Leviticus 16:17 kjv
And there shall be no man 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.
Leviticus 16:17 nkjv
There shall be no man in the tabernacle of meeting when he goes in to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself, for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel.
Leviticus 16:17 niv
No one is to be in the tent of meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of Israel.
Leviticus 16:17 esv
No one may be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place until he comes out and has made atonement for himself and for his house and for all the assembly of Israel.
Leviticus 16:17 nlt
No one else is allowed inside the Tabernacle when Aaron enters it for the purification ceremony in the Most Holy Place. No one may enter until he comes out again after purifying himself, his family, and all the congregation of Israel, making them right with the LORD.
Leviticus 16 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 16:2 | The Lord said to Moses: "Tell your brother Aaron that he must not come at any time into the Most Holy Place inside the curtain..." | Establishes sacredness & restricted access to Holy of Holies. |
| Lev 16:33-34 | ...He will make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the people... | Summary of comprehensive atonement for the whole community. |
| Ex 25:21-22 | Place the atonement cover on top of the ark and put the tablets of the covenant law in the ark... I will meet with you there... | Describes the Holy of Holies as the dwelling place of God's presence. |
| Ex 30:10 | Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement... | Emphasizes the annual nature of the atonement rituals. |
| Num 1:51 | When the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and when it is to be set up, the Levites are to do it. Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death. | Highlights the strict penalties for unauthorized approach to the sacred. |
| Heb 9:7 | But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood... | New Testament confirmation of the High Priest's limited access. |
| Heb 9:11-12 | When Christ came as high priest... he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood... | Christ as the ultimate High Priest, entering once for all for atonement. |
| Heb 9:24 | For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy... but he entered heaven itself... | Contrast between the earthly sanctuary and Christ's ultimate, heavenly entry. |
| Heb 7:27 | Unlike other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, then for the sins of the people... | Christ's perfect, one-time sacrifice contrasts with Aaronic repetitions. |
| Heb 10:11-14 | Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties, again and again... But... Christ paid the full price. | Old covenant's repetitive sacrifices vs. Christ's singular, effective sacrifice. |
| Rom 3:25 | God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith... | Christ explicitly identified as the ultimate atoning sacrifice. |
| 1 Jn 2:2 | He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. | Universal scope and efficacy of Christ's atonement. |
| Isa 53:3 | He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering... | Prophecy foreshadowing the solitary suffering and rejection of the Messiah. |
| Isa 63:3 | “I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me..." | Prophetic image of a solitary divine work, echoing the High Priest's isolation for atonement. |
| Jn 16:32 | A time is coming and in fact has come when you will all be scattered, each to your own home, leaving me all alone. | Christ's own declaration of His solitary experience during His crucifixion. |
| Mt 27:51 | At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom... | Symbolizes direct, open access to God's presence through Christ's death. |
| Eph 2:13,18 | But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near... For through him we both have access to the Father... | New Covenant reality: believers now have access to God through Christ. |
| Col 1:19-20 | For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things... | Christ as the sole agent and reconciler of all things to God. |
| 1 Tim 2:5 | For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus... | Declares Christ as the exclusive mediator between God and humanity. |
| Heb 4:14-16 | Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly... | Encourages believers to approach God's throne of grace confidently through Christ. |
Leviticus 16 verses
Leviticus 16 17 Meaning
This verse from Leviticus 16 strictly mandates the absolute isolation of the High Priest, Aaron, during the critical moment he enters the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement. From the moment he enters the innermost sanctuary to make propitiation, until he emerges, no one else is permitted inside the tent of meeting. This profound separation underscores the solemnity, singularity, and danger of his mediatory role in achieving atonement for himself, his household, and the entire community of Israel.
Leviticus 16 17 Context
Leviticus 16 details the rituals and solemnities of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which was the most sacred day in the Israelite calendar. The entire chapter focuses on God's provision for dealing with the sin and uncleanness of the people, so that His holy presence could continue to dwell among them in the tabernacle without consuming them. The previous verses established the need for this intricate ceremony, particularly after the unauthorized entry and death of Nadab and Abihu (Lev 10). Verse 17 specifically delineates a critical boundary condition during the High Priest's singular act of propitiation within the Most Holy Place, emphasizing the extreme separation required for this unique interaction with God's immediate presence. This period of isolation underscores the exclusive, weighty, and divinely ordained nature of the atonement process, performed by one man on behalf of the entire nation.
Leviticus 16 17 Word analysis
- No one: (Hebrew: וְכׇל־אָדָם, ve-khol-adam). Literally "and every man" or "and any man," used with the preceding negative particle (לא, lo) to form a strong prohibition: "no one at all." This emphasizes the absolute exclusivity and solemnity of the moment. It leaves no room for exceptions or bystanders, underscoring that the work of atonement in God's holiest presence is a singular task, not a human collaborative effort.
- is to be: (Hebrew: לֹא יִהְיֶה, lo yihyeh). A powerful negation "shall not be" or "will not exist." It's not merely a suggestion but an emphatic command, underscoring the vital nature of this boundary for maintaining the sanctity of God's dwelling and the efficacy of the atonement.
- in the tent of meeting: (Hebrew: אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, ohel mo'ed). Refers to the Tabernacle, specifically the sacred dwelling where God "met" His people. While the High Priest enters the "Most Holy Place" (innermost chamber), this instruction implies that even in the outer parts of the tent (the Holy Place and Courtyard), the High Priest must be utterly alone during the direct performance of atonement inside the veil. This reinforces the sanctity of the entire Tabernacle area during this sacred act.
- from the time Aaron goes in: (Hebrew: בְּבֹאוֹ, b'vo'o - "in his coming"). This marks the precise beginning of the period of absolute solitude. It indicates the gravity of the High Priest's first steps into the direct presence of God, signifying a transition into the most sacred and dangerous part of the ritual.
- to make atonement: (Hebrew: לְכַפֵּר, lekapper). The infinitive "to make atonement." The root kpr means "to cover," "to purge," "to expiate." It refers to the ritual action of covering, cleansing, or purging away sin and impurity to restore relationship with a holy God. This action is central to Yom Kippur and implies the removal of defilement to allow reconciliation.
- in the Most Holy Place: (Hebrew: הַקֹּדֶשׁ, haqqodesh). Literally "the Holy," here referring to the inner sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, behind the veil where the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat resided, symbolizing God's throne. This was the most sacred and restricted area in the entire Tabernacle/Temple, accessed only by the High Priest once a year. The High Priest carried the weight of the nation's sins into God's very presence there.
- until he comes out: (Hebrew: בְּצֵאתוֹ, b'tze'to - "in his going out"). This marks the end of the solitary period. His emergence signifies the successful completion of the atonement rituals within the Holy of Holies. The High Priest is seen as completing the process of expiation and re-emerging having mediated forgiveness.
- and has made atonement for himself: (Hebrew: וְכִפֶּר, vekhapper - "and he has made atonement"). This highlights the High Priest's personal need for purification first, ensuring he is ritually clean and able to serve as mediator. He is a sinner too, requiring atonement before he can mediate it for others. This stands in stark contrast to the perfect, sinless New Testament High Priest, Jesus Christ.
- his household: (Hebrew: בֵּיתוֹ, beito - "his house"). Refers to his immediate family and extended dependents. The High Priest's personal integrity and the sanctity of his household were vital prerequisites for his mediatorial role for the nation.
- and the whole community of Israel: (Hebrew: כׇּל־קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, kol qehal yisra'el). Emphasizes the comprehensive and inclusive scope of the atonement performed. It covers all the people of Israel, underscoring the unity of the nation before God and the High Priest's representation of them all.
Leviticus 16 17 Bonus section
- The profound silence imposed by this exclusion, coupled with the entire community of Israel anxiously waiting outside, amplified the gravity of the High Priest's task. This solemn atmosphere reinforced their absolute reliance on the High Priest's successful intercession to maintain their relationship with God.
- This specific instruction prefigures the profound truth that salvation is not a cooperative effort between humanity and God but rather a divine work accomplished solely by His appointed means. Just as no one else could assist Aaron inside the Holy of Holies, so too no human effort or merit can assist or add to Christ's finished work of atonement on the cross. It was His solitary act that accomplished redemption (Jn 16:32; Isa 63:3).
- The "tent of meeting" (the entire Tabernacle) had to be empty, not just the Most Holy Place. This demonstrated that all worship ceased, all other activities paused, and the entire focus of the nation was on this single, pivotal act of atonement.
Leviticus 16 17 Commentary
Leviticus 16:17 presents a solemn and striking tableau: a solitary man, the High Priest, performs the climactic ritual of national atonement utterly alone within the most sacred space on Earth. This enforced isolation underscores several profound truths. First, it highlights the immense holiness of God, indicating that His direct presence cannot be casually approached or witnessed. The High Priest is uniquely consecrated for this perilous yet vital task. Second, it signifies the singular nature of the atonement process. No communal effort, no assisting priests, no supportive onlookers were allowed; this was a transaction solely between the mediator and God on behalf of His people. This foreshadows the lone work of Christ on the cross and His sole intercession in the heavenly sanctuary. Third, the High Priest’s need to atone for himself and his household before atoning for the nation points to the inherent imperfection of the Levitical priesthood. Their repeated rituals and personal need for cleansing underlined their limitations, starkly contrasted with the New Covenant High Priest, Jesus Christ, who offered Himself once for all, being utterly sinless and needing no atonement for Himself (Heb 7:27, 9:12). The verse therefore sets the stage for a divine work, initiated by God's holiness and culminating in comprehensive covering for a sinful nation through a designated, solitary intermediary.