Read & explore together
The Day of Atonement
These passages set out the Day of Atonement in detail. They explain how the priest was to approach the Most Holy Place, how atonement was made, and how the whole people were to observe this day each year.
Understanding the passage
Understanding the setting
Leviticus 16 begins after the death of Aaron’s two sons, with a warning that Aaron must not enter the Most Holy Place whenever he chooses. The chapter then gives the ritual for this day, and Leviticus 23 repeats the annual observance on the tenth day of the seventh month.
Leviticus 16:1–34; Leviticus 23:26–32Main takeaway
The Day of Atonement was a yearly, carefully commanded day when the consecrated priest made atonement before Yahweh and the people were required to humble themselves and rest.
Explore the instructions
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A holy place with careful limitsThe instructions begin with a warning. Aaron must not enter the Most Holy Place at just any time, or he will die, because Yahweh appears in the cloud on the mercy seat.
Explanation
The instructions begin with a warning. Aaron must not enter the Most Holy Place at just any time, or he will die, because Yahweh appears in the cloud on the mercy seat. He must come with specific offerings, wash his body, and wear holy linen garments. The passage presents this approach as careful and restricted.
02Offerings for the priest and the peopleAaron first offers a bull for himself and his house. Then two goats are set before Yahweh and lots are cast: one for Yahweh and one for the scapegoat.
Explanation
Aaron first offers a bull for himself and his house. Then two goats are set before Yahweh and lots are cast: one for Yahweh and one for the scapegoat. The goat for Yahweh is a sin offering for the people. Its blood is used in the Holy Place, and no one else may be in the Tent of Meeting during this atonement.
03The live goat and two different removalsAfter atonement is made for the Holy Place, Tent of Meeting, and altar, Aaron lays both hands on the live goat and confesses over it all Israel’s iniquities, transgressions, and sins.
Explanation
After atonement is made for the Holy Place, Tent of Meeting, and altar, Aaron lays both hands on the live goat and confesses over it all Israel’s iniquities, transgressions, and sins. That goat is sent into the wilderness. Separately, the remains of the bull and sin-offering goat are burned outside the camp. The one who releases the scapegoat must wash afterwards.
04A yearly statute for priest, sanctuary, and peopleThis day is kept on the tenth day of the seventh month. The people must afflict or deny themselves and do no work.
Explanation
This day is kept on the tenth day of the seventh month. The people must afflict or deny themselves and do no work. Leviticus 23 adds sober consequences: the person who refuses this self-denial is cut off, and the person who works is destroyed from among the people. It is a Sabbath of solemn rest from evening to evening.
05The closing summary of the dayThe passage ends by stating that the anointed and consecrated priest performs this atonement.
Explanation
The passage ends by stating that the anointed and consecrated priest performs this atonement. It is made for the Holy Sanctuary, the Tent of Meeting, the altar, the priests, and all the people of the assembly. This is an everlasting statute, carried out once each year because of all Israel’s sins.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01Why is Aaron warned not to enter the Most Holy Place whenever he wants?
The text connects this warning with Yahweh’s presence at the mercy seat and the danger of death if he approaches wrongly.
02What is the difference between the goat for Yahweh and the scapegoat?
One is offered as a sin offering, while the other has Israel’s sins confessed over it and is sent into the wilderness.
03What does Leviticus 23 add about how the people must keep this day?
Notice both the commands to deny themselves and rest, and the stated consequences for refusing or for doing work.
Read the Bible passages
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Leviticus 16:1–34
1Yahweh spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they came near before Yahweh, and died;
2and Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Most Holy Place within the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark; lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat.
3“Aaron shall come into the sanctuary with a young bull for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.
4He shall put on the holy linen tunic. He shall have the linen trousers on his body, and shall put on the linen sash, and he shall be clothed with the linen turban. They are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water, and put them on.
5He shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
6“Aaron shall offer the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house.
7He shall take the two goats, and set them before Yahweh at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
8Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for Yahweh, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
9Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for Yahweh, and offer him for a sin offering.
10But the goat on which the lot fell for the scapegoat shall be presented alive before Yahweh, to make atonement for him, to send him away as the scapegoat into the wilderness.
11“Aaron shall present the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bull of the sin offering which is for himself.
12He shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before Yahweh, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil.
13He shall put the incense on the fire before Yahweh, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the covenant, so that he will not die.
14He shall take some of the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east; and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.
15“Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with his blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.
16He shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, even all their sins; and so he shall do for the Tent of Meeting that dwells with them in the middle of their uncleanness.
17No one shall be in the Tent of Meeting when he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, and has made atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel.
18“He shall go out to the altar that is before Yahweh and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the bull’s blood, and some of the goat’s blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar.
19He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and make it holy from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
20“When he has finished atoning for the Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat.
21Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them on the head of the goat, and shall send him away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is ready.
22The goat shall carry all their iniquities on himself to a solitary land, and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.
23“Aaron shall come into the Tent of Meeting, and shall take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall leave them there.
24Then he shall bathe himself in water in a holy place, 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.
25The fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar.
26“He who lets the goat go as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
27The 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; and they shall burn their skins, their flesh, and their dung with fire.
28He who burns them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
29“It shall be a statute to you forever: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and shall do no kind of work, whether native-born or a stranger who lives as a foreigner among you;
30for on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you. You shall be clean from all your sins before Yahweh.
31It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever.
32The priest, who is anointed and who is consecrated to be priest in his father’s place, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen garments, even the holy garments.
33Then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary; and he shall make atonement for the Tent of Meeting and for the altar; and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly.
34“This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel once in the year because of all their sins.” It was done as Yahweh commanded Moses.
Leviticus 23:26–32
26Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
27“However on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement. It shall be a holy convocation to you. You shall afflict yourselves and you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
28You shall do no kind of work in that same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before Yahweh your God.
29For whoever it is who shall not deny himself in that same day shall be cut off from his people.
30Whoever does any kind of work in that same day, I will destroy that person from among his people.
31You shall do no kind of work: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
32It shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall deny yourselves. In the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall keep your Sabbath.”