Leviticus 16:1-34

The Day of Atonement

1 The Lord spoke to Moses after c the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Lord and died, 2 and the Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron your brother not to d come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For e I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. 3 But in this way Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: f with a bull from the herd for a sin offering and g a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He shall put on h the holy linen coat and shall have the linen undergarment on his body, and he shall tie the linen sash around his waist, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy garments. i He shall bathe his body in water and then put them on. 5 And he shall take from j the congregation of the people of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

6 "Aaron shall k offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall l make atonement for himself and for his house. 7 Then he shall take the two goats and set them before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 8 And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for m Azazel. 1 9 And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord and use it as a sin offering, 10 but the goat on which the lot fell for m Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to m Azazel.

11 "Aaron shall present k the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. He shall kill the bull as a sin offering for himself. 12 And he shall take n a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and he shall bring it inside the veil 13 o and put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover p the mercy seat that is over the testimony, so that he does not die. 14 And q he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy seat on the east side, and in front of the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.

15 r "Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood s inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it over the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. 16 Thus he shall t make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins. And so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses. 17 u No one may be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place until he comes out and has made atonement for himself and for his house and for all the assembly of Israel. 18 Then he shall go out to the altar that is v before the Lord and w make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around. 19 And he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it and consecrate it from the uncleannesses of the people of Israel.

20 "And when he has made an end of x atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. 21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall y put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. 22 The goat shall z bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and a he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness.

23 "Then Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting and b shall take off the linen garments that he put on when he went into the Holy Place and shall leave them there. 24 And he shall bathe his body in water in a holy place and put on his garments and come out and c offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people and make atonement for himself and for the people. 25 And d the fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar. 26 And he who lets the goat go to e Azazel shall wash his clothes and f bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. 27 g And the bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried outside the camp. Their skin and their flesh and their dung shall be burned up with fire. 28 And he who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.

29 "And it shall be a statute to you forever that h in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall i afflict yourselves 2 and shall do no work, either j the native or the stranger who sojourns among you. 30 For on this day shall atonement be made for you k to cleanse you. You shall be clean before the Lord from all your sins. 31 l It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall i afflict yourselves; it is a statute forever. 32 m And the priest who is anointed and n consecrated as priest in his father's place o shall make atonement, wearing the holy linen garments. 33 He shall make atonement for p the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for q the altar, and he shall make atonement for r the priests and for s all the people of the assembly. 34 And this shall be a statute forever for you, that atonement may be made for the people of Israel t once in the year because of all their sins." And Moses did as the Lord commanded him.

  1. Cross References
    Leviticus 10:1 - 2
    Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them.
  2. Cross References
    Exodus 30:10
    Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.
    Hebrews 9:7
    But into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.
    Hebrews 9:12
    He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.
    Hebrews 9:24 - 25
    For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
    Hebrews 10:19 - 22
    Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus.
  3. Cross References
    Exodus 25:22
    There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.
    Exodus 40:34 - 35
    Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
    1 Kings 8:10 - 12
    And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord.
  4. Cross References
    Leviticus 4:3
    If it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull from the herd without blemish to the Lord for a sin offering.
  5. Cross References
    Leviticus 1:10
    If his gift for a burnt offering is from the flock, from the sheep or goats, he shall bring a male without blemish.
    Leviticus 8:18
    Then he presented the ram of the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.
  6. Cross References
    Leviticus 6:10
    And the priest shall put on his linen garment and put his linen undergarment on his body, and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt offering on the altar and put them beside the altar.
    Leviticus 8:7
    And he put the coat on him and tied the sash around his waist and clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him and tied the skillfully woven band of the ephod around him, binding it to him with the band.
    Ezekiel 44:17 - 18
    When they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall wear linen garments. They shall have nothing of wool on them, while they minister at the gates of the inner court, and within.
    Exodus 28:39 - 43
    You shall weave the coat in checker work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash embroidered with needlework.
  7. Cross References
    Leviticus 8:6 - 7
    And Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water.
    Exodus 30:20
    When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the Lord, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die.
  8. Cross References
    Leviticus 4:14
    When the sin which they have committed becomes known, the assembly shall offer a bull from the herd for a sin offering and bring it in front of the tent of meeting.
    Numbers 29:11
    Also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the sin offering of atonement, and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.
    2 Chronicles 29:21
    And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats for a sin offering for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah. And he commanded the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the Lord.
    Ezra 6:17
    They offered at the dedication of this house of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel 12 male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
  9. Cross References
    Ezekiel 45:22
    On that day the prince shall provide for himself and all the people of the land a young bull for a sin offering.
  10. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:17
    No one may be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place until he comes out and has made atonement for himself and for his house and for all the assembly of Israel.
    Leviticus 16:24
    And he shall bathe his body in water in a holy place and put on his garments and come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people and make atonement for himself and for the people.
    Leviticus 9:7
    Then Moses said to Aaron, "Draw near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering and make atonement for yourself and for the people, and bring the offering of the people and make atonement for them, as the Lord has commanded.
    Hebrews 7:27 - 28
    He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.
    Hebrews 9:7
    But into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.
  11. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:26
    And he who lets the goat go to Azazel shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.
  12. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:8
    And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel.
  13. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:8
    And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel.
  14. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:6
    Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house.
  15. Cross References
    Leviticus 10:1
    Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them.
    Numbers 16:46
    And Moses said to Aaron, "Take your censer, and put fire on it from off the altar and lay incense on it and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the Lord ; the plague has begun.
    Revelation 8:3 - 5
    And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne.
  16. Cross References
    Exodus 30:1
    You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood.
    Exodus 30:7 - 8
    And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it.
  17. Cross References
    Exodus 25:21
    And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you.
  18. Cross References
    Hebrews 9:13
    For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh.
    Hebrews 9:25
    Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own.
    Hebrews 10:4
    For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
    Leviticus 4:5 - 6
    And the anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull and bring it into the tent of meeting.
  19. Cross References
    Hebrews 2:17
    Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
    Hebrews 5:1
    For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
    Hebrews 9:7
    But into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.
  20. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:2
    And the Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.
    Hebrews 6:19
    We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain.
    Hebrews 9:3
    Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place.
    Hebrews 9:7
    But into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.
  21. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:18
    Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around.
    Exodus 29:36
    And every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall purify the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it to consecrate it.
    Ezekiel 45:18
    Thus says the Lord God : In the first month, on the first day of the month, you shall take a bull from the herd without blemish, and purify the sanctuary.
    Hebrews 9:22 - 23
    Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
  22. Cross References
    Luke 1:10
    And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
    Luke 1:21
    And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.
  23. Cross References
    Leviticus 1:5
    Then he shall kill the bull before the Lord, and Aaron's sons the priests shall bring the blood and throw the blood against the sides of the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
    Leviticus 4:24
    And shall lay his hand on the head of the goat and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the Lord ; it is a sin offering.
  24. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:16
    Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins. And so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses.
    Leviticus 4:7
    And the priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense before the Lord that is in the tent of meeting, and all the rest of the blood of the bull he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
    Leviticus 4:18
    And he shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is in the tent of meeting before the Lord, and the rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
    Exodus 30:6
    And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you.
    Exodus 30:10
    Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.
  25. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:16
    Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins. And so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses.
    Leviticus 16:18
    Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around.
    Ezekiel 43:20
    And you shall take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the ledge and upon the rim all around. Thus you shall purify the altar and make atonement for it.
    Ezekiel 45:20
    You shall do the same on the seventh day of the month for anyone who has sinned through error or ignorance; so you shall make atonement for the temple.
  26. Cross References
    Isaiah 53:6
    All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
    2 Corinthians 5:21
    For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
  27. Cross References
    Isaiah 53:11 - 12
    Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
    John 1:29
    The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
    Hebrews 9:28
    So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
    1 Peter 2:24
    He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
  28. Cross References
    Leviticus 14:7
    And he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed of the leprous disease. Then he shall pronounce him clean and shall let the living bird go into the open field.
  29. Cross References
    Leviticus 6:11
    Then he shall take off his garments and put on other garments and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.
  30. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:3
    But in this way Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with a bull from the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.
    Leviticus 16:5
    And he shall take from the congregation of the people of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
  31. Cross References
    Leviticus 4:8 - 10
    And all the fat of the bull of the sin offering he shall remove from it, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails
    Exodus 29:13
    And you shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar.
  32. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:8
    And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel.
    Leviticus 16:10
    But the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel.
  33. Cross References
    Leviticus 15:5
    And anyone who touches his bed shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening.
    Leviticus 17:15
    And every person who eats what dies of itself or what is torn by beasts, whether he is a native or a sojourner, shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening; then he shall be clean.
  34. Cross References
    Leviticus 4:11 - 12
    But the skin of the bull and all its flesh, with its head, its legs, its entrails, and its dung -
    Leviticus 4:21
    And he shall carry the bull outside the camp and burn it up as he burned the first bull; it is the sin offering for the assembly.
    Leviticus 6:30
    But no sin offering shall be eaten from which any blood is brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the Holy Place; it shall be burned up with fire.
    Hebrews 13:11 - 12
    For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp.
  35. Cross References
    Leviticus 23:27
    Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the Lord.
    Numbers 29:7
    On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation and afflict yourselves. You shall do no work.
  36. Cross References
    Leviticus 23:32
    It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath.
    Psalms 35:13
    But I, when they were sick - I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest.
    Isaiah 58:3
    Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers.
    Isaiah 58:5
    Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord ?
    Daniel 10:12
    Then he said to me, "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.
  37. Cross References
    Leviticus 17:15
    And every person who eats what dies of itself or what is torn by beasts, whether he is a native or a sojourner, shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening; then he shall be clean.
    Leviticus 18:26
    But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you
    Leviticus 19:34
    You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
    Exodus 12:49
    There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.
  38. Cross References
    Psalms 51:2
    Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
    Jeremiah 33:8
    I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me.
    Hebrews 10:1 - 2
    For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.
    1 John 1:7
    But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
    1 John 1:9
    If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
  39. Cross References
    Leviticus 23:32
    It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath.
  40. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:29
    And it shall be a statute to you forever that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict yourselves and shall do no work, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you.
  41. Cross References
    Leviticus 21:10
    The priest who is chief among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil is poured and who has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose nor tear his clothes.
  42. Cross References
    Exodus 29:29 - 30
    The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them.
    Numbers 20:28
    And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.
  43. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:4
    He shall put on the holy linen coat and shall have the linen undergarment on his body, and he shall tie the linen sash around his waist, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water and then put them on.
  44. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:16
    Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins. And so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses.
  45. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:18
    Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around.
  46. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:6
    Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house.
  47. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:24
    And he shall bathe his body in water in a holy place and put on his garments and come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people and make atonement for himself and for the people.
  48. Cross References
    Exodus 30:10
    Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.
    Hebrews 9:7
    But into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.
    Hebrews 9:25
    Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.