Leviticus 16 21

Leviticus 16:21 kjv

And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:

Leviticus 16:21 nkjv

Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man.

Leviticus 16:21 niv

He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites?all their sins?and put them on the goat's head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task.

Leviticus 16:21 esv

And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness.

Leviticus 16:21 nlt

He will lay both of his hands on the goat's head and confess over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people of Israel. In this way, he will transfer the people's sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specially chosen for the task will drive the goat into the wilderness.

Leviticus 16 verses

Leviticus 16 21 Meaning

Leviticus 16:21 describes a pivotal moment on the Day of Atonement where the High Priest, Aaron, ritualistically transfers the confessed sins, iniquities, and transgressions of the entire Israelite community onto the head of the "live goat," also known as the scapegoat or Azazel goat. This act symbolized the collective guilt of the nation being placed upon the goat, which would then be sent away into the wilderness, signifying the complete removal and expulsion of their sins from God's presence and from the people.

Leviticus 16 21 Context

Leviticus chapter 16 meticulously outlines the procedures for the annual Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the holiest day in the Israelite calendar. This day was a unique and solemn occasion designed to cleanse the Tabernacle, the priesthood, and the entire community of Israel from their accumulated sins, both intentional and unintentional, over the past year. It was essential for maintaining the holy presence of God among a sinful people. Verse 21 occurs after the high priest, Aaron, has offered a sin offering for himself and his house, and the first goat has been sacrificed for the Lord as a sin offering for the people. This verse details the unique role of the second goat, the live goat, dedicated to Azazel, signifying a crucial aspect of atonement: the complete removal of sin from the camp. Historically, this ritual took place in the wilderness, emphasizing God's careful provisions for His people, who were living under the terms of a specific covenant (Sinaitic Covenant) which required purity and holiness for ongoing fellowship with a holy God.

Leviticus 16 21 Word analysis

• And Aaron: The High Priest (Cohen Gadol), holding the highest spiritual office in Israel. He alone was permitted to perform this specific ritual on this day. He acts as the divinely appointed representative of the entire congregation of Israel.
• shall lay: The Hebrew word is samakh (סָמַךְ), which implies a deliberate, firm pressing down of the hands, not just a gentle touch. This act signifies identification and transfer, often used for ordinations, dedications, or the imputation of sin onto a sacrificial animal (Lev 1:4, 3:2, 4:4, 4:24). Here, it specifically means transferring the sin.
• both his hands: Emphasizes the solemnity, intentionality, and thoroughness of the transfer. It denotes a full commitment to the act, distinguishing it from casual contact.
• upon the head: The head, in ancient Near Eastern thought, often represented the very essence or personality of the individual. Placing hands upon the head of the goat symbolized the transference of the collective moral and spiritual guilt of the people onto the animal.
• of the live goat: Distinct from the first goat that was sacrificed to Yahweh for a sin offering. This goat remains alive, specifically designated by lot for "Azazel" (Lev 16:10), a term whose precise meaning is debated but signifies its destiny for dismissal into the wilderness, bearing away the sins.
• and confess: The Hebrew word is w'hitwaddah (וְהִתְוַדָּה), a Hithpael form of yadah (יָדָה), meaning "to acknowledge," "to give thanks," or "to confess." In this context, it signifies a formal, public acknowledgment and declaration of guilt. This was a direct, audible confession by the High Priest, not merely an inner thought, signifying collective repentance.
• over him: Directly pointing to the goat as the recipient of the confessed sins.
• all the iniquities: Hebrew: 'awon (עָוֹן). This term speaks of twistedness, perversion, or crookedness—sins that involve deviation from the right path, often linked to the consequences and guilt of sin.
• of the children of Israel: Refers to the entire nation, the community of God's covenant people, emphasizing the collective nature of their guilt.
• and all their transgressions: Hebrew: pesha' (פֶּשַׁע). This term signifies a conscious rebellion, a deliberate breaking of a covenant or law. It denotes overt acts of disobedience and defiance.
• even all their sins: Hebrew: chatta'ah (חַטָּאת). This is a broad term for missing the mark, failure, or a trespass against God or man. This phrase encompasses all forms of moral failure, intentional or unintentional, making the scope of atonement comprehensive. The inclusion of three terms (iniquities, transgressions, sins) provides a comprehensive sweep, ensuring no form of sin committed by the people is excluded from this annual cleansing ritual.
• and he shall put them upon the head of the goat: A reiteration and emphatic confirmation of the symbolic transfer. It underlines the physical action corresponding to the verbal confession.
• and shall send him away: Hebrew: shalaḥ (שָׁלַח), meaning "to send," "to dispatch," or "to dismiss." This action points to the active removal and expulsion of the transferred sins.
• by the hand of a fit man: Hebrew: 'ish 'itti (אִישׁ עִתִּי). Literally "a man of timeliness/readiness," indicating a competent, strong, and dedicated person prepared for the arduous journey into the wilderness. This emphasizes the need for the goat (and thus the sins) to be led far away and ensures the ritual is carried out effectively.
• into the wilderness: The Hebrew midbar (מִדְבָּר) refers to an uninhabited, desolate, and often dangerous region. This place symbolized remoteness, isolation, and forgetfulness. Sins sent into the wilderness were conceptually removed to a place from which they could not return to defile the community, signifying their complete oblivion in God's eyes.

Leviticus 16 21 Bonus section

The ritual described in Leviticus 16:21, often misunderstood as "magical" transference, is best seen as a highly visual and symbolic act ordained by God to instruct His people about the nature of sin, judgment, and His provision for cleansing. The contrast between the two goats – one sacrificed "for the LORD" for expiation and propitiation, and the second "for Azazel" for expulsion and removal – highlights two crucial aspects of atonement: dealing with the penalty of sin through bloodshed, and dealing with the presence and defilement of sin by its removal. The second goat’s fate in the desolate wilderness provided reassurance that sins, once atoned for, truly vanished from the divine record and from the community’s burden, reinforcing God's willingness to separate His people from their iniquity. This underscores the theological principle that divine forgiveness involves not just pardoning but also complete blotting out or "not remembering" sins.

Leviticus 16 21 Commentary

Leviticus 16:21 details the essential mechanism by which the accumulated guilt of the Israelite nation was symbolically removed. This act, part of the annual Day of Atonement, demonstrated God's gracious provision for His people to dwell in His holy presence despite their persistent sinfulness. The High Priest, through the laying on of hands and a comprehensive confession encompassing all categories of sin, transferred the nation's collective guilt onto the living goat. The subsequent expulsion of this goat into the uninhabited wilderness dramatically visualized the separation of sin from the community. It wasn't about the goat becoming sin itself, but bearing it away. This vivid imagery powerfully foreshadowed the ultimate and singular work of Jesus Christ, who, as our Great High Priest, truly bore the sins of the world upon Himself on the cross (Isa 53:6, Heb 9:28, 1 Pet 2:24), not through mere symbolism but through actual identification with our sin (2 Cor 5:21). Unlike the yearly repetition required in the Old Covenant, Christ's perfect sacrifice and bearing away of sin accomplished a complete and eternal cleansing, ensuring that our sins are not just banished but forgotten by God (Jer 31:34, Heb 10:17), enabling direct and perpetual access to Him.