Leviticus 16:15 kjv
Then shall he 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 upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
Leviticus 16:15 nkjv
"Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.
Leviticus 16:15 niv
"He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as he did with the bull's blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it.
Leviticus 16:15 esv
"Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood 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.
Leviticus 16:15 nlt
"Then Aaron must slaughter the first goat as a sin offering for the people and carry its blood behind the inner curtain. There he will sprinkle the goat's blood over the atonement cover and in front of it, just as he did with the bull's blood.
Leviticus 16 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 16:3 | But thus shall Aaron come into the Holy Place: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. | Context: Aaron's entrance requirement. |
| Lev 16:14 | And he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side... | Precedent: Blood ritual for high priest's atonement. |
| Lev 16:16 | Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel... | Purpose: Cleansing of the sanctuary. |
| Lev 17:11 | For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls... | Theology: Blood is the means of atonement. |
| Exod 25:17-22 | “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold... There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim...” | Origin: God's presence over the mercy seat. |
| Num 29:7-11 | “On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation and deny yourselves. You shall do no work... | Observance: Instructions for Day of Atonement. |
| Heb 9:7 | But into the second part only the high priest went, and then only once a year, and never without blood... | Exclusive access: High priest enters yearly with blood. |
| Heb 9:11-12 | But when Christ appeared as a high priest... He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats... | Fulfillment: Christ, superior High Priest, ultimate sacrifice. |
| Heb 9:13-14 | For if the blood of goats and bulls... sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ... | Comparison: Efficacy of Christ's blood. |
| Heb 9:22 | Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. | Necessity: Blood shedding for sin's forgiveness. |
| Heb 9:24 | For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands... but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. | Access: Christ entered heavenly sanctuary. |
| Heb 10:1 | For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities... | Imperfection: Law is a shadow, not reality. |
| Heb 10:4 | For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. | Limitation: Animal sacrifices cannot fully remove sin. |
| Heb 10:10 | And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. | Perfection: Christ's once-for-all sacrifice. |
| Rom 3:25 | whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness... | Propitiation: Christ as the covering for sin. |
| 1 John 2:2 | He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. | Universal: Christ's propitiation for all. |
| Matt 27:51 | And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom... | Access Granted: Veil torn, symbolizing new access to God. |
| Isa 53:5-6 | But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities... the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. | Foreshadowing: Suffering Servant bears sin. |
| 2 Cor 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. | Substitution: Christ became sin for us. |
| Eph 1:7 | In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace... | Redemption: Forgiveness through Christ's blood. |
| Col 1:19-20 | For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things... by the blood of his cross. | Reconciliation: Made by Christ's blood. |
| 1 Pet 1:18-19 | knowing that you were ransomed... not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ... | Ransomed: Paid for by Christ's precious blood. |
Leviticus 16 verses
Leviticus 16 15 Meaning
Leviticus 16:15 describes a crucial act on the Day of Atonement, wherein the high priest performs atonement for the corporate sins of the people of Israel. He slays the designated sin offering goat for the community, then brings its blood into the Most Holy Place, behind the veil. Inside, he ritually applies the blood onto and before the mercy seat, mirroring the actions taken previously with the bull's blood for his own sins, signifying the cleansing of the Tabernacle and atonement for the nation's impurities and transgressions.
Leviticus 16 15 Context
Leviticus chapter 16 delineates the intricate and solemn rituals for Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement—the holiest day in ancient Israel's calendar. This day was established by God as the annual purging of the Tabernacle and the nation from sin and uncleanness. The chapter begins by detailing Aaron's preparations, including the offering of a bull for his own sins and those of his household (Lev 16:6-14). Following this, verses 15-19 describe the primary atonement ritual for the whole congregation, using two goats: one for a sin offering and the other, the scapegoat, to bear away the sins into the wilderness. Leviticus 16:15 specifically details the crucial blood application for the "sin offering for the people," ensuring atonement and ritual cleansing for the community's accumulated defilements that might otherwise prevent God from dwelling among His people. Historically, this practice distinguished Israel from surrounding cultures, where sacrifices often aimed to appease capricious deities; here, it was a divinely commanded act to cover sin and restore relationship within a covenant context.
Leviticus 16 15 Word Analysis
- Then he shall kill (וְשָׁחַט - vəshāḥaṭ): This verb means to slaughter, specifically in the context of ritual sacrifice. It denotes a deliberate, precise, and terminal act. The act of killing the animal is central; without the shedding of its blood (life), no atonement could be made for the sins. It emphasizes the costly nature of sin.
- the goat (הַשָּׂעִיר - hassāʿîr): Literally "the hairy one," a male goat, specifically chosen for this sin offering. This was one of the two goats designated by lot (Lev 16:8-10). Its selection highlights God's specific commands for the atonement ritual.
- of the sin offering (הַחַטָּאת - haḥaṭṭāṯ): This noun refers to an offering made for specific sins, both deliberate and unintentional, as well as for cleansing impurities. The blood of the haṭṭāṯ was particularly vital for purification, emphasizing cleansing from defilement and making expiation for sin.
- that is for the people (אֲשֶׁר לָעָם - ʾăšer lāʿām): This distinguishes this goat from the bull used for the high priest (Lev 16:11) and emphasizes that this sacrifice addresses the corporate sin of the entire community of Israel, not just an individual or the priestly family. It demonstrates God's provision for His whole covenant nation.
- and bring its blood (וְהֵבִיא אֶת־דָּמָו - vəhēḇî ʾeṯ-dāmāw): The blood (דָּם - dām) symbolizes life and is the primary means of atonement (Lev 17:11). The act of bringing the blood is crucial, as the efficacy of the sacrifice resides in its proper application in the Holy Place.
- inside the veil (לִפְנִים לַפָּרֹכֶת - lip̄nîm lappārōḵeṯ): This refers to passing through the sacred curtain (pārōḵeṯ) that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (the Holy of Holies). This entry was forbidden to all but the high priest, and only once a year on Yom Kippur. It signified entering into God's very presence, where atonement needed to be effected directly.
- and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull: This phrase highlights the exact parallel between the atonement process for the high priest himself (Lev 16:14) and that for the people. It stresses the singular method and profound significance of the blood ritual as commanded by God. The repetition underscores its unchanging importance for both priestly and national atonement.
- sprinkling it (וְהִזָּה - vəhizzâ): This ceremonial act involved a specific method of applying the blood using the finger, signifying dedication, cleansing, and atonement. It wasn't simply pouring but a precise ritual act, underscoring the seriousness of the encounter with God's holiness.
- on the mercy seat (עַל־הַכַּפֹּרֶת - ʿal-hakka-ppōreṯ): The mercy seat, Kapporeth, was the gold lid covering the Ark of the Covenant, representing God's throne where He met with His people. Its name, derived from the root kāphar ("to cover, atone"), indicates its role as the place of propitiation. Blood sprinkled here provided "covering" for sin in the presence of a holy God.
- and before the mercy seat (וְלִפְנֵי הַכַּפֹּרֶת - vəlip̄nê hakka-ppōreṯ): Sprinkling blood not just on but also before the mercy seat signifies thoroughness in cleansing, impacting not only the lid itself but the space immediately surrounding the divine presence, thus purifying the very sphere of God's dwelling from the defilement of Israel's sins. This duality ensures a complete symbolic purification and covering of sin.
Leviticus 16 15 Bonus section
The rigorous specifications for the Day of Atonement rituals, including the specific animals, the precise order of blood application, and the high priest's exclusive access to the Most Holy Place, underscore the absolute holiness of God and the depth of humanity's sinfulness. This meticulous detail demonstrates that atonement is entirely God's provision, not a human achievement. The temporary nature of these yearly rituals emphasized their limitation, functioning as a "shadow" that pointed forward to a future, permanent reality—the finished work of Christ. The mercy seat itself (Hebrew kapporeth) is critical; it is the physical space where God condescended to meet humanity. The application of blood on it transforms it into a place of "propitiation"—a turning away of God's wrath, a demonstration of His mercy grounded in a righteous payment for sin. This makes the Kapporeth not merely a covering for the Ark but a covering for sin in God's sight.
Leviticus 16 15 Commentary
Leviticus 16:15 is the liturgical high point of the Day of Atonement, portraying the climax of ritual cleansing for the nation of Israel. After dealing with his own defilement, the high priest takes the life-blood of the people's sin offering goat and, for only the second time that day, penetrates the veil into the Most Holy Place. The precise sprinkling of this blood directly onto and before the mercy seat is an act of profound theological significance. It demonstrated that atonement for human sin required a perfect, divinely appointed covering provided through innocent life, brought directly into God's presence. This annual ritual highlighted the gravity of sin, the necessity of God's specific provision for its removal, and the temporary, representative nature of the Tabernacle sacrifices. It was a yearly reminder that sin created a barrier between God and His people, which could only be overcome by costly blood application, symbolizing the substitutionary nature of the offering. This intricate, mandated act powerfully prefigured the ultimate and perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose own blood, once for all, was shed and effectively presented in the true heavenly sanctuary, securing eternal redemption and granting direct access to God’s gracious throne (Heb 9:11-14).