The Third Book of Moses, called Leviticus
Leviticus 16
Chapter XVI · Vol. I, pp. 389–391
1 How the high-priest must enter into the holy place. 11 The sin-offering for himself. 15 The sin-offering for the people. 20 The scape-goat. 29 The yearly feast of the expiations.
1 AND a the LORD spake unto Moses, after b the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;
2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he c 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 d appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat.1
c ch. 23.7. Ex. 30.10; 26.33. He. 9.6, 8, with 10.19-22; 4.14-16; 1.3.
d Ex. 3.5; 40.35. 1 Ki. 8.11, 12. ver. 13. 2 Co. 5.19-21.
1 The religious ceremonies of the great day of atonement are here minutely described. They were as follows:—1. The offering for himself, consisting of a bullock and a ram. 2. The putting on of robes of white linen, to denote at once humility and purity. 3. The offering for the people—two goats. 4. The burning of incense so that its smoke might cover the mercy-seat. 5. The sprinkling of the blood of the victims before the mercy-seat. 6. The sending of the scape-goat into the desert.—P.
3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place; withe a young bullock for a sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering.
e ch. 4.3. He. 9.6-11; 10.19-22. Ep. 2.18.
4 He shall f put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with the linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he g wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.
5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two h kids of the goats for a sin-offering, and one ram for a burnt-offering.
6 And Aaron shall offer i his bullock of the sin-offering which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.
7 And he shall take the two goats, and presentk them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
k ch. 1.3; 12.6, 7; 15.14, 29. Ga. 4.4. Mat. 10.21; 20.18.
8 And Aaron shall cast l lots2 upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scape-goat.3
l Pr. 16.33; 8.23. Ro. 3.25; 8.3. Is. 42.1-7. Ac. 2.23; 4.28. 1 Jn. 4.9, 10. Jn. 10.8. 1 Co. 15.3, 4.
2 Jewish tradition states that the 'lots' were originally of box-wood, but afterwards of gold. On one was inscribed, 'for Jehovan,' on the other, 'for azazel.'—P.
3 The Hebrew word translated 'scape-goat' is azazel, and has been variously interpreted—1. Some say it means the goat itself, which was so called from the fact of its being sent away free; hence the English phrase 'scape-goat.' 2. Some say Azazel is a place to which the goat was sent. And they thus regard it as a proper name. 3. Others say it means an evil spirit. 4. Others, the devil. 5. Others regard it as an abstract noun, and interpret, 'for complete sending away or removal.' The last seems to be the true meaning. The sins of the people being confessed by the priest over the head of the goat, and thus transferred or imputed to it, the goat was then sent away to the uninhabited desert. The rite thus symbolized the complete removal of sin and guilt.—P.
9 And Aaron shall m bring the goat upon which the LORD's lot fell,4 and offer n him for a sin-offering.
m ch. iv. 1 Pe. 2.24; 3.18. Is. 53.4-10. 2 Co. 5.21.
4 Heb. went up.
n ch. 4.23; 5.6; 23.19. Nu. 7.16, 22, 28; 15.24; 28.15, 30; 29.5, 11, 10, 19, 25, &c.
10 But the o goat on which the lot fell to be the scape-goat shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scape-goat into the wilderness.
o 1 Jn. 2.1, 2; 4.10. Is. 53.11, 12. Ro. 4.25. 1 Pe. 3.18; 1.18-21. He. 1.3; 10.14.
11 And 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.
12 And he shall p 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.
p ch. 10.1. Ex. 30.34, 36. Ro. 8.34; 12.11. He. 5.7; 7.25; 9.24. Re. 8.3, 4.
13 Andq 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.
q He. 9.24; 7.25. 1 Jn. 2.1, 2.
14 And r he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger 5 upon the mercy-seat eastward; and before the mercy-seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.6
r ch. 4.6, 17. He. 9.7; 10.4, 10, 12, 14, 19, 20. Is. 42.21. 2 Co. 5.19. Ro. 3.24-26.
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
5 Towards.
6 The thoughtful reader cannot fail to observe how frequently the number seven is mentioned in connection with divine rites, commands, and ordinances. It denotes perfection; and the lesson it symbolizes is the perfect and complete discharge of the duties which God enjoins.—P.
15 Then shall he s 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 upon7 the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat.
16 And he shall t 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 remaineth8 among them u in the midst of their uncleanness.
t ver. 18-20; ch. 4.35; 8.15; 14.49, 52, 53. Ex. 29.36. 1 Jn. 2.1, 2; 4.10. Mat. 20.28. Is. 53.4-6, 10-12. Da. 9.24. 1 Pe. 1.18, 19; 2.24; 3.18.
8 Heb. dwelleth.
17 And there shall be x no man9 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.1
x Lu. 1.10. Ac. 4.12. Is. 53.6. 1 Pe. 2.24. He. 1.3. Col. 1.20. Da. 9.24.
9 The high-priest was the most eminent type of Christ, and the sacrifices on this the great day of atonement the most striking representation of the sufferings of Christ on earth, and of his intercession in heaven. It is interesting to observe that all other persons, even the priests, were strictly prohibited from entering within the tabernacle while the high-priest officiated, intimating that no other could share the honours of Christ's mediatory office.—l. It would appear from the description here given that the high-priest went at least three times within the veil to the holy of holies on the day of atonement. 1. With the incense, ver. 12; 2. To sprinkle the blood of the bullock, ver. 14; and 3. With the blood of the goat. According to the Talmud he went in a fourth time to bring out the censer of incense. This is not opposed to the statement of Paul in He. 9.7, for they were only parts of one great annual festival.—P.
18 And he shall y 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 altar2 round about.
19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and z hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
z He. 13.10. 1 Pe. 2.5. Re. 8.3, 4.
20 And when he hath made an end of a reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the b live goat:
21 And Aaron shall c 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 man3 into the wilderness.
c Is. 53.6, 11, 12. 2 Co. 5.21. 1 Pe. 2.24.
3 Heb. a man of opportunity.
22 And the goat shall d bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited:4 and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
d 1 Pe. 2.24. Is. 41.18; 53.4, 5, 11, 12. Ps. 103.12. Je. 50.20. Zec. 3.9. 2 Co. 5.19, 21. Eze. 20.35.
4 Heb. of separation.
23 And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall e put off the linen garments5 which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there;
e Eze. 44.19. Phi. 2.6-11. Ro. 8.3, with He. 9.28.
5 The high-priest putting off his garments represents the Saviour 'laying down his life for the sheep,' Jn. 10.15.—C.
24 And he shall f 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.
25 And the g fat of the sin-offering shall he burn upon the altar.
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
g Ex. 29.13. ch. 4.8, 19, 26, 31, 35. Jn. 12.27. Ps. 22.13,14. Tit. 2.14. Ga. 2.20. Ep. 5.2,25.
26 And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall h wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.
27 Andi 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.
i ch. 4.12, 21; 6.30. He. 9.12; 13.11-14. Zec. 13.7. Ps. 22.12-21. Mat. xxvi. xxvii.
28 And he that burneth them k shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
k ver. 26.
29 And this shall be a statute l for ever unto you: that in m the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall n afflict your souls,6 and do o no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
l Ge. 17.7,8. Ex. 21.6. ver. 34.
m ch. 23.27. Ex. 30.10. Nu. 29.7. 1 Ki. 8.2. Ac. 27.9.
n ver. 31. 2 Co. 7.10, 11. 1 Co. 11.31. Eze. 6.9. Ps. 35.13; 51.17. Is. 57.15, 16; 66.2. Pr. 28.13. Ro. 6.6.
6 That is, with fasting (Ps. 35.13) from the evening of the 9th till the evening of the 10th.—P.
30 For on p 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.
p ch. 23.27-32. He. 4.2. Ep. 1.7. Da. 9.24. Tit. 2.14. 1 Pe. 1.18,19.
31 Itq shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.
q See ver. 29.
32 And r the priest whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate7 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.
33 And he shall make an atonement for the holys 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.8
s ver. 16, 19, 20. Ac. 20.28. Mat. 20.28. Re. 1.5,6. Is. 53.4-11.
8 Verses 32 and 33 contain a brief summary of the whole work done by the priest on the day of atonement. The special rites may be thus stated in their order:—The priest and his family are first washed and prepared for duty; then atonement is made for the whole sanctuary; then for the brazen altar: and finally atonement is made for the whole people.—P.
34 And this shall be an t everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins u once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
u Ex. 30.10. He. 7.18, 19; 9.7,12; 10.1,4,10,12, 14. Da. 9.24.
Notes
[Ver. 3. Aaron may not come into the holy place but in the prescribed dress—we may not draw nigh to God, but in the name, by the spirit, and clothed in the righteousness of Christ. C.]
Ver. 10. [To a few special points in this divine ordinance let us direct our attention—matters common to this and other sacrifices require no particular notice. The lot was a divine ordinance, Pr. 18.18, constituting an authorized appeal to the omniscience and providence of God. So it was according to 'the wisdom and constant self-sacrificing love of God,' Ac. 2.23, that Christ should suffer in the flesh, as the one creature died; and that he should be 'quickened by the Spirit,' 1 Pe. 3.18, as the other escaped. C.]
Ver. 17. [The high-priest entered alone—so when Christ was made captive, 'they all forsook him and fled;' and when prophetically seen 'coming from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah,' Is. 63.1, 3, he had 'trodden the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none with him;'—alone he ascended into heaven, Ac. 1. 9, 10, and alone he sitteth at the right hand of God, Ac. 1. 32, 33. C.]
Ver. 29. [Why is the day of atonement a day of affliction? Because it was the stated anniversary for confessing 'all iniquities and transgressions,' ver. 21, in the presence of God—and confession implies repentance, else it is lip-service and mockery; and repentance implies grief for and hatred of our sins, even when 'turning from them to God, with full purpose of and endeavour after new obedience;' the Saviour 'bearing our griefs, and carrying our sorrows,' Is. 53. 4, is no doubt a sight of 'great joy,' Lu. 2. 10, to believers; but the remembrance that he 'was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities,' Is. 53. 5, that 'in all our afflictions he was afflicted,' Is. 63. 9; nay, that by the sins of professed believers he is even now 'crucified afresh,' He. 6. 6, 'and put to an open shame'—these are the things that convert the day of atonement into a day of affliction, and commingle tears of sorrow with songs of joy. C.]
Reflections.—In these ceremonial observances I am still directed to Jesus, as appointed by God, and fully qualified to make atonement for all the sins of a lost world. I behold him, in his debasement, stripped of his glorious robes of light and majesty, clothed with a mean but pure manhood; and at once standing as the laborious High-priest, and as the God-honouring and sin-pardoning sacrifice. He needed not to offer for himself; but the Lord lays upon him the iniquities of us all. As our sacrifice he atones for them, and as our scape-goat he carries them all into the land of forgetfulness; dying for our offences, but raised again, and ascending to glory, for our justification. Behold him entering into the celestial oracle in the virtue of his sacrifice! There he appears in the presence of God for us, pleading his own merits, and offering up the incense of continual intercession for us, putting off his robes of debasement, laying aside every vestige of the likeness of sinful flesh, and clothed and crowned with glory and honour. The sprinkling of his blood sanctifies the church, and all the ordinances of it; and renders our sacrifices and incense of grateful obedience, of fervent prayer and praise, acceptable to his Father. He returns also in the Spirit from within the veil to bless all nations in the gospel; and at last will return personally in the clouds, without sin, unto our eternal salvation. But while, in the purification of these agents after their sacred work, I perceive the imperfections of the most noted ceremonies for purging the conscience, let me diligently observe what pollution I contract in my most religious, my most solemn services, and let me live by faith, looking to Jesus whom I have pierced, and mourning bitterly over my transgressions as the cause of his sufferings! Nor let me ever forget what infinite glories must dwell in Christ, who answers, nay, infinitely more than answers, to all these sacrifices, these oblations, these priests, these means of purification, of which I have hitherto read!