Leviticus 16 12

Leviticus 16:12 kjv

And 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:

Leviticus 16:12 nkjv

Then he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar before the LORD, with his hands full of sweet incense beaten fine, and bring it inside the veil.

Leviticus 16:12 niv

He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense and take them behind the curtain.

Leviticus 16:12 esv

And he shall take 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

Leviticus 16:12 nlt

he will fill an incense burner with burning coals from the altar that stands before the LORD. Then he will take two handfuls of fragrant powdered incense and will carry the burner and the incense behind the inner curtain.

Leviticus 16 verses

Leviticus 16 12 Meaning

Leviticus 16:12 describes a critical action by the High Priest on the Day of Atonement, an annual ceremony for national cleansing and propitiation. He must take a censer filled with perpetual fire from the altar of burnt offering, combine it with a generous amount of specially prepared fragrant incense, and carry these items into the Most Holy Place, behind the veil. This specific act precedes the application of the blood sacrifice, ensuring his protected access and creating a cloud of smoke as a buffer before the presence of the Lord. It signifies a meticulously ordained way of approach to a holy God, crucial for the atonement process for Israel.

Leviticus 16 12 Context

Leviticus chapter 16 delineates the sole divinely prescribed method for the High Priest to enter the Most Holy Place and perform atonement for himself, the priesthood, and the entire community of Israel on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This chapter emphasizes the extreme holiness of God and the absolute necessity of approaching Him in His ordained way. Verse 12 details the preparation Aaron must make before entering the innermost sanctuary. This act, gathering the fire and incense, precedes the sprinkling of blood and is crucial for allowing the High Priest to survive in the awesome presence of the Holy God. Historically, it reflects the careful, ritualized nature of worship in ancient Israel's tabernacle system, contrasting sharply with the unregulated worship of surrounding pagan cultures. It underscores the profound separation between humanity and God, bridged only through specific divine commands and mediation.

Leviticus 16 12 Word analysis

• And he shall take: (וְלָקַח, ve-lakakh) Implies a deliberate, prescribed action by the High Priest, Aaron. No deviation or personal initiative is allowed.
• a censer: (מַחְתָּה, machtah) A firepan, typically made of bronze. This specific vessel was used to carry hot coals for burning incense. Its repeated mention (cf. Num 16 for Nadab, Abihu, Korah) highlights its ceremonial significance and the strictness of its use.
• full of burning coals of fire: (מְלֹא חָפְנָיו גֶּחֲלֵי אֵשׁ, melo chophnav gachelei esh) Not just "some" coals, but a significant, specified amount ("full of burning coals") and of divine origin. The word for coals, gachelei, refers to embers, still glowing and very hot. This fire was perpetually kept burning on the altar of burnt offering (Lev 6:13), representing God's ongoing acceptance of sacrifice and His holiness. It was not common or "strange" fire (cf. Lev 10:1-2), but consecrated, from the Lord's own altar.
• from off the altar before the LORD: (מֵעַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, me'al hamizbeach lifnei YHWH) This specifies the exact source: the bronze altar of burnt offering in the outer court. The fire here originated from the Lord Himself (Lev 9:24), signifying divine acceptance and holiness. The act underscores that proper worship originates from God's provision.
• and his hands full of sweet incense: (וּמְלֹא חָפְנָיו קְטֹרֶת סַמִּים, u-melo chophnav qetoret sammim) "Hands full" (melo chophnav) emphasizes a large, generous quantity. "Sweet incense" (qetoret sammim) refers to the special, consecrated mixture of spices defined in Exodus 30:34-38, designated solely for the Lord and forbidden for common use. This fragrant incense was a symbol of prayer and the pleasant aroma of Israel's devotion and, more importantly, a crucial element in obscuring God's full glory.
• beaten small: (דַּקָּה, daqah) This describes the finely powdered state of the incense. Such a fine consistency ensured rapid ignition and maximal production of a thick, pervasive cloud of smoke. It speaks to the precision and perfection required in all aspects of approaching a holy God.
• and bring it within the veil: (וְהֵבִיא מִבֵּית לַפָּרֹכֶת, vehevi mibbeith laParokhet) This is the decisive, perilous action. "Within the veil" refers to entering the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies), where the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat resided, symbolizing the very dwelling place of God's manifest presence. The "veil" (Parokhet) was the thick curtain separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, emphasizing the inaccessible nature of God to ordinary individuals, or even to the High Priest, unless he approached in the prescribed manner on this unique day. This entrance required specific preparations to ensure his survival in the presence of unmitigated holiness.

Leviticus 16 12 Bonus section

The ritual of the incense cloud (Lev 16:12-13) can be seen as a mercy in two directions: a mercy from God protecting Aaron from immediate judgment due to His holiness, and a mercy from God providing a way for Aaron to serve as an effective intercessor for the people. This act of bringing fire and incense into the Most Holy Place highlights that propitiation and reconciliation required not only the death of a substitute but also the careful, Spirit-led application of that atonement within the sanctuary by an appointed mediator. The incense, a type of pleasant aroma before God, symbolically carried the High Priest's prayers and Israel's confession, creating a fragrant cover in the presence of unblemished holiness.

Leviticus 16 12 Commentary

Leviticus 16:12 outlines an essential prelude to the high priest's entrance into the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur. The specificity of each detail underlines the profound reverence, holiness, and danger associated with approaching God. The perpetually burning fire, divinely kindled and sustained on the bronze altar, represents the purity required and God's acceptance through sacrifice. This holy fire is then coupled with the precisely formulated "sweet incense," designed to produce a dense cloud when burned. The purpose of this thick incense cloud, explicitly stated in the next verse (Lev 16:13), is to "cover" the Mercy Seat, symbolically shielding the High Priest from the overwhelming glory of God's presence, preventing his death (cf. Exod 33:20). This entire act is a testament to God's holiness, His desire for His people's purity, and the provision for mediation in light of human sinfulness. Ultimately, these meticulously observed rituals point forward to the perfect mediation and atonement achieved by Jesus Christ. As our Great High Priest, He entered the heavenly sanctuary not with the blood of animals or the smoke of incense but with His own blood, by His perfect sacrifice (Heb 9:11-12). Through Him, the "veil"—symbolizing His flesh (Heb 10:20)—was torn, granting direct and confident access for believers to God's presence, requiring no further human mediation or protective smoke.