Leviticus 16
One Goat Killed, One Sent Away
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Entry Before the Mercy Seat
16:1The Lord spoke to Moses after Aaron’s two sons died when they presented foreign fire before the Lord and died.
16:2The Lord said to Moses: Speak to your brother Aaron, and let him not enter at any time into the holy place within the veil, before the propitiatory cover upon the ark of testimony, so that he does not die, for I will appear in a cloud over the propitiatory cover.
16:3In this way Aaron shall enter the holy place: with a calf from the cattle for sin and a ram for a whole burnt offering.
16:4He shall put on a consecrated linen tunic, with linen undergarments against his skin, gird himself with a linen belt, and put on a linen turban. These are holy garments. He shall bathe his whole body in water and put them on.
16:5From the congregation of the sons of Israel he shall take two male kids from the goats for sin and one ram for a whole burnt offering.
The Bull and the Two Goats
16:6Aaron shall present the calf for his sin offering and make propitiation for himself and his household.
16:7He shall take the two male kids and present them before the Lord beside the door of the Tent of Testimony.
16:8Aaron shall place upon the two male kids one lot for the Lord and one lot for the one sent away.
16:9Aaron shall present the male kid on which the lot for the Lord fell and offer it for sin.
16:10He shall present alive before the Lord the male kid on which the lot of the one sent away fell, to make propitiation over it, so as to send it away for removal. He shall release it into the wilderness.
Incense, Blood, and Sanctuary Cleansing
16:11Aaron shall present the calf for the sin offering of himself and his household alone, make propitiation for himself and his household, and slaughter the calf for his own sin offering.
16:12He shall take the firepan full of burning coals from the altar opposite the Lord, fill his hands with finely compounded incense, and bring them within the veil,
16:13and put the incense on the fire before the Lord. The vapor of incense shall cover the propitiatory cover above the testimonies, and he shall not die.
16:14He shall take some of the calf’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the propitiatory cover toward the east; before the propitiatory cover he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.
16:15He shall slaughter the male kid for the people’s sin offering before the Lord and bring some of its blood within the veil. He shall do with its blood as he did with the calf’s blood, sprinkling its blood on the propitiatory cover, before the propitiatory cover,
16:16and make expiation for the holy place from the sons of Israel’s uncleannesses and their wrongdoings, concerning all their sins. He shall do the same for the Tent of Testimony established among them amid their uncleanness.
16:17No one shall be in the Tent of Testimony when he enters to make propitiation in the holy place until he comes out. He shall make propitiation for himself, his household, and the whole congregation of the sons of Israel.
16:18He shall go out to the altar opposite the Lord and make propitiation upon it. He shall take some of the calf’s blood and some of the male kid’s blood and put it all around on the altar’s horns,
16:19He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, cleanse it, and consecrate it from the sons of Israel’s uncleannesses.
The Living Goat and Removal of Offenses
16:20He shall finish making expiation for the holy place, the Tent of Testimony, and the altar, and perform cleansing for the priests. He shall present the living male kid.
16:21Aaron shall lay his hands on the living male kid’s head and confess over it all the sons of Israel’s lawless deeds, all their injustices, and all their sins. He shall put them on the living male kid’s head and send it into the wilderness by the hand of a prepared man.
16:22The male kid shall take upon itself their injustices to an inaccessible land, and he shall release the male kid into the wilderness.
Washing, Offerings, and Disposal
16:23Aaron shall enter the Tent of Testimony, take off the linen robe he wore when entering the holy place, and lay it aside there.
16:24He shall bathe his body in water in a holy place and put on his robe. He shall go out, prepare his whole offering and the people’s whole offering, and make propitiation for himself, his household, and the people, as for the priests.
16:25He shall offer up the fat of the offerings for sins on the altar.
16:26The one who sends away the male kid designated for release shall wash his garments and bathe his body in water. Afterward he shall enter the camp.
16:27They shall carry outside the camp the calf and male kid for the sin offering whose blood was brought in to make propitiation in the holy place. They shall burn them up with fire, their hides, meat, and dung.
16:28The one who burns them shall wash his garments and bathe his body in water. Afterward he may enter the camp.
The Annual Statute
16:29This shall be a perpetual ordinance for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, humble yourselves and do no work, neither the native nor the newcomer attached to you.
16:30For on this day he shall make propitiation for you, to cleanse you from all your sins before the Lord, and you shall be cleansed.
16:31It shall be a Sabbath of Sabbaths, a rest for you, and you shall humble yourselves; it is a perpetual ordinance.
16:32The priest whom they anoint and whose hands they consecrate to serve as priest after his father shall make propitiation. He shall put on the linen robe, a holy robe,
16:33and make expiation for the holy place of the holy place, the Tent of Testimony, and the altar; he shall make propitiation for the priests and the whole congregation.
16:34This shall be a perpetual ordinance for you, to make propitiation for the sons of Israel for all their sins. It shall be done once a year, as the Lord directed Moses.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.