Leviticus 16:33 kjv
And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.
Leviticus 16:33 nkjv
then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tabernacle of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly.
Leviticus 16:33 niv
and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the members of the community.
Leviticus 16:33 esv
He shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly.
Leviticus 16:33 nlt
and purify the Most Holy Place, the Tabernacle, the altar, the priests, and the entire congregation.
Leviticus 16 33 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 29:43 | "There I will meet with the sons of Israel, and it shall be consecrated... | God meets Israel, Tabernacle consecrated. |
| Exod 30:10 | "Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year; he shall make... | Altar yearly atonement with blood. |
| Lev 4:20 | "...the priest shall make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven." | Atonement leads to forgiveness. |
| Lev 10:17 | "...He has given it to you to remove the iniquity of the congregation... | Priests bear congregation's iniquity. |
| Lev 15:31 | "Thus you shall keep the sons of Israel separate from their uncleanness... | Preventing Tabernacle defilement. |
| Lev 16:16 | "...he shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleannesses... | Cleansing holy place from impurities. |
| Lev 23:27-28 | "On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement... | Command for Day of Atonement observance. |
| Num 19:13 | "...defiles the tabernacle of the Lord... he shall be cut off from Israel." | Defiling the Tabernacle incurs judgment. |
| Num 29:7 | "Then on the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation... | Another command for Yom Kippur observance. |
| Ps 51:7 | "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; Wash me, and I will be whiter... | Prayer for spiritual cleansing. |
| Isa 6:7 | "He touched my mouth with it and said, 'Behold, this has touched your lips... | Cleansing from sin for service. |
| Dan 9:24 | "...to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy... | Prophetic atonement for iniquity. |
| Hab 2:20 | "But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him." | God's sovereign holiness in His dwelling. |
| Heb 7:27 | "...who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices... | Christ's singular, sufficient sacrifice. |
| Heb 9:7 | "but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without blood... | High priest's yearly entrance with blood. |
| Heb 9:11-12 | "But when Christ appeared as a high priest... through His own blood, He entered... | Christ's superior, perfect atonement. |
| Heb 9:22 | "And according to the Law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood... | Necessity of blood for remission of sins. |
| Heb 9:23 | "Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be cleansed... | Earthly cleansing points to heavenly. |
| Heb 9:24-26 | "...Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands... He entered into heaven itself... | Christ's atonement in true sanctuary. |
| Heb 10:10-14 | "By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of... | Christ's one offering perfects for all time. |
| Rom 3:25 | "whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith... | Christ as the propitiation for sins. |
| Rom 5:10 | "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death... | Reconciliation through Christ's death. |
| Eph 5:2 | "...just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering... | Christ's self-sacrifice for us. |
| Col 1:20 | "...and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace... | Reconciliation through Christ's blood. |
| 1 Pet 3:18 | "For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the just for the unjust... | Christ's single, comprehensive suffering. |
| Rev 21:3 | "And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle... | God dwelling with perfected humanity. |
Leviticus 16 verses
Leviticus 16 33 Meaning
Leviticus 16:33 meticulously outlines the far-reaching impact of the Day of Atonement rituals performed by the high priest. The verse clarifies that atonement was made not only for the most sacred part, the holy sanctuary (Most Holy Place), but also for the entirety of the Tabernacle ("tent of meeting") and its sacrificial altars. Crucially, the purification extended to the Levitical priests themselves and encompassed all members of the Israelite community ("all the people of the assembly"). This comprehensive act of expiation was essential to purge all defilement from the holy precincts and from the people, thereby preserving the divine presence amidst a sinful nation, preventing God's holiness from consuming them due to uncleanness.
Leviticus 16 33 Context
Leviticus 16 details the rituals for Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the most sacred day in the Israelite calendar. This intricate ceremony, commanded immediately after Nadab and Abihu's deaths for profaning the sanctuary, underscores the utmost holiness of God and the absolute necessity of precise adherence to divine instruction for approaching Him. The chapter outlines the high priest's (Aaron's) specific sacrifices: a bull for his own sins and those of his house, and two goats for the nation—one sacrificed, its blood carried into the Most Holy Place, and the other, the "scapegoat," carrying the nation's sins into the wilderness. Verse 33 serves as a culminating statement, meticulously itemizing all entities and groups purified by these rituals, highlighting the thoroughness of the annual cleansing required for God's continued presence among a sinful people, preventing His holy presence from departing or bringing judgment upon Israel.
Leviticus 16 33 Word analysis
- And he shall make atonement: (Hebrew: וְכִפֶּר, v'khip•per from root כָּפַר, kaphar). The verb kaphar means "to cover," "to purge," "to cleanse," or "to expiate." It describes the act of cleansing from ceremonial or moral defilement, facilitating reconciliation. This action, mediated by the high priest, nullifies the effects of sin, allowing God's holy presence to remain despite human impurity. It’s an act of purging defilement from what has become ritually unfit.
- for the holy sanctuary: (Hebrew: הַקֹּדֶשׁ, haq•qo•desh). Refers specifically to the innermost part of the Tabernacle, the Most Holy Place or Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant resided, symbolizing God's throne and presence. Even this supremely sacred space required expiation due to its proximity to a sinful people and the ritual defilement caused by their sins.
- and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting: (Hebrew: אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, o•hel mo•'ed). This refers to the Tabernacle in its entirety—the Holy Place, the outer courtyard, and all its associated sacred furniture and vessels. It indicates that the entire complex, where God "met" with His people, absorbed human impurities and required comprehensive annual purification. The repetition emphasizes the distinct aspects of the sanctuary that undergo this expiation.
- and for the altar: (Hebrew: הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, ham•miz•be•akh). This primarily designates the bronze altar of burnt offering in the outer court, but implicitly includes the golden altar of incense in the Holy Place. Both altars were crucial in the sacrificial system, frequently touched by impure priests and sacrifices, thus requiring annual purging from accumulated defilement.
- and he shall make atonement for the priests: (Hebrew: הַכֹּהֲנִים, hak•ko•ha•nim). The Aaronic priesthood, despite being consecrated for divine service, were mortal and sinful men. Their daily ministering activities exposed them to human sin and impurity. Their expiation ensured their purity and continued fitness to serve without incurring divine wrath. This was in addition to the high priest’s own personal atonement at the chapter's start.
- and for all the people of the assembly: (Hebrew: כָּל־קְהַל הָעֵדָה, kol-q'hal ha•'e•dah). This phrase emphasizes the collective scope of sin and its comprehensive address on Yom Kippur. It includes every individual Israelite, covering the aggregate accumulation of both known and unknown, intentional and unintentional sins of the entire community. It underscores the communal solidarity in both sin and God's provision for expiation, making atonement for the entire covenant people.
Leviticus 16 33 Bonus section
The annual "purification" of the sanctuary system and its personnel on Yom Kippur did not imply they were inherently impure, but that they became ceremonially defiled by the proximity to and handling of a sinful people's iniquities and uncleannesses. The divine intent was to ensure that the Holy One of Israel could continue to dwell safely in the midst of an impure people without consuming them. The "covering" (from kaphar) of sin was not a mere concealment, but an act of reconciliation and purification, signifying a transactional divine provision to restore the covenant relationship. This comprehensive nature of the atonement in Lev 16:33 provided communal stability and security in ancient Israel, offering assurance that despite their sins, God would continue to meet with them in their consecrated Tabernacle. It pointed to God's continuous initiative to maintain His presence and relationship with His chosen people, an initiative fully realized in Christ.
Leviticus 16 33 Commentary
Leviticus 16:33 encapsulates the pinnacle of the Yom Kippur ritual: a complete, system-wide atonement. The triple declaration of "he shall make atonement" highlights the thoroughness of the cleansing, addressing every facet touched by Israel's sins – the sanctuary's most holy inner core, its outer structures and furnishings, its officiating ministers, and the entire worshipping community. This yearly purification was essential to maintain God's presence among a sinful people, preventing defilement from disrupting the covenant relationship. Yet, the very necessity of this annual, bloody, and exhaustive ritual also underscored its temporal limitation and symbolic nature. It foreshadowed a superior, permanent solution. This verse finds its profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the ultimate High Priest, who offered His own perfect life as a single, once-for-all sacrifice (Heb 9:12-14, 10:10-14). Through His shed blood, true atonement, perfection, and reconciliation are achieved, making obsolete the repetitive Mosaic system, and enabling believers to draw near to God with clean consciences eternally.