Leviticus 16

Leviticus 16

The big picture

Leviticus 16 opens in verse 1 with “And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 17 with “And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make…”, and closes in verse 34 with “And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children…” Repeated or prominent terms include atonement, offering, holy, goat, LORD. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.

Scripture beside the summary

Leviticus · King James Version · 34

Leviticus 16:1-7

1–7: The LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when…

Leviticus 16:1–7 opens with “And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before…” and reaches “And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The Day of Atonement sequence: high priest, incense cloud, mercy seat, sacrifices, and the live goat led into the wilderness, with particular weight carried by offering, Aaron, holy.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered…” By verse 4, the text has turned to “He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh…” It lands on “And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 2 verses with a speech marker, 3 verses naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

The covenant audience and the reason attached to each command show how worship, holiness, justice, mercy, and communal responsibility belong together. Words such as offering, Aaron, holy, linen, LORD, bullock tie the complete block together. The central idea, “The Day of Atonement sequence: high priest, incense cloud, mercy seat, sacrifices, and the live goat led into the wilderness,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Aaron, Moses, Israel, Speak. Its number language includes two, one. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 4: “He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle…” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: offering, Aaron, holy, linen, LORD, bullock

Verse-by-verse path

  1. Leviticus 16:1

    “And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD , and died;” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

  2. Leviticus 16:2

    “And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within…” Naming Aaron and Moses keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  3. Leviticus 16:3

    “Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  4. Leviticus 16:4

    “He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  5. Leviticus 16:5

    “And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  6. Leviticus 16:6

    “And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  7. Leviticus 16:7

    “And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

Leviticus 16:1-7

King James Version

1And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD , and died;

2And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

3Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.

4He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.

5And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

6And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.

7And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Leviticus 16:8-14

8–14: Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD , and the…

Leviticus 16:8–14 opens with “And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD , and the other lot for the…” and reaches “And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The Day of Atonement sequence: high priest, incense cloud, mercy seat, sacrifices, and the live goat led into the wilderness, with particular weight carried by LORD, Aaron, bullock.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD , and the other lot for…” By verse 11, the text has turned to “And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make…” It lands on “And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 1 stated contrast, 5 verses naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

The covenant audience and the reason attached to each command show how worship, holiness, justice, mercy, and communal responsibility belong together. Words such as LORD, Aaron, bullock, incense, mercy, offering tie the complete block together. The central idea, “The Day of Atonement sequence: high priest, incense cloud, mercy seat, sacrifices, and the live goat led into the wilderness,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Aaron. Its number language includes two, one, seven. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 10: “But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD , to make an atonement with him…” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: LORD, Aaron, bullock, incense, mercy, offering

Verse-by-verse path

  1. Leviticus 16:8

    “And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD , and the other lot for the scapegoat.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  2. Leviticus 16:9

    “And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  3. Leviticus 16:10

    “But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD , to make an…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  4. Leviticus 16:11

    “And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  5. Leviticus 16:12

    “And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD , and his hands full of…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  6. Leviticus 16:13

    “And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD , that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  7. Leviticus 16:14

    “And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

Leviticus 16:8-14

King James Version

8And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD , and the other lot for the scapegoat.

9And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.

10But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD , to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.

11And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:

12And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD , and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:

13And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD , that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:

14And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

Leviticus 16:15-21

15–21: Shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and…

Leviticus 16:15–21 opens with “Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood…” and reaches “And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The Day of Atonement sequence: high priest, incense cloud, mercy seat, sacrifices, and the live goat led into the wilderness, with particular weight carried by blood, goat, atonement.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood…” By verse 18, the text has turned to “And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD , and make an atonement for it…” It lands on “And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 1 verse naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

The covenant audience and the reason attached to each command show how worship, holiness, justice, mercy, and communal responsibility belong together. Words such as blood, goat, atonement, congregation, Israel, altar tie the complete block together. The central idea, “The Day of Atonement sequence: high priest, incense cloud, mercy seat, sacrifices, and the live goat led into the wilderness,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Israel, Aaron. Its number language includes seven. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 17: “And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he…” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: blood, goat, atonement, congregation, Israel, altar

Verse-by-verse path

  1. Leviticus 16:15

    “Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  2. Leviticus 16:16

    “And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  3. Leviticus 16:17

    “And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  4. Leviticus 16:18

    “And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD , and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  5. Leviticus 16:19

    “And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  6. Leviticus 16:20

    “And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  7. Leviticus 16:21

    “And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

Leviticus 16:15-21

King James Version

15Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

16And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

17And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.

18And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD , and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.

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

20And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:

21And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:

Leviticus 16:22-28

22–28: The goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not…

Leviticus 16:22–28 opens with “And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall…” and reaches “And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The Day of Atonement sequence: high priest, incense cloud, mercy seat, sacrifices, and the live goat led into the wilderness, with particular weight carried by offering, flesh, goat.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he…” By verse 25, the text has turned to “And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.” It lands on “And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. Its subjects, actions, connecting terms, and consequences reveal how the thought develops before any interpretation is added.

The covenant audience and the reason attached to each command show how worship, holiness, justice, mercy, and communal responsibility belong together. Words such as offering, flesh, goat, camp, holy, place tie the complete block together. The central idea, “The Day of Atonement sequence: high priest, incense cloud, mercy seat, sacrifices, and the live goat led into the wilderness,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Aaron. Its number language includes one. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 25: “And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: offering, flesh, goat, camp, holy, place

Verse-by-verse path

  1. Leviticus 16:22

    “And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  2. Leviticus 16:23

    “And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  3. Leviticus 16:24

    “And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  4. Leviticus 16:25

    “And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  5. Leviticus 16:26

    “And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  6. Leviticus 16:27

    “And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  7. Leviticus 16:28

    “And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

Leviticus 16:22-28

King James Version

22And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

23And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there:

24And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.

25And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.

26And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.

27And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.

28And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

Leviticus 16:29-34

29–34: This shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on…

Leviticus 16:29–34 opens with “And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of…” and reaches “And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The Day of Atonement sequence: high priest, incense cloud, mercy seat, sacrifices, and the live goat led into the wilderness, with particular weight carried by atonement, statute, afflict.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day…” By verse 31, the text has turned to “It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for…” It lands on “And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 2 verses naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

The covenant audience and the reason attached to each command show how worship, holiness, justice, mercy, and communal responsibility belong together. Words such as atonement, statute, afflict, congregation, holy, LORD tie the complete block together. The central idea, “The Day of Atonement sequence: high priest, incense cloud, mercy seat, sacrifices, and the live goat led into the wilderness,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Israel, Moses. Its number language includes one. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 31: “It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: atonement, statute, afflict, congregation, holy, LORD

Verse-by-verse path

  1. Leviticus 16:29

    “And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  2. Leviticus 16:30

    “For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

  3. Leviticus 16:31

    “It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  4. Leviticus 16:32

    “And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest’s office in his father’s…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  5. Leviticus 16:33

    “And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  6. Leviticus 16:34

    “And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

Leviticus 16:29-34

King James Version

29And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:

30For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD .

31It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.

32And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest’s office in his father’s stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments:

33And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.

34And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

Questions to keep in mind while reading

  1. Identify the people addressed and the covenant setting.
  2. Distinguish rescue, worship, holiness, justice, and community responsibility.
  3. Read commands in their literary and covenant context before making a modern application.

Text first

Where readers differ

The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.

The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.

Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.

Questions beneath the surface

  1. What account of God, human freedom, responsibility, and the good life emerges from Leviticus 16?
  2. Which tension does the chapter refuse to resolve quickly?
  3. What changes when the chapter is read as part of the whole canon rather than as an isolated moral story?
  4. Where might a sincere reader confuse a familiar tradition with something the text states directly?

Questions for serious personal contemplation

These open-ended questions make room for tension, honest response, prayer, and conclusions that remain accountable to the chapter.

Observe without rushing

  1. What part of Leviticus 16 makes you stop, feel unsettled, or feel surprised, and why?

  2. Which detail in the passage would be easiest to overlook? How does that detail change your understanding?

  3. Where do you see tension between what happens and this focus: The Day of Atonement sequence: high priest, incense cloud, mercy seat, sacrifices, and the live goat led into the wilderness?

  4. What important question does the passage leave open instead of resolving quickly?

Examine your inner life honestly

  1. Which person, response, fear, or desire in the passage feels most like your own life right now?

  2. What assumption about God, other people, or yourself does this text challenge?

  3. Which part would you rather soften, avoid, or explain away too quickly? What might that reaction reveal?

  4. If this Scripture could ask you one direct question, what do you think it would ask?

Respond with wisdom and courage

  1. What do you need to remember, confess, grieve, thank God for, or trust after reading this passage?

  2. How might another faithful person read this situation differently without ignoring the text?

  3. What obedient response would be costly, uncomfortable, or slow, yet still faithful to Scripture?

  4. What question will you carry into prayer this week, and which verses will you keep in front of you?