Leviticus 16

1 Now the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] spoke [to communicate, to declare] to Moses [the Israelite leader, mediator] after [following, subsequent to] the death [separation of the soul from the body, the end of life] of two [a pair, a duo] of Aaron’s sons [descendants, heirs] when they approached [drew near, came close to] the presence [face, before] of the LORD [the Almighty, the Eternal One]. word study 2 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses: “Tell your brother [male sibling or close relative] Aaron not to enter [come or go] freely [at all times, without restriction] into the Most Holy Place [the sacred or set-apart area] behind the veil [curtain or screen] in front of the mercy seat [the golden lid on the Ark] on the ark [the box or chest containing the covenant], or else he will die [experience physical or spiritual death], because I appear [am seen or manifest] in the cloud above the mercy seat [the place of atonement]. word study 3 This is how [in this manner, thus] Aaron [the first high priest] is to enter [come into, approach] the Holy Place [sanctuary, set-apart area]: with a young bull [bullock, son of the herd] for a sin [guilt, punishment] offering and a ram [strong tree] for a burnt [completely consumed] offering. word study 4 He is to wear the [holy, set-apart] sacred linen tunic [a long, shirt-like garment], with [priestly] linen undergarments [designed for modesty]. He must tie a [ceremonial] linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are [sacred, consecrated] holy garments, and he must bathe [ritually purify] himself with water [a spring or watercourse] before he wears them. word study 5 And he shall take [from among] from the congregation [gathering of people, community] of Israel [descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] two [a pair, dual] male goats [he-goats, wild goats] for a sin [guilt, punishment] offering [sacrifice, atonement] and one [single, unique] ram [strong male sheep] for a burnt [completely consumed] offering [sacrifice, gift to God]. word study 6 Aaron [the first high priest] is to present [offer, bring near] the bull [young ox, sacrifice] for his sin [guilt, punishment] offering and make atonement [cover, purify] for himself [his own person] and his household [family, those under his care]. word study 7 Then he shall take [get, acquire] the two [a pair, dual] goats [hairy, wild] and present [set, stand] them before [in the presence of, face to face with] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] at the entrance [door, doorway] to the Tent [tabernacle, sacred dwelling] of Meeting [appointed time, sacred season]. word study 8 After Aaron [the first high priest, brother of Moses] casts lots [to determine, by divine decision] for the two [a pair, dual] goats, one [a single, unique] for the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] and the other [second, alternate] for the scapegoat, word study 9 he shall present [bring near, offer] the goat [hairy, wild goat] chosen [allotted, selected] by lot [by divine decision] for the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] and sacrifice [make, offer] it as a sin [guilt, purification] offering [to atone, make amends]. word study 10 But the goat [hairy, a wild goat or satyr] chosen by lot [allotted, by casting lots] as the scapegoat [Azazel, a goat sent into the wilderness] shall be presented alive [living, with life] before the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] to make atonement [to cover, to coat or cover something] by sending it into the wilderness [a desert or open field] as the scapegoat. word study 11 When Aaron [the first high priest, brother of Moses] presents [offers, brings near] the bull [young ox, sacrifice] for his sin [guilt, punishment] offering [atonement, purification] and makes [performs, accomplishes] atonement [covering, reconciliation] for himself [personally, individually] and his household [family, those under his care], he is to slaughter [kill, sacrifice] the bull [young ox, sacrifice] for his own [personal, individual] sin [guilt, punishment] offering [atonement, purification]. word study 12 Then he must take [receive, get] a censer [metal pan, for burning incense] full of burning coals [glowing embers, fiery pieces] from the altar [place of sacrifice, table of offering] before the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], and two handfuls [palmfuls, as much as the hands can hold] of finely ground [pulverized, crushed small] fragrant incense [sweet spice, pleasant aroma], and take them inside the veil [curtain, separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place]. word study 13 He is to put the incense [a sweet smoke from burning sacrifices] on the fire [burning, flame] before the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], and the cloud of incense will cover [to fill up hollows or hide from view] the mercy seat [the golden lid of the Ark, where blood was sprinkled] above the Testimony [God’s laws or instructions], so that he will not [indicating absence or negation] die [to cease living, either literally or as a punishment]. word study 14 And he is to take [receive, get] some of the bull’s [young ox, sacrifice] blood [the liquid that flows through the body] and sprinkle [scatter, shed] it with his finger [a toe] on the east side [front, direction of the rising sun] of the mercy seat [atonement cover, place of reconciliation]; then he shall sprinkle [scatter, pour out] some of it with his finger [in a deliberate, ritualistic manner] seven [a number of completion, perfection] times before [in the presence of, facing] the mercy seat [the golden lid of the Ark]. word study 15 Aaron shall then slaughter [kill, put to death] the goat [hairy, wild goat] for the sin [guilt, punishment for sin] offering [sacrifice, purification] for the people [nation, community] and bring its blood [life-giving fluid] behind the veil [curtain, screen], and with its blood he must do as he did with the bull’s [young ox] blood: He is to sprinkle [scatter, shed] it against the mercy seat [golden lid, atonement cover] and in front of [before, facing] it. word study 16 So he shall make atonement [to cover, purify] for the Most Holy Place [the sacred sanctuary, set-apart area] because of the impurities [uncleanness, sinful defilement] and rebellious acts [transgressions, revolts] of the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] in regard to all [every, the entirety of] their sins [guilt, punishment for sin]. He is to do the same [thus, in like manner] for the Tent of Meeting [the tabernacle, sacred dwelling place] which abides [dwells, remains] among them, because it is surrounded [in the midst] by their impurities [uncleanness, unclean lives]. word study 17 No one [no man, not a single person] may be in the Tent [tabernacle] of Meeting [appointed time, sacred gathering] from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement [to purify, cover sin] in the Most Holy Place [the sacred sanctuary, set-apart area] until he leaves, after he has made atonement [to cover, forgive] for himself, his household [family, those under his care], and the whole assembly [congregation, gathered people] of Israel [God’s chosen people, descendants of Jacob]. word study 18 Then he shall go out [to come out, depart from] to the altar [a place of sacrifice, where offerings are made to God] that is before [in the presence of] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and make atonement [to cover, purify, reconcile] for it. He is to take [get, receive] some of the bull’s [a young bull or ox, often used as a sacrifice] blood [the liquid that flows through the body, essential for life] and some of the goat’s blood [the liquid that flows through the body, essential for life] and put [give, set, apply] it on [upon, above] all the horns [corners, projections] of the altar [a place of sacrifice, where offerings are made to God]. word study 19 He is to sprinkle [shake or spirt] some of the blood [the liquid that flows through the body] on it with his finger [a toe] seven times to cleanse [purify, make ceremonially clean] it and consecrate [set apart, dedicate] it from the uncleanness [moral and ceremonial impurity] of the Israelites [God’s chosen people, descendants of Jacob]. word study 20 When Aaron has finished [completed, made an end of] purifying [atoning for, making reconciliation for] the Most Holy Place [the sacred sanctuary, the Holy of Holies], the Tent of Meeting [the tabernacle, the place of divine encounter], and the altar [the place of sacrifice, the table of atonement], he is to bring forward [present, offer] the live [alive, living] goat [the hairy one, the scapegoat]. word study 21 Then he is to lay [place, rest] both hands [an open hand; strength, a side or share] on the head [the topmost part of the body] of the live [alive, living] goat [hairy, wild] and confess [give thanks, praise] over it [openly, publicly] all the iniquities [moral evil, sin] and rebellious acts [transgressions, revolts] of the Israelites [descendants of Jacob] in regard to [concerning, regarding] all their sins [guilt, punishment]. He is to put [place, set] them on the goat’s head [the topmost part of the body] and send [depart, release] it away into the wilderness [desert, open field] by the hand [strength, direction] of a man [individual, person] appointed [chosen, ready] for the task. word study 22 The goat [hairy, a wild goat] will carry on itself [to lift, to bear] all their iniquities [moral evil, sin] into a solitary [isolated, uninhabited] place [land, a desert or isolated region], and the man will release [to send, to let go] it into the wilderness [a desert, a land not inhabited]. word study 23 Then Aaron [the first high priest, brother of Moses] is to enter [come into, approach] the Tent [tabernacle, sacred dwelling] of Meeting [assembly, appointed time], take off [strip, remove] the linen [made from flax] garments [clothing, vestments] he put on [clothed himself with] before entering [going into, approaching] the Most Holy Place [sanctuary, sacred area], and leave [place, rest] them there [in that location, at that time]. word study 24 He is to bathe [wash, cleanse] himself with water [a spring or watercourse] in a holy [set apart, sacred] place and put on his own clothes [garments, robes]. Then he must go out and sacrifice his burnt offering [a step or stairs, often used to describe the ascent to the altar] and the people’s [a nation, the community of Israel] burnt offering to make atonement [to cover, to reconcile] for himself and for the people [the community, the nation]. word study 25 He is also to burn [make an offering, turn into smoke] the fat [choicest part, richest portion] of the sin [guilt, purification] offering [sacrifice, atonement] on the altar [place of sacrifice, worship]. word study 26 The man who released [sent away, let go] the goat [hairy, a wild goat] as the scapegoat must wash [cleanse, purify] his clothes [garments, robes] and bathe [wash, cleanse] himself with water [a source of refreshment]; afterward [later, following] he may reenter [come into, approach] the camp [a group of people, an army]. word study 27 The bull [young ox, sacrifice] for the sin [guilt, punishment] offering and the goat [hairy, wild] for the sin [atonement, purification] offering, whose blood [life] was brought into the Most Holy Place [sacred, set-apart area] to make atonement [cover, reconcile], must be taken outside [beyond the boundary] the camp [encampment, group]; and their hides [skin, leather], flesh [body, living thing], and dung [refuse, waste] must be burned up [consumed, destroyed]. word study 28 The one who burns [sets on fire, kindles flames] them must wash [cleanse, purify] his clothes [garments, outer covering] and bathe [wash his body, cleanse his flesh] himself with water [the liquid, a source of refreshment], and afterward [later, following] he may reenter [come into, approach] the camp [the Israelites’ encampment, a group of people]. word study 29 This is to be [a perpetual, eternal] a permanent statute [ordained law, divine decree] for you: On the tenth day [day of atonement, day of self-denial] of the seventh [appointed, sacred] month, you shall humble [afflict, oppress] yourselves and not do any [kind of, manner of] work—whether the native [born, home-born] or the foreigner [sojourner, stranger] who resides [lives, dwells] among you— word study 30 because on [this specific, appointed] this day [of atonement] atonement [expiation, cleansing] will be made for you [upon you, on your behalf] to cleanse [purify, make clean] you, and you will be clean [pure, free from sin] from all [every, each] your sins [guilt, transgressions] before [in the presence of] the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God]. word study 31 It is a Sabbath [of solemn rest, a day of stillness] of complete rest [and self-denial, a time to humble yourselves] for you, that you may humble [afflict, deny] yourselves; it is a permanent [everlasting, age-during] statute [ordinance, divine decree]. word study 32 The priest [who serves as a mediator between God and people] who is anointed [set apart with holy oil, consecrated] and ordained [officially appointed, designated] to succeed his father [ancestor, predecessor] as high priest [chief spiritual leader, supreme priest] shall make atonement [provide reconciliation, cover sin]. He will put on the sacred [holy, set apart] linen [made from flax] garments [clothing, robes] word study 33 and make atonement [to cover, expiate] for the Most Holy Place [the holy sanctuary, sacred space], the Tent of Meeting [the tabernacle of the congregation], and the altar [place of sacrifice], and for the priests [those who serve God] and all the people [the congregation, nation] of the assembly [gathering, group]. word study 34 This is to be a permanent [everlasting] statute [ordinance, divine law] for you, to make [to cover, to atone for] atonement [purification, reconciliation] once a year [every year, annually] for the Israelites [children of Israel, God’s people] because of [on account of, due to] all their sins [transgressions, rebellions].” And all this was done as the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] had commanded [given orders, instructed] Moses. word study