Leviticus 16:7 kjv
And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Leviticus 16:7 nkjv
He shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
Leviticus 16:7 niv
Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
Leviticus 16:7 esv
Then he shall take the two goats and set them before the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
Leviticus 16:7 nlt
Then he must take the two male goats and present them to the LORD at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
Leviticus 16 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 16:5 | And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two he-goats… | Source of goats. |
| Lev 16:8 | And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats… | Immediate next step: determining their fates. |
| Lev 16:9 | And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord, and offer him as a sin offering. | Destiny of the first goat (sacrifice). |
| Lev 16:10 | But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord… | Destiny of the second goat (Azazel). |
| Lev 16:15 | Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people… | Sacrificial act for the people's sin. |
| Lev 16:21-22 | And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat... | The scapegoat bearing away sin. |
| Lev 4:3-4 | If the anointed priest shall sin… he shall bring a young bullock without blemish unto the Lord… | Sin offering general instruction. |
| Ex 29:42-43 | This shall be a continual burnt offering... where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. | Significance of the tent of meeting as meeting place. |
| 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 an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. | Blood's role in atonement. |
| Num 8:12 | And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks… | Impartation of sin (similar concept). |
| Isa 53:6 | All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. | Christ bearing sins (ultimate fulfillment). |
| John 1:29 | The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. | Jesus as the Lamb, taking away sin. |
| Heb 4:14-16 | Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God… | Christ as the superior High Priest. |
| Heb 9:11-12 | But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come… neither by the blood of goats and calves… | Christ's perfect and once-for-all sacrifice. |
| Heb 9:22 | And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. | Necessity of blood for forgiveness. |
| Heb 9:24 | For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands… but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. | Christ's presence before God (Heavenly Tabernacle). |
| Heb 10:4 | For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. | Incompleteness of animal sacrifices. |
| Rom 3:25 | Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood… | Christ as propitiation for sin. |
| 2 Cor 5:21 | For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. | Christ becoming sin for us. |
| Ps 103:12 | As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. | God removing sin (echoes scapegoat). |
| Mic 7:19 | He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. | God's complete removal of sin. |
| Lev 1:3 | If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish… | General sacrificial instructions ("before the Lord"). |
| Prov 16:33 | The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. | Divine control over the casting of lots. |
| Ex 40:34-35 | Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation… | God's presence at the Tent of Meeting. |
Leviticus 16 verses
Leviticus 16 7 Meaning
Leviticus 16:7 sets forth Aaron’s initial act in the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) ritual, requiring him to present two distinct goats before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. This presentation marks the divine scrutiny and designation of these two animals, each pre-ordained for a specific, yet distinct, purpose within the singular atoning work for the nation's sins.
Leviticus 16 7 Context
Leviticus 16 describes the pivotal ritual of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the holiest day of the year for ancient Israel. This annual observance was unique in its scope, addressing the accumulated sins of the entire nation and purging the Tabernacle itself from defilement caused by their presence. Aaron, as the High Priest, played a central and exclusive role, acting as mediator between God and Israel. The immediate context of verse 7 follows the instruction for Aaron to offer a bull as a sin offering for himself and his household (v. 6). The verse then introduces the "two goats" from the congregation, whose contrasting fates—one sacrificed to the Lord and the other sent into the wilderness bearing the people's sins—together symbolized the complete divine process of atonement and removal of sin. This act of presenting the goats before the Lord signifies divine acceptance and pre-designation for their respective roles in the upcoming ceremony, highlighting the sacredness and specific divine ordination of the entire ritual at the very threshold of God's dwelling place.
Leviticus 16 7 Word analysis
- And Aaron shall bring: (
וְהִקְרִיב- v'hikriv). The Hebrew verb is from the rootקרב(qarab), meaning "to draw near." In the Hiphil stem (causative), it means "to cause to draw near" or "to present." This highlights Aaron's active, priestly duty to present the animals to the Lord, indicating not just physical proximity but ritual presentation for divine acceptance and inspection. It signifies his mediatorial role. - Aaron: (
אַהֲרֹן- Aharon). The High Priest, chosen by God to represent the entire nation of Israel. His actions on this day were critical for the nation's spiritual well-being. He acts on behalf of the whole assembly, demonstrating the representative nature of the high priesthood. - the two goats: (
אֶת-שְׁנֵי הַשְּׂעִירִם- et-sh'ney ha-s'irrim). The Hebrewשְּׂעִירִם(se'irrim) refers to male goats, often characterized by their "hairy" appearance. The insistence on "two" is crucial; these are not redundant, but distinct in their destinies, yet inextricably linked in their purpose for complete atonement. One deals with the penalty of sin (sacrifice), the other with its removal (scapegoat). This duality is essential for the holistic understanding of the Day of Atonement. - before the Lord: (
לִפְנֵי יְהוָה- lifney YHWH).לִפְנֵי(lit. "to the face of" or "in the presence of") signifies being under direct divine observation and approval.יְהוָה(YHWH) is the sacred, personal name of God, emphasizing that this act is explicitly directed to the sovereign, covenant-keeping God of Israel. It means the entire ceremony is not a human invention but divinely commanded and consecrated. - at the entrance of the tent of meeting: (
פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד׃- petach ohel mo'ed).פֶּתַח(petach) means "opening" or "doorway." This specified location emphasizes the public, yet sacred, nature of the ritual.אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד(ohel mo'ed), literally "tent of appointed meeting," refers to the Tabernacle. It was the consecrated place where God appointed to meet with His people. Presenting the goats here underscores that this ritual happens at the very threshold of God's manifest presence among His people, reinforcing the sacred boundary and the seriousness of approaching a holy God.
Leviticus 16 7 Bonus section
The presentation of the two goats at the Tent of Meeting subtly highlights their inherent connection and ultimate singular purpose. Though one would be sacrificed (Lev 16:9) and the other expelled (Lev 16:10), their joint presentation emphasizes that together they represented a complete act of atonement—addressing both the penalty of sin and its practical removal. This holistic approach to atonement on Yom Kippur prefigured how Christ's single sacrifice comprehensively deals with all aspects of sin: providing forgiveness through His blood and removing its defilement and power through His identification with humanity's fallenness and triumph over it. The scene "before the Lord" underscores that the efficacy of the ritual did not lie in the animals themselves, but in the divine appointment and acceptance of these designated vessels for atonement.
Leviticus 16 7 Commentary
Leviticus 16:7 establishes the foundation for the unique dual aspect of the Day of Atonement ritual. Aaron’s bringing of the two goats "before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting" is not a casual act but a divinely commanded presentation under God's direct scrutiny. This sets the stage for the crucial casting of lots in the subsequent verse, determining each goat's specific, symbolic destiny. The pairing of the two goats, while serving different functions—one to be sacrificed for sin, the other to carry sin away into the wilderness—collectively accomplishes the two-fold work of atonement: dealing with the guilt and consequences of sin and ensuring its removal from the community. This moment before the sacred presence signifies divine initiation and oversight of a ritual that uniquely prefigures the multifaceted work of Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, who through His singular offering both expiated our sins and bore them far away.