sacrifices on it, The scape-goat. (15–34).
vv1-14
Without entering into particulars of the sacrifices on the great day of atonement, we may notice that it was to be a statute for ever, till that dispensation be at an end. As long as we are continually sinning, we continually need the atonement. The law of afflicting our souls for sin, is a statue which will continue in force till we arrive where all tears, even those of repentance, will be wiped from our eyes. The apostle observes it as a proof that the sacrifices could not take away sin, and cleanse the conscience from it, that in them there was a remembrance made of sin every year, upon the day of atonement, Heb 10:1, 3. The repeating the sacrifices, showed there was in them but a feeble effort toward making atonement; this could be done only by offering up the body of Christ once for all; and that sacrifice needed not to be repeated. (Le 16:15-34)
vv15-34
Here are typified the two great gospel privileges, of the remission of sin, and access to God, both of which we owe to our Lord Jesus. See the expiation of guilt. Christ is both the Maker and the Matter of the atonement; for he is the Priest, the High Priest, that makes reconciliation for the sins of the people. And as Christ is the High Priest, so he is the Sacrifice with which atonement is made; for he is all in all in our reconciliation to God. Thus he was figured by the two goats. The slain goat was a type of Christ dying for our sins; the scape-goat a type of Christ rising again for our justification. The atonement is said to be completed by putting the sins of Israel upon the head of the goat, which was sent away into a wilderness, a land not inhabited; and the sending away of the goat represented the free and full remission of their sins. He shall bear upon him all their iniquities. Thus Christ, the Lamb of God, takes away the sin of the world, by taking it upon himself, Joh 1:29. The entrance into heaven, which Christ made for us, was typified by the high priest's entrance into the most holy place. See Heb 9:7. The high priest was to come out again; but our Lord Jesus ever lives, making intercession, and always appears in the presence of God for us. Here are typified the two great gospel duties of faith and repentance. By faith we put our hands upon the head of the offering; relying on Christ as the Lord our Righteousness, pleading his satisfaction, as that which alone is able to atone for our sins, and procure us a pardon. By repentance we afflict our souls; not only fasting for a time from the delights of the body, but inwardly sorrowing for sin, and living a life of self-denial, assuring ourselves, that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. By the atonement we obtain rest for our souls, and all the glorious liberties of the children of God. Sinner, get the blood of Christ effectually applied to thy soul, or else thou canst never look God in the face with any comfort or acceptance. Take this blood of Christ, apply it by faith, and see how it atones with God.
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
אַחַר: properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
מָוֶת: death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence, ruin
שְׁנַיִם: two; also (as ordinal) twofold
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אַהֲרוֹן: Aharon, the brother of Moses
פָּנִים: the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
מוּת: to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
Cross References
Leviticus 16The High Priest enters the inner room alone once a year, typifying Christ's unique mediatorial entry.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
The scapegoat bearing away Israel's iniquities typifies Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away worldly sin.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The sin offering burned outside the camp directly prefigures Jesus suffering outside the gate of Jerusalem.
The high priest entering the most holy place once a year prefigures Christ's entrance into heaven.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Refers to the immediate historical catalyst: the deaths of Nadab and Abihu for unauthorized incense offering.
Supported by JFB
Contrasts the Levitical high priest's need to offer for his own sins with Christ's sinless offering.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The annual repetition of the Day of Atone-ment served as a yearly remembrance of sins.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Laying hands on the goat to transfer guilt parallel's Yahweh laying on Christ the iniquity of all.
The goat bearing the people's iniquities typifies Christ Himself bearing our sins in His own body.
The annual command to make atonement on the horns of the altar on the Day of Atonement.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contrast between priests needing daily/annual sacrifices for themselves and Christ offering Himself once.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Expands on the specific details of making an atonement with the live scapegoat.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Christ entered the Holy Place by His own blood, not the blood of goats and calves.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Sending the goat into a remote land illustrates God removing our transgressions as far as east from west.
The goat bearing away iniquities typifies Christ, who was offered once to bear the sins of many.
The goat lost in the wilderness represents God casting all our sins into the depths of the sea.
Parallel instruction establishing the tenth day of the seventh month as the Day of Atonement.
The detailed execution of the High Priest's bullock offering introduced generally in verse 6.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
These repeated sacrifices serve as an annual reminder of sins, demonstrating their ultimate insufficiency.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Christ entering into heaven itself, the true holy place, appearing before the presence of God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel instruction on applying blood to the altar of incense to cleanse it from uncleanness.
Supported by JFB
Explains the physical and spiritual practice of 'afflicting one's soul' through fasting and self-humiliation.
Mandates that Aaron make atonement upon the horns of the altar once in a year forever.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Establishes the location of the mercy seat within the second veil of the tabernacle.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The multitude praying outside the sanctuary while the priest offers incense inside.
Supported by JFB
The NT reference to 'the Fast' denotes the Day of Atonement described in this passage.
Reiterates the command to have a holy convocation and afflict your souls on this day.
Indicates the yearly repetition of these sacrifices proves they could never make the comers perfect.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Reinforces the mandate that the priest must first offer for himself before offering for the people.
Supported by JFB
Verbal echo and parallel action of casting lots to decide a matter under divine providence.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Instructions for burning sweet incense, which forms the protective cloud over the mercy seat.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the specific ritual action of sprinkling sacrificial blood seven times before the sanctuary.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Summarizes the Day of Atonement cleansing for the sanctuary, altar, priests, and people.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Prescribes the specific linen breeches required to cover the priest's nakedness during service.
Supported by Matthew Poole
New Testament parallel of casting lots to discover the divine will and selection.
Supported by Matthew Poole