Leviticus 16.1-34

The Day of Purgation

(Yom Kippur)

(Lev 16.1-34)

Jacob Milgrom translation (1991: 1009-1011; inserts in ([…]) are CSP Lee’s).

[Introduction]

16.1. The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they encroached upon the presence of the Lord.

[Precautions and Provisions]

2. The Lord spoke to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the adytum ([the Holy of Holies]), inside the veil, in front of the kappõret that is upon the Ark, lest he die; for by means of the cloud I shall appear on the kappõret.  ([See below Milgrom’s Figure 1.)

3. This is how Aaron shall enter the adytum: with a bull of the herd as a purification offering and a ram for a burnt offering;

4. He shall put on a sacral linen tunic, linen breeches shall be on his body, and he shall gird himself with a linen sash, and he shall don a linen turban. These are the sacral vestments he shall put on after bathing his body in water.

5. And from the Israelite community he shall take two he-goats for a purification offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

[The Purgation Ritual]

6. Aaron shall bring forward his own bull of purification offering to effect purgation for himself and for his household;

7. And he shall take the two he-goats and set them before the Lord at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting ([Tabernacle]).

8. Aaron shall place lots upon the two goats, one marked “for the Lord” and the other “for Azazel” ([a demon]).

9. Aaron shall bring forward the goat designated by lot “for the Lord” to sacrifice it as a purification offering;

10. While the goat designated by lot “for Azazel” shall be stationed alive before the Lord to perform expiation upon it by sending it off into the wilderness to Azazel.

11. When Aaron shall bring forward his bull of purification offering to effect purgation for himself and his household, he shall slaughter his bull of purification offering.

12. He shall take a panful of fiery coals from atop the alter before the Lord, and two handfuls of finely ground perfumed incense, and bring [these] inside the veil.

13. He shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord so that the cloud from the incense covers the kappõret that is over [the Ark of] the Pact, lest he die.

14. He shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the kappõret on its east side; and in front of the kappõret he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.

15. He shall then slaughter the people’s goat of purification offering, bring its blood inside the veil, and manipulate its blood as he did with the blood of the bull; he shall sprinkle it upon the kappõret and before the kappõret.

16. Then he shall purge the adytum of the pollution and transgressions of the Israelites, including all of their sins; and he shall do likewise for the Tent of Meeting, which abides with them in the midst of their pollution.

17. No one shall be in the Tent of Meeting when he goes in to effect purgation in the adytum until he comes out. Thus he shall effect purgation for himself and his household and for the entire congregation of Israel.

18. He shall then come out to the altar that is before the Lord and effect purgation upon it. He shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the goat and put it upon the horns around the altar;

19. And he shall sprinkle some of the blood upon it with his finger seven times. Thus he shall purify it of the pollution of the Israelites and consecrate it.

[The Scapegoat Ritual]

20. When he has finished purging the adytum, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat.

21. Aaron shall lean both of his hands upon the head of the live goat and confess over it all of the iniquities and transgressions of the Israelites, including all of their sins, and put them on the head of the goat; and it shall be sent off to the wilderness by a man in waiting.

22. Thus the goat shall carry upon it all of their iniquities to an inaccessible region.

[The Altar Sacrifices]

When the goat is set free in the wilderness,

23. Aaron shall go into the Tent of Meeting, take off the linen vestments that he put on when he entered the adytum, and leave them there.

24. He shall bathe his body in water in a holy place and put on his vestments; then he shall go out and sacrifice his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, effecting atonement for himself and for the people.

25. The suet of the purification offering he shall turn into smoke on the altar.

[The Purification of the High Priest’s Assistants]

26. He who sets free the goat for Azazel shall launder his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may reenter the camp.

27. The purification offering bull and the purification-offering goat whose blood was brought in to effect purgation in the adytum shall be taken outside the camp; and their hides, their flesh, and their dung shall be burned in fire.

28. He who burned them shall launder his clothes and bathe his body in water; and after that he may reenter the camp.

[The Date: An Appendix - ([by P source, according to Milgrom])]

29. And this shall be for you a law for all time: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall practice self-denial; and you shall do no manner of work, neither the native-born nor the aliens who resides among you.

30. For on this day shall purgation be effected on your behalf to purify you of all your sins; you shall become pure before the Lord.

31. It shall be a sabbath of complete rest for you, and you shall practice self-denial; it is a law for all time.

32. The priest who has been anointed and ordained to serve as priest in place of his father shall effect purgation. He shall put on the linen vestments, the sacral vestments.

33. He shall purge the holiest part of the sanctuary, and he shall purge the Tent of Meeting and the altar; he shall effect purgation for the priests and for all the people of the congregation.

34. This shall be for you a law for all time: to effect purgation on behalf of the Israelites for all their sins once a year.