Leviticus 16 28

Leviticus 16:28 kjv

And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

Leviticus 16:28 nkjv

Then he who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.

Leviticus 16:28 niv

The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp.

Leviticus 16:28 esv

And he who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.

Leviticus 16:28 nlt

The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water before returning to the camp.

Leviticus 16 verses

Leviticus 16 28 Meaning

Leviticus 16:28 specifies the necessary ritual purification for the individual who takes the carcasses of the bull and goat designated for the sin offering and the body of the scapegoat outside the camp to be completely burned. This person, having handled items burdened with the community's sins, incurs ritual defilement. Consequently, he must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water before he is permitted to re-enter the holy camp of Israel. This act emphasizes the extreme defiling power of sin, even for those involved in its removal, and underscores the meticulous standards of purity required in God's presence.

Leviticus 16 28 Context

Leviticus chapter 16 comprehensively outlines the solemn rituals of the Day of Atonement, known as Yom Kippur. This day was uniquely dedicated to cleansing the Tabernacle, the priesthood, and the entire community of Israel from all their sins, impurities, and defilements, both intentional and unintentional, throughout the year. Verse 28 specifically details the purification required for the person involved in the final phase of this annual atonement—the burning of the sin offerings and the scapegoat outside the camp. The "camp" served as the symbolic boundary between the holy presence of God (the Tabernacle at its center) and the ordinary or unclean world outside. Maintaining this sacred space's purity was paramount, and anyone, even performing a sacred duty like removing sin-laden carcasses, would incur ritual impurity necessitating specific cleansing before readmission into the consecrated community. This strict separation and purification underscored the infinite holiness of God and the seriousness of sin.

Leviticus 16 28 Word analysis

• And he that burned them: הַמְשָׂרֵף (ham'sarēf). The word implies one who completely consumes by fire, leaving nothing. This person was typically an assistant or another priest, not the high priest himself, who conducted the most sacred rites within the Tabernacle. The burning outside the camp symbolized the complete removal and destruction of the sins carried by these animals, preventing any remnants of defilement within the sacred space.
• shall wash his clothes: וְכִבֶּס בְּגָדָיו (ve'khibes be'gadav). "Wash" (כִּבֶּס, kabas) refers to laundering or cleaning textiles. "Clothes" (בְּגָדָיו, begadav) represent his outer covering and by extension, his social persona. This specific washing emphasizes that ritual impurity adheres even to garments, and by purifying them, any residual defilement from contact with the sin-bearing animals is removed, preventing it from re-entering the camp.
• and bathe his flesh: וְרָחַץ בְּשָׂרוֹ (ve'rachatz be'sarō). "Bathe" (רָחַץ, rachatz) implies a full bodily immersion or thorough washing of the person himself. "Flesh" (בְּשָׂרוֹ, besaro) refers to his physical self. This signifies that the individual himself, not just his clothes, was made impure by the contact. The personal bathing is a complete ritual cleansing to restore personal ritual purity.
• in water: בַּמָּיִם (ba'mayim). Water is consistently the prescribed agent for ritual purification throughout the Old Testament. Its symbolic use represents cleansing, life, and renewal. Here, it is the means by which the defilement, which is not moral sin but ceremonial impurity, is washed away.
• and afterward he shall come into the camp: וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן יָבֹא אֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶה (ve'acharei-khen yavō el-ha'machaneh). This phrase specifies the sequence: ritual impurity is incurred, purification takes place, and then re-entry into the holy community (הַמַּחֲנֶה, hamachaneh, "the camp") is permitted. The "camp" represents the sacred dwelling place of the Israelite community, especially because the Tabernacle resided within it. Exclusion from the camp was a visible sign of impurity, and re-entry marked restored purity and acceptance within the holy people.

• "he that burned them shall wash... and bathe... and afterward he shall come into the camp": This sequence reveals the pervasive nature of ritual defilement. Even necessary sacred duties, when involving the removal of sin's effects (like burning the sin offering), resulted in impurity that required strict, personal, and complete cleansing. It highlights that the impurity was so potent that it transferred even in the process of atonement.
• "wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water": This twofold purification ritual (of clothes and body) emphasizes the thoroughness required to be declared ritually clean. It signifies that purity was demanded at every level – outward and inward (symbolically). The repeated necessity of washing throughout Leviticus underscores the absolute demand for purity in the presence of a holy God.
• "into the camp": The "camp" functions as a physical representation of the holy nation, where God dwelt among His people. Exclusion meant separation from that holy dwelling and its spiritual benefits. The prescribed cleansing was a prerequisite for fellowship and participation in the communal life centered around the Tabernacle.

Leviticus 16 28 Bonus section

The requirement for the person handling the sin offerings outside the camp to purify himself underscores a crucial distinction between ritual defilement and moral sin. This individual performed a commanded and necessary service for the Day of Atonement, yet became unclean through it. This was not a punitive consequence for sin, but rather an object lesson in the pervasive, contaminating nature of sin. Everything it touched, even in its destruction or removal, carried its uncleanness. This illustrates that holiness demands a total separation from anything defiled, emphasizing the vast chasm between sinful humanity and a perfectly holy God. This foreshadows the truth that ultimate purity from sin cannot come from human ritual, but only through Christ, who suffered "outside the gate," fully taking on sin's consequences without being tainted by it, offering a complete and final purification that the Levitical system could only picture.

Leviticus 16 28 Commentary

Leviticus 16:28, though seemingly minor, encapsulates profound truths about God's holiness and sin's defilement. On Yom Kippur, while the high priest performed sacred rites within the Holy Place to atone for the nation's sins, another individual took on the vital yet defiling task of burning the sin offerings and leading away the scapegoat, animals that symbolically bore the community's accumulated iniquity. The very act of handling these sin-laden elements rendered the assistant ritually unclean. This wasn't a moral failing, but an unavoidable consequence of contact with what sin had contaminated. The required washing of clothes and bathing of the body highlights that impurity permeates both the outward person and their closest physical association. It powerfully teaches that sin is so offensive to God that even the means of its removal imparts a state requiring purification. This meticulous process reinforced the Israelites' understanding of God's absolute purity and the constant need for ceremonial separation from all forms of defilement before re-entering His holy presence and community. It implicitly points to a greater reality: ultimate purity requires divine intervention, as seen in Christ, who, though pure, "became sin for us" (2 Cor 5:21) outside the camp (Heb 13:11-12) and perfectly cleansed us without Himself being defiled.