Leviticus 16:20–34

Introduction

Leviticus 16:20–34: Yesterday’s reading on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) described the high priest’s sacrifices: a bull for his own sins and those of his family, and a goat for the sins of the people. Today’s reading describes the “scapegoat” ritual of sending a goat into the desert to carry away the sins of the people. The priest lays his hands on the goat’s head while confessing all the sins the people have committed, thereby transferring the people’s sins to the goat. The goat is chosen for Azazel, which means “fierce god,” and is associated with the name of a demon believed to inhabit the desert.

Today’s Key Verse: Leviticus 16:31 GNT

That day is to be a very holy day, one on which they fast and do no work at all. These regulations are to be observed for all time to come.

Read

²⁰ When Aaron has finished performing the ritual to purify the Most Holy Place, the rest of the Tent of the Lord’s presence, and the altar, he shall present to the Lord the live goat chosen for Azazel. ²¹ He shall put both of his hands on the goat’s head and confess over it all the evils, sins, and rebellions of the people of Israel, and so transfer them to the goat’s head. Then the goat is to be driven off into the desert by someone appointed to do it. ²² The goat will carry all their sins away with him into some uninhabited land.

²³ Then Aaron shall go into the Tent, take off the priestly garments that he had put on before entering the Most Holy Place, and leave them there. ²⁴ He must take a bath in a holy place and put on his own clothes. After that, he shall go out and offer the burnt offering to remove his own sins and those of the people. ²⁵ He shall burn on the altar the fat of the animal for the sin offering. ²⁶ The man who drove the goat into the desert to Azazel must wash his clothes and take a bath before he comes back into camp. ²⁷ The bull and the goat used for the sin offering, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to take away sin, shall be carried outside the camp and burned. Skin, meat, and intestines shall all be burned. ²⁸ The one who burns them must wash his clothes and take a bath before he returns to camp.

²⁹ The following regulations are to be observed for all time to come. On the tenth day of the seventh month the Israelites and the foreigners living among them must fast and must not do any work. ³⁰ On that day the ritual is to be performed to purify them from all their sins, so that they will be ritually clean. ³¹ That day is to be a very holy day, one on which they fast and do no work at all. These regulations are to be observed for all time to come. ³² The High Priest, properly ordained and consecrated to succeed his father, is to perform the ritual of purification. He shall put on the priestly garments ³³ and perform the ritual to purify the Most Holy Place, the rest of the Tent of the Lord’s presence, the altar, the priests, and all the people of the community. ³⁴ These regulations are to be observed for all time to come. This ritual must be performed once a year to purify the people of Israel from all their sins.

So Moses did as the Lord had commanded.

Reflect

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is one of the holiest days in the Jewish calendar. According to today’s reading, how should the people observe this holy day? How are holy days observed in your faith community?

Pray

Merciful and loving God, I come before your throne of grace with a repentant heart to lay my sins before you. Cleanse me and restore me to fellowship with you. In your holy name I pray. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

Isaiah 40:1–31: The prophet Isaiah offers words of hope.