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Leviticus
Chapter Sixteen
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 16
This
chapter treats of the day of atonement, and of the rites, sacrifices, and
services of it, directs when Aaron should come into the holy of holies, Leviticus 16:1; and
in what habit he should then appear, and with what offerings both for himself,
and for the people, Leviticus 16:3; and
that having slain his own sin offering, and that for the people, he should
offer incense before the mercy seat, and sprinkle that with the blood of both, Leviticus 16:11;
and by these offerings make atonement for the holy place, the tabernacle of the
congregation, and the altar, Leviticus 16:16;
and having done this, he was to take the live goat, lay his hands on it,
confess over it, and put upon it all the iniquities of the children of Israel,
and then send it away by a fit man into the wilderness, Leviticus 16:20;
upon which he was to put off his linen garments, wash his flesh, and put them
on again, and offer the burnt offering for himself, and for the people, Leviticus 16:23;
also he that let go the goat, and he that carried and burnt the sin offerings
without the camp, were to wash themselves and clothes also, Leviticus 16:26;
the observance of this day, once a year, which was on the tenth of the seventh
month, as a day of affliction and atonement, was to be a statute for ever to
the children of Israel, Leviticus 16:29.
Leviticus 16:1. Now
the Lord
spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered profane
fire before the Lord,
and died;
YLT 1And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, after the
death of the two sons of Aaron, in their drawing near before Jehovah, and they
die;
And the Lord spake unto Moses, after the death of the two sons of
Aaron,.... That is, either immediately after their death, and so this
chapter would have stood in its natural order next to the tenth; or else after
the above laws concerning uncleanness on various accounts were delivered out,
designed to prevent the people entering into the tabernacle defiled, whereby
they would have incurred the penalty of death; wherefore, as Aben Ezra
observes, after the Lord had given cautions to the Israelites, that they might
not die, he bid Moses to caution Aaron also, that he might not die as his sons died;
these were Nadab and Abihu:
when they offered before the Lord, and died; offered
strange fire, and died by flaming fire, as the Targum of Jonathan; or fire sent
down from heaven, as Gersom, by lightning; see Leviticus 10:1.
Leviticus 16:2.
2 and the Lord said to Moses:
“Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place
inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die;
for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.
YLT 2yea, Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Speak unto
Aaron thy brother, and he cometh not in at all times unto the sanctuary within
the vail, unto the front of the mercy-seat, which [is] upon the ark, and he
dieth not, for in a cloud I am seen upon the mercy-seat.
And the Lord said unto Moses, speak unto Aaron thy brother,.... Who was
the high priest; and what is here said to him was binding on all high priests
in succession from him:
that he come not at all times into the holy place; or
"holiness"F16אל הקדש "ad sanctitatem", Pagninus, Montanus. ,
which was holiness itself, or the most holy place, as distinguished from that
which was sometimes called the holy place, where stood the incense altar, the
showbread table, and the candlestick, into which Aaron went every day, morning
and evening, to do the service there enjoined him; but into the holy of holies
here described, as appears by the after description of it, he might not go at
all times, or every day, or when he pleased, only once a year, on the day of
atonement; though, according to the Jewish writers, he went in four times on
that day, first to offer incense, a second time to sprinkle the blood of the
bullock, a third time to sprinkle the blood of the goat, and a fourth time to
fetch out the censer; and if he entered a fifth time, he was worthy of deathF17Maimon.
& Bartenora in Misn. Celim, c. 1. sect. 9. . Some have observedF18Maimon.
in Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 11. sect. 1. So Tikkune Zohar, correct. 18. fol. 28. 1.
, that this respected Aaron only, and not Moses; that though Aaron might not go
in when he pleased, and only at a time fixed, yet Moses might at any time, and
consult the Lord upon the mercy seat, see Exodus 25:22.
Pausanias makes mention of several Heathen temples which were opened but once a
year, as the temples of Hades Dindymene, and EurymoneF19Eliac 2.
sive, l. 6. p. 392. Boeotica, sive, l. 9. p. 578. Arcadica, sive, l. 8. p. 522.
, and particularly the temple of Minerva, into which only a priest entered once
a yearF20Ib. Arcadica, p. 531. ; which perhaps was in imitation of
the Jewish high priest:
within the vail, before the mercy seat, which is upon the
ark; this is a description of the holy place, into which the high
priest might not go at any time, or at pleasure; it was within the vail that
divided between the holy place, and the most holy, where stood the mercy seat,
which was a lid or covering to the ark, at the two ends of which were the
cherubim, the seat of the divine Majesty; which was a type of heaven for its
holiness, being the habitation of the holy God, Father, Son, and Spirit, and of
holy angels, and holy men, and where only holy services are performed; and for
its invisibility, where dwells the invisible God, where Christ in our nature is
at present unseen by us, and the glories of which are not as yet to be beheld;
only faith, hope, and love, enter within the vail, and have to do with unseen
objects there; and also for what are in it, as the ark and mercy seat, types of
Christ, through whom mercy is communicated in a way of justice, he being the
propitiation and the fulfilling end of the law for righteousness. And this
caution was given to Aaron:
that he die not; by appearing in the presence of God without
his leave and order:
for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat; this one
would think should be a reason why he should not die, when he came into the
most holy place, because there was the mercy seat, and Jehovah on it: and
besides the cloud of incense on it, he went in with, for so many understand by
the cloud, the cloud of incense: thus Aben Ezra says, the sense is, that he
should not enter but with incense, which would make a cloud, and so the glory
not be seen, lest he should die: and Jarchi observes, that the Midrash, or the
more mystical and subtle sense is, he shall not go in but with the cloud of
incense on the day of atonement; but the more simple meaning, or plain sense of
the words is, as the same writer notes, that whereas he did continually appear
there in the pillar of cloud; and because his Shechinah or glorious Majesty is
revealed there, he is cautioned not to use himself to go in, i.e. at any time;
with which agrees the Targum of Jonathan,"for in my cloud the glory of my
Shechinah, or divine Majesty, shall be revealed upon the mercy seat.'And this
being the case, such a glory being there, though wrapped up in a cloud and
thick darkness, it was dangerous to enter but by divine order.
Leviticus 16:3. 3 “Thus
Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with the blood of a young
bull as a sin offering, and of a ram as a burnt offering.
YLT 3`With this doth Aaron come in unto the
sanctuary; with a bullock, a son of the herd, for a sin-offering, and a ram for
a burnt-offering;
Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place,.... The most
holy place; and this was after he had offered the daily sacrifice of the
morning, and had performed the rest of the service then done, as Gersom
observes; such as burning the incense and trimming the lamps, for no offering
preceded the daily sacrifice:
with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt
offering; which were both for himself and his family; and such were the
weakness, imperfection, and insufficiency of the Levitical priesthood, and
priests, that they were obliged first to offer for their own sins, and then for
the sins of the people: the meaning is not, as Aben Ezra says, that he should
bring the bullock into the holy place, only that he should first give of his
own a bullock for a sin offering, to atone for himself, and for the priests;
nor could it be the body of the bullock he brought, only the blood of it into the
most holy place, where he entered not without blood, first with the blood of
the bullock, and then with the blood of the goat; for the body of the bullock
for a sin offering was burnt without the camp, and the body of the ram for the
burnt offering was burnt upon the altar of burnt offering; see Hebrews 9:7.
Leviticus 16:4. 4 He
shall put the holy linen tunic and the linen trousers on his body; he shall be
girded with a linen sash, and with the linen turban he shall be attired. These are
holy garments. Therefore he shall wash his body in water, and put them on.
YLT 4a holy linen coat he putteth on, and linen
trousers are on his flesh, and with a linen girdle he girdeth himself, and with
a linen mitre he wrappeth himself up; they [are] holy garments; and he hath
bathed with water his flesh, and hath put them on.
He shall put on the holy linen coat,.... Which he wore in
common with other priests:
and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh; upon those
parts of his body which are more secret, and less honourable flesh, meaning the
same, as in Leviticus 15:2,
and shall be girded with a linen girdle and with the linen mitre
shall he be attired, as the other priests were; which were an emblem of the purity
and holiness of Christ, whereby he became a proper and suitable high priest, to
make atonement for sin, he having none in himself; and of his mean estate of
humiliation afflictions, and sufferings, whereby he expiated sin, and made
reconciliation for iniquity; the high priest on the day of atonement not
appearing in his golden garments, as the Jews call others worn by him, because
there were some gold in them, as being unsuitable to a day of affliction and
humiliation, but in garments of flax, a meaner dress; and which also were an
emblem of the righteousness of Christ, and his saints, called fine linen, clean
and white; which is wrought out by him, as the author of it, is in him as the
subject of it, and worn by him as the Lord our righteousness, and in which, as
the instilled head and representative of his people, he entered into heaven to
show it to his Father, and plead it with him:
these are holy garments; and to be used only in
sacred service: there were four more holy garments besides these worn by the
high priest, as the breastplate, the ephod, the robe, and the plate of gold,
and which also were put on at certain times on this day, as at the offering of
the morning and evening sacrifice, and at the slaying and offering of the
several creatures on this dayF21Misn. Yoma, c. 3. sect. 4, 6. , see Leviticus 16:23,
therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them
on; by dipping, and that in forty seahs of water, as the Targum of
Jonathan; and this he did as often as he changed his garments, which were no
less than five times on this day. The tradition isF23Ib. sect. 3. ,
no man goes into the court for service, even though clean, until he has dipped
himself: the high priest dips five times, and sanctifies, i.e. washes his hands
and feet ten times on that day, and all are done in the holy place, over the
house of Parvah, excepting this only, that is, first here: Jarchi on the text
observes, on this day, he (the high priest) is bound to dipping at every
change, and five times he changes, and to two washings of his hands and feet at
the laver: this washing may be either an emblem of Christ's baptism, which he
submitted to before he entered on his public ministry, and was, by dipping; or
rather of his being cleared, acquitted, and justified from all sin, upon his
resurrection from the dead, after he had made atonement for it, and before his
entrance into heaven; as he had no sin of his own he needed not the washing of
regeneration, or the water of sanctifying grace to be sprinkled on him, to
cleanse him from it but inasmuch as he had sin imputed to him, and which he
took upon him to make atonement for, it was proper and necessary, when he had
made it, that he should be justified in the Spirit, that so he might enter into
heaven without sin imputed, as he will appear without it when he comes a second
time.
Leviticus 16:5. 5 And
he shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the
goats as a sin offering, and one ram as a burnt offering.
YLT 5`And from the company of the sons of Israel
he taketh two kids of the goats for a sin-offering, and one ram for a
burnt-offering;
And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel,.... With whom
only the high priest had to do on the day of atonement; as Christ our high
priest has only with the Israel of God, the elect, given him by the Father, for
whom he offered up himself, and for whose sins he made reconciliation:
two kids of the goats for a sin offering; the one of
which was killed, and the other let go alive, and both were but one offering,
typical of Christ in both his natures, divine and human, united in one person;
and who was made sin, and became a sin offering for his people:
and one ram for a burnt offering; a type of Christ, mighty
to save, this creature being a strong one; and of his dolorous sufferings, this
offering being burnt; and of God's gracious acceptance of his sacrifice, which
was of a sweet smelling savour to him; the burnt offering following by way of
thanksgiving for atonement made by the sin offering graciously accepted by the
Lord.
Leviticus 16:6. 6 “Aaron
shall offer the bull as a sin offering, which is for himself, and make
atonement for himself and for his house.
YLT 6and Aaron hath brought near the bullock of
the sin-offering which is his own, and hath made atonement for himself, and for
his house;
And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is
for himself,.... That is, bring it into the court, and present it before the
Lord in order to its being slain and sacrificed; for as yet it was not killed,
and so could not be offered on the altar, see Leviticus 16:11;
the place where the bullock was set was between the porch and the altar, his
head in the south, and his face to the west, and the priest stood in the east,
and his face to the west, and laid both his hands upon him, and confessed his
sins, and his family'sF24Misn. Yoma, c. 3. sect. 8. : and this is
said to be "for himself"; not to atone for him, which is afterwards
expressed, but which should come of him or from him, and not from the
congregation, as Jarchi explains it; or as the Targum of Jonathan more clearly,
which is of his own money, wholly at his own expense, and not the people's:
and make atonement for himself, and for his house; for himself,
for his own personal sins and for his family's sins, those of his wife and
children; and it may be extended to all the priests of the house of Aaron; and
some say to the Levites also, as Aben Ezra notes, though he disapproves of it:
by this it appears, that Christ, the antitype of Aaron, is a more perfect and
excellent priest than he, who needed not to offer up sacrifice, first for his
own sins, and then for his people's, for this he did once, when he offered up
himself, Hebrews 7:27; and
which was for his whole family, and them only, the elect of God, consisting of
Jews and Gentiles; part of which is in heaven, and part on earth, and both were
reconciled, or atonement made for them, by the blood of Christ; whose house and
family men appear to be, when they believe and hope in him, and hold fast their
faith and hope; and who are made by him priests as well as kings to God; see Ephesians 3:15 Revelation 1:6.
Leviticus 16:7. 7 He
shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the
door of the tabernacle of meeting.
YLT 7and he hath taken the two goats, and hath
caused them to stand before Jehovah, at the opening of the tent of meeting.
And he shall take the two goats,.... The sin offering for
the people, a proper emblem of Christ, this creature being clean and fit for
food, denoting the purity of Christ, and his being suitable and wholesome food,
as his flesh is to the faith of his people; and because comely in its going, as
Christ was in his going from everlasting, and in his coming, into this world,
travelling in the greatness of his strength; and even by reason of its having
something in it unsavoury and offensive, and which made it the fitter emblem of
Christ, as a surety of his people; for though he had no sin inherent in him and
natural to him, yet he appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh, and had sin
imputed to him, which rendered him obnoxious to divine justice: the number of
these goats was two, typical either of the two natures in Christ; his divine
nature, in which he is impassable, and lives for ever, which may be signified
by the goat presented alive and let go; and his human nature, in which he
suffered and died, and may be fitly represented by the goat that was slain; or
else of the two estates of Christ before and after his resurrection, his being
put to death in the flesh and quickened in the Spirit; or rather this may
signify the twofold consideration of Christ as Mediator, one with respect to
his divine Father, to whom he made satisfaction by his death; and the other
with respect to Satan, with whom he conflicted in life, and to whose power he
was so far delivered up, as not only to be tempted, and harassed by him, but
through his instigation to be brought to the dust of death; See Gill on Leviticus 16:10;
and these two goats, according to the Jewish writersF25Misn. Yoma,
c. 6. sect. 1. , were to be alike in sight or colour, in stature and in value,
and to be taken together: Christ, the antitype of them, is the same dying and
rising; the same that died, rose again from the dead; the same that suffered,
is glorified; and the same that went up to heaven, will come again in like
manner:
and present them before the Lord, at the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation; at the east of the court, and the north of
the altar, as the MisnahF26Ib. c. 3. sect. 8. ; so that their faces
were towards the west, where the holy of holies, the seat of the divine
Majesty, was, and so said to be before the Lord, or over against where he
dwelt: this presentation may have respect to the death of Christ, when he
presented himself to God as an offering and a sacrifice; and which was done
publicly in the sight of great multitudes, and on the behalf of the whole
congregation of the Lord's people, and before him against whom sin is
committed, and to whom satisfaction is given.
Leviticus 16:8. 8 Then
Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the Lord and the other
lot for the scapegoat.
YLT 8`And Aaron hath given lots over the two
goats, one lot for Jehovah, and one lot for a goat of departure;
And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats,.... Which
should be slain, and which should be kept alive, and let go: the manner of
casting lots, according to the MisnahF1Misn. Yoma, c. 3. sect. 9.
& c. 4. sect. 1. , was this; the high priest went to the east of the court,
to the north of the altar, the Sagan (or deputy priest) at his right hand, and
Rosh Beth Ab (or the chief of the house of the fathers) on his left hand, and
the two goats were there; and there was a vessel (box or urn, called Calphi),
and in it were two lots of box tree: the high priest shook the Calphi (or urn)
and took out the two lots; one, on which was written, "for the Lord",
and the other, on which was written, "for Azazel"; if that came up on
the right hand, the Sagan said to him, my lord high priest, lift up thy right
hand on high; and if that on the left hand came up, Rosh Beth Ab said to him,
my lord high priest, lift up thy left hand on high: he put them upon the two
goats and said, a sin offering for the Lord; and they answered after him,
blessed be the Lord, may the glory of his kingdom be for ever and ever: now these
lots, as Ben Gersom observes, were alike, not one greater than another; and
they were of the same matter, for if one had been of stone and the other of
wood, they might, have been known by feeling, and so the lots would not have
been legal: and the same is observed by MaimonidesF2Hilchot Yom
Hacippurim, c. 3. sect. 1. , that though they might be of any matter, of wood,
or stone, or metal, yet one might not be great, and the other small, and the
one of silver, and the other of gold, but both alike, for the reason before
given:
one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat: one had
written upon it, as in the above account, "for the Lord"; and the
other had written upon it, "for Azazel"; directing that the goat on
which the lot for the Lord fell was to be slain and offered up for a sin
offering to him; and the other, on which the lot for Azazel fell, was to be
kept alive and let go: now, however casual and contingent the casting of a lot
may seem to men, it is certain to God, the disposal of it is of him, and
according to his determination, Proverbs 16:33; and
this, in the mystical sense, here denotes, that the sufferings and death of
Christ were according to the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, and
so were foretold in the Scriptures, and came to pass according to his
appointment, will, and command, as was also his resurrection from the dead, John 10:18; see Acts 1:23; and
likewise his conflict with Satan, John 14:30.
Leviticus 16:9. 9 And
Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer it as
a sin offering.
YLT 9and Aaron hath brought near the goat on which
the lot for Jehovah hath gone up, and hath made it a sin-offering.
And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord's lot fell,.... Alluding
to the manner of taking out the lot by the high priest, who, when he took it
out, lifted it up with his hand, and then let it down, and put it on the head
of the goat; after which he brought it to the altar to be sacrificed:
and offer him for a sin offering; an offering
for the sins of the people, as a type of Christ, who made his soul an offering
for sin for his people; but this was not done by Aaron until he had brought and
killed the sin offering for himself; after which we read of killing this sin
offering for the people, Leviticus 16:11;
wherefore some take this offering here to be no other than a setting apart or
devoting the goat for this service.
Leviticus 16:10. 10 But
the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive
before the Lord,
to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as the scapegoat into the
wilderness.
YLT 10`And the goat on which the lot for a goat of
departure hath gone up is caused to stand living before Jehovah to make
atonement by it, to send it away for a goat of departure into the wilderness.
But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat,.... Or for
Azazel, of which more hereafter in the latter part of the verse:
shall be presented alive before the Lord; this seems to
be a second presentation; both the goats were presented before the Lord before
the lots were cast, Leviticus 16:7; but
this was afterwards, when one of the goats, according to the lot, being
presented, was ordered to be killed for a sin offering, and the other according
to the lot being presented alive, was ordered to remain so:
to make an atonement with him; to make an atonement for
the sins of the people of Israel along with the other, for they both made one
sin offering, Leviticus 16:6; and
this, though spared alive for a while, yet at length was killed; and how, the
Jewish writers relate, as will be after observed:
and to let him go for a
scapegoat into the wilderness; or, unto Azazel into the wilderness; which,
some understand of a mountain in the wilderness called Azazel, to which the
Targum of Jonathan has respect, which paraphrases the word,"to send him to
die in a place strong and hard, which is in the wilderness of Zuck;'and so
Saadiah Gaon, Jarchi, Kimchi, and others; and one in Aben Ezra says, it was
near Mount Sinai; but as it is rightly observed by some, was this the name of a
mountain, Moses would have called it the mountain Azazel, as he does other
mountains by their names: nor is there any account of any such mountain in
those parts, by such who have travelled in it, and if near Sinai, it was a long
way to send it from Jerusalem; and for which there seems to be no reason, since
there were many deserts between those two places: Aben Ezra suggests, there is
a secret or mystery in the word Azazel, and says, you may know it and the
mystery of his name, for he has companions in Scripture; and I will reveal to
you, says he, part of it by a hint, when you are the son of thirty three, you
may know its meaning, that is, by reckoning thirty three verses from Leviticus 16:8;
where this word is first mentioned, which will fall on Leviticus 17:7;
"they shall no more offer unto devils"; and so R. Menachem interprets
Azazel of Samael, the angel of death, the devil, the prince that hath power
over desolate places: there are several Christian writers of great note, that
understand this of the devil, as OrigenF2Contr. Cels. 1. 6. p. 305.
, among the ancients; and of the moderns, CocceiusF3Comment. in Heb.
9. sect. 25, &c. , WitsiusF4De Oeconom. Faederum, l. 4. c. 6.
sect. 71, 72, 73. , and SpencerF5De Leg. Heb. l. 3. Dissert. 8. c.
1. sect. 2. and of the same mind was our English poet Milton, that Azazel was a
demon:His mighty standard: that proud honour claim'd Azazel as his right, a
cherub tall. --Milton's Paradise Lost, B. 1. l. 533, 534. , who think that by
these two goats is signified the twofold respect of Christ our Mediator; one to
God, as a Judge, to whom he made satisfaction by his death; the other to the
devil, the enemy with whom he conflicted in life; who, according to prophecy,
was to be delivered up to Satan, and have his heel bruised by him; and who was
to come, and did come into the wilderness of this world, and when Jerusalem was
a desert, and became a Roman province; and who was led by the Spirit into wilderness
of Judea, in a literal sense, to be tempted of the devil, and had a sore
conflict with him in the garden, when he sweat, as it were, drops of blood; and
upon the cross, when he submitted to the death of it; during which time he had
the sins of all his people on him, and made an end of them, so as to be seen no
more; all which agrees with Leviticus 16:21; of
which see more there; and it must be owned, that no other sense seems so well
to agree with the type as this; since the living goat had all the sins of the
people on him, and was reckoned so impure, that he that led him into the
wilderness stood in need of washing and cleansing, Leviticus 16:21;
whereas, when Christ was raised from the dead, he was clear of all sin, being
justified in the Spirit; and in his resurrection there was no impurity, nor
could any be reckoned or supposed to belong to him, as Witsius well observes,
no, not as the surety of his people; nor in his resurrection was he a sin
offering, as this goat was; nor could his ascension to heaven, with any
propriety, be represented by this goat being let go into the wilderness: as for
the notion of Barabbas, as OrigenF6In Lev. Homil. 10. c. 16. fol.
82. , being meant by Azazel, or the rebellious people of the Jews, carried into
the wilderness, or into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, and which is the sense of
Abarbinel, and in which he is followed by many Christian writers, they need no
confutation.
Leviticus 16:11. 11 “And Aaron shall bring the
bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself
and for his house, and shall kill the bull as the sin offering which is
for himself.
YLT 11`And Aaron hath brought near the bullock of
the sin-offering which is his own, and hath made atonement for himself, and for
his house, and hath slaughtered the bullock of the sin-offering which [is] his
own,
And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering which is
for himself,.... In the same manner, and is to be understood in the same sense
as in Leviticus 16:6,
and shall make atonement for himself and for his house: by a
confession of words, as the Targum of Jonathan adds, and which Jarchi calls the
second confession; for the same was made, and in the same words as before; see
Gill on Leviticus 16:6,
and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for
himself; which was a type of Christ; the creature itself was, being
strong for labour, and patient in bearing the yoke; Christ had a laborious
service to perform, the work of man's redemption, and he was strong for it,
able to go through it, and did not only readily take upon him the yoke of the
law, and became obedient to every command of his divine Father, but even to
death itself, the death of the cross; the kind of sacrifice was a sin offering,
and such Christ in soul and body was made for his people; in order to which, as
this sacrifice, he was put to death, the use of which was, to atone for all the
sins of his mystical self, his body, the church; for all his family, his
children, the priests of the Lord.
Leviticus 16:12. 12 Then
he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, with his
hands full of sweet incense beaten fine, and bring it inside the veil.
YLT 12and hath taken the fulness of the censer of
burning coals of fire from off the altar, from before Jehovah, and the fulness
of his hands of thin spice-perfume, and hath brought [it] within the vail;
And he shall take a censer,.... A fire pan, a sort of
chafing dish or perfuming pot; this was a golden one, as appears from Hebrews 9:4; hence
Christ, the Angel of God's presence, our interceding High Priest, is said to
have such an one, Revelation 8:3; and
so Josephus saysF7Antiqu. l. 3. c. 8. sect. 3. , it was a golden one
the high priest used on the day of atonement; with which agree the Misnic
doctorsF8Misn. Yoma, c. 4. sect. 4. , who say, on other days he took
off the coals with a silver one, and poured them into a golden one, but on this
day he took them off with a golden one:
full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord; these were
bright lively coals, not smoking and half extinct; and they were taken from off
the altar of burnt offering, from the western side of it, as Jarchi says, which
was towards the holy of holies, where the Lord had his dwelling: these burning
coals denoted the sufferings of Christ, which were properly punishments for the
sins he bore, flowed from the wrath of God comparable to fire, were the curses
of a fiery law, and equal to the sufferings of the wicked, often expressed by
fire; they were many, and very painful and excruciating, though no ways
inconsistent with the love of God to him as his Son, for they were endured by
him as the surety of his people, and by which he expressed his flaming love and
affection for them: he himself is altar, sacrifice, and priest, the altar which
sanctifies the gift; and the coals as on the altar, denote the sufferings of
Christ as upon him, which he was able to bear; and the taking off the coals
signifies the cessation of his sufferings; and the altar, coals, and taking of
them off, being before the Lord and in his sight, show that Christ, as a divine
Person, is, and always was before him; that his sufferings were ever in view,
being appointed and foretold by him, and when endured were grateful to him, a
sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour; and that the cessation of them was in his
presence, and according to his will; and Christ now is the Lamb in the midst of
the throne, as though he had been slain, where, as such, he is always beheld
with pleasure and acceptance by the Lord:
and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small; both his
hands, as Aben Ezra, two handfuls of this he took and put into a cup: of this
sweet incense and its composition, see Exodus 30:34; this
was small itself, but on the evening of the day of atonement it was put into
the mortar again, as Jarchi says, and beaten very small, and so was, as
expressed in the MisnahF9Misn. Yoma, c. 4. sect. 4. , "small of
small": this may represent the intercession of Christ our high priest for
his people; for as the prayers of the saints are set before the Lord as
incense, Psalm 141:2; so the
intercession and mediation of Christ in favour of the acceptance of their
prayers is signified by "much incense", Revelation 8:3; and
which is always acceptable to God, and may well be expressed by sweet incense:
handfuls of it may denote the largeness of his intercession, being for all the
elect of God, and for all things for them they stand in need of; and the
infinite perfection and virtue of his person, blood, righteousness, and
sacrifice, to make his intercession effectual: and being "beaten
small" may signify his intercession made for particular persons, and those
the meanest, and for particular things of every sort they want; as well as it
may point at the fragrance and acceptance of Christ's mediation on such
accounts, the incense being more fragrant the smaller it is beaten:
and bring it within the vail: not the incense only,
but the burning coals of fire also, the one in one hand, and the other in the
other hand; so the MisnahF11lb. c. 5. sect. 1. ; they brought out to
him (the high priest) the cup and the censer; he took his handful and put it
into the cup, a large one according to its largeness, and a small one according
to its smallness, and so was its measure; he took the censer in his right hand,
and the cup in his left, and went into the sanctuary, until he came between the
two rails which divide between the holy and holy of holies: this was typical of
Christ our high priest, who is entered within the vail into the holiest of all,
with his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, where he ever lives to make
intercession for us; not that Christ is considered in heaven as in a suffering
state, for he is in a most exalted one; but the virtue and efficacy of his
sufferings and death always continue, and which he ever improves on the behalf
of his people, by interceding for them; and their faith and hope enter within
the vail, and deal with him as having suffered for them.
Leviticus 16:13. 13 And
he shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the
cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the Testimony, lest
he die.
YLT 13and he hath put the perfume on the fire
before Jehovah, and the cloud of the perfume hath covered the mercy-seat which
[is] on the testimony, and he dieth not.
And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord,.... Both the
incense and burning coals of fire being carried within the vail, the incense
was put upon the coals, and so it burned before the Lord, whose seat was
between the cherubim; and from whence it appears, that this was done, not
without but within the vail: the Sadducees under the second temple would have
it, that the incense was put upon the fire without the vail, wherefore the high
priest, on the evening of this day, was sworn by the messengers of the
sanhedrim not to make any alteration in what they should say to him; and this
oath was given him in the house of Abtines, where the incense was made, with a
special respect to that, since it being within the vail, they could not see it
performed: the manner of his performance of this part of his service is thus related;
he went in between the rails, till he came to the north; when he was come to
the north, he turned his face to the south; he went on his left hand near the
vail, till he came to the ark; he put the censer between the two bars, and
heaped the incense upon the top of the coals, and the whole house was filled
with the smoke; he then went out backwards, and prayed a short prayer in the
outward house (the holy place), and he did not continue long in prayer, lest
the people of Israel should be frightenedF12Misn. Yoma, c. 5. sect.
1. : the prayer he made is given us by the JewsF13Maimon. &
Bartenora in ib. : now the incense being put upon the coals may denote the
fervour and ardency of Christ's intercession, and that his sufferings are the
foundation of it, on which it proceeds, and are what give it a grateful odour,
or make it acceptable to the Lord:
and this was done, that the cloud of the incense may cover the
mercy seat that is upon the testimony; where was the Shechinah,
or glorious majesty of God, and which was not to be seen, and therefore to be
covered after this manner; which shows, that there is no access to God but as
upon a seat of mercy and a throne of grace; and even that there is no coming to
him upon that, but through the mediation and intercession of Christ:
that he die not; as his sons did, boldly intruding where,
and doing what they should not: there is no approaching to God as an absolute
God, and live; but through Christ the Mediator, and his intercession, believers
may draw nigh and see the face of God in Christ, and live, as Jacob did, Genesis 32:30.
Leviticus 16:14. 14 He
shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger
on the mercy seat on the east side; and before the mercy seat he shall
sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.
YLT 14`And he hath taken of the blood of the
bullock, and hath sprinkled with his finger on the front of the mercy-seat
eastward; even at the front of the mercy-seat he doth sprinkle seven times of
the blood with his finger.
And he shall take of the blood of the bullock,.... When the
high priest slew the bullock, the blood was received in a basin, and given to
another priest, that he might keep stirring it on a foursquare bench in the
temple, that so it might not thicken and congealF14Misn. Yoma, c. 4.
sect. 3. , but by a continual motion might become thin and liquid, and fit for
sprinkling; and this was doing, while the high priest was gone into the most
holy place to offer the incense; which being done, he came out again and took
the basin of blood out of the hand of the priest, and went in a second time,
and did with it as follows:
and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat,
eastward; with his right finger, or forefinger, as the Targum of Jonathan;
and the blood sprinkled with it did not fall upon the mercy seat, as our version
seems to intimate, but it was sprinkled over against it, towards the upper part
of it. Aben Ezra says, that according to their interpreters, "upon the
face of the mercy seat", as the words may be literally rendered, signifies
above, between the two bars, and here it was the high priest stood; for,
according to the MisnahF15Ibid. c. 5. sect. 3. , he went in to the
place where he had gone in, and stood in the place where he had stood, and then
sprinkled, that is, in the same place where he had been and offered the
incense; See Gill on Leviticus 16:13;
and here he stood, not with his face to the east, for then his back must have
been to the mercy seat, but he stood with his face to the eastern part of the
mercy seat, and there sprinkled the blood upwards:
and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his
finger seven times; besides the first sprinkling that was upward, and those
downward; so says the MisnahF16Misn. Yoma, c. 5. sect. 3. , he
sprinkled of it (the blood) once above, and seven times below; the same Jarchi
observes; and the tradition adds, and he did not look in sprinkling neither
above nor below; that is, he did not look to the mercy seat, nor was there any
need of it, since the blood did not reach the mercy seat, but fell upon the
ground; it was enough that it was done before it, and over against it, and with
a respect unto it; or otherwise, had it, fallen on it, it would have been
besmeared with it, and would not have been so comely and decent: the mystery of
this was to represent the blood of Christ, and perfect purification and
atonement by it, and that mercy and justice are reconciled to each other, and
agree together in the forgiveness of sinners; and that there is no mercy but in
a way of justice, no remission of sin, no justification of persons, no
salvation for any of the sons of men, but through the blood of Christ, and the
complete atonement made thereby.
Leviticus 16:15. 15 “Then
he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people,
bring its blood inside the veil, do with that blood as he did with the blood of
the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.
YLT 15`And he hath slaughtered the goat of the
sin-offering which [is] the people's, and hath brought in its blood unto the
inside of the vail, and hath done with its blood as he hath done with the blood
of the bullock, and hath sprinkled it on the mercy-seat, and at the front of
the mercy-seat,
Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering that is for
the people,.... That upon which the lot came for the Lord, Leviticus 16:9; the
high priest having sprinkled the blood of the bullock, came out of the most
holy place, and went into the court of the tabernacle to the altar of burnt
offering, and on the north side of that slew the goat for the sin offering, the
place where all such were killed; see Leviticus 1:11.
This was a type of Christ, of his being slain, and made an offering for the
sins of his people:
and bring his blood within the vail: it being received into a
basin, as before the blood of the bullock was, he took it, and with it went in
a third time into the most holy place:
and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock,
and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat; it should be
rendered "toward the mercy seat" it is by NoldiusF17Concord.
Ebr. partic. p. 704. No. 2013. ; See Gill on Leviticus 16:14.
Leviticus 16:16. 16 So
he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness
of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, for all their
sins; and so he shall do for the tabernacle of meeting which remains among them
in the midst of their uncleanness.
YLT 16and he hath made atonement for the sanctuary
because of the uncleanness of the sons of Israel, and because of their
transgressions in all their sins; and so he doth for the tent of meeting which
is tabernacling with them in the midst of their uncleannesses.
And he shall make an atonement for the holy place,.... Even the
holy of holies, as Aben Ezra interprets it, into which the high priest entered
with blood for that purpose; the Targum of Jonathan adds, by a verbal
confession, that is, of sin; but atonement was not made in that way, but by the
blood of the bullock and goat, which was sprinkled towards the mercy seat,
above and below: and this was made
because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because
of their transgressions in all their sins; which heap of words
shows how many and heinous the sins of the people of Israel were, being
defections from God, rebellions against him, transgressions of his law, and
which brought pollution and guilt upon them, which could only be expiated by
blood; and though the people of Israel did not enter so much as into the holy
place, where the priests at times went, and much less into the holiest of all,
yet their sins in some sense entered there, and came before the Lord that dwelt
there; as the sins of men do even reach up to heaven itself, and cry for wrath
and vengeance: and so made the Israelites unworthy of such a favour as for the
Lord to dwell among them in that most holy place, in so solemn a manner; and
for their high priest to enter there, and consult the oracle of God for them,
and make intercession on their account, to which atonement was necessary; even
as men by their sins render themselves unworthy of entering into the heavenly
state, nor can they, without the atonement and sacrifice of Christ; and to this
purification of the patterns of heavenly things; and of the heavenly things or
places themselves, the apostle refers, Hebrews 9:23,
and shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation that
remaineth among them, in the midst of their uncleanness; that is, the
court of the tabernacle where the Israelites were admitted, and where they
often came in their uncleanness, either ignorantly or presumptuously, and yet
notwithstanding the tabernacle remained among them; but, it was necessary that
atonement should be made for the uncleanness in it, and around it, that it
might continue, and they might have the privilege of coming into it, and
worshipping in it. This shows that there are sins of holy things, and which
attend the most solemn service, which are committed in the sanctuary of the
Lord, and while waiting upon him in his house and ordinances; which must be
expiated and removed. The same rites were observed, in making the atonement for
this part of the sanctuary, as for the most holy place, particularly by
sprinkling the blood in like manner, only, elsewhere; so says Jarchi, as he
sprinkled of them both within, that is, of the blood of the bullock, and of the
goat, within the vail, once above, and seven times below; so he sprinkled, by
the vail without, of both of them, once above, and seven times below.
Leviticus 16:17. 17 There
shall be no man in the tabernacle of meeting when he goes in to make atonement
in the Holy Place, until he comes out, that he may make atonement for
himself, for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel.
YLT 17`And no man is in the tent of meeting in his
going in to make atonement in the sanctuary, till his coming out; and he hath
made atonement for himself, and for his house, and for all the assembly of
Israel.
And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation,.... Not any
of the priests, as Aben Ezra, no, not in the holy place where they ministered,
nor in the court of the tabernacle, nor in any of the courts, nor indeed any of
the people: all places were cleared
when he, the high priest:
goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place until he
come out; this in the mystery of it was to signify, that atonement for sin
is made only by Christ our high priest; he himself, and no other, bore our
sins, and he himself purged them away, or by his sacrifice alone expiated them;
his own arm wrought salvation, and of the people there were none with him to
help and assist him; when he the Shepherd was smitten by the sword of justice,
the sheep were scattered, all his disciples forsook him and fled; there were
none to appear for him, or stand by him, or in the least to lend an assisting
hand in the great work in which he was engaged; he is the only Mediator,
between God and man, both of redemption and of intercession; he is the alone
Saviour, to him only are sinners to look for salvation, and he is to have all
the glory; he had no partner in the work, and he will have no rival in the
honour of it:
and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household; his whole
family, and all the priests, by the bullock of his sin offering, as Aben Ezra
observes, and by carrying in the blood of it within the vail, and sprinkling it
there:
and for all the congregation of Israel; by the goat
of their sin offering, as the same writer notes, and doing with the blood of
that as with the blood of the bullock; all typical of the atonement of Christ
for his mystical self the church; for the whole family and household of God;
for the general assembly and church of the firstborn, whose names are written
in heaven.
Leviticus 16:18. 18 And
he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord, and make
atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the
blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around.
YLT 18`And he hath gone out unto the altar which
[is] before Jehovah, and hath made atonement for it; and he hath taken of the
blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and hath put on the horns
of the altar round about;
And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord,.... The
golden altar, the altar of incense, which stood in the holy place without the
vail, over against the most holy place, where Jehovah dwelt, and so is said to
be before him; of this altar the MisnahF18Yoma, c. 5. Sect. 5.
understands it, and so do Jarchi and Ben Gersom; and, according to Exodus 30:10; once
a year Aaron was to make an atonement on the horns of it, with the blood of the
sin offering, which plainly refers to this time, the day of atonement; but Aben
Ezra is of opinion, that the altar of burnt offering is meant; and Bishop
Patrick is inclined to think so too, because he supposes the high priest's
going out signifies his coming from the sanctuary, where the golden altar was,
and which had been cleansed, Leviticus 16:16;
and because, if the altar of burnt offering is not here meant, no care seems to
be taken of its cleansing; but it should be observed, that the holy place, Leviticus 16:16, means
the holy of holies, and not the holy place where the altar of incense stood;
and that the altar of burnt offering was atoned for and cleansed, when the
tabernacle of the congregation was, in which it stood, and from which, this
altar is manifestly distinguished, Leviticus 16:20;
wherefore the reason given for the altar of burnt offering holds good for the
altar of incense, since if that is not intended, no care is taken about it; add
to this, that the last account of the high priest was, that he was in the most
holy place, and not the holy place, Leviticus 16:17;
out of which he now came into the holy place, where the altar of incense was:
and make an atonement for it; where incense was daily
offered up, signifying the prayers of the saints, which having many failings
and imperfections in them, yea, many sins and transgressions attending them,
need atonement by the blood of Christ, of which this was a type:
and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of
the goat; mixed, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it; and so Jarchi
asks, what is the atonement of it? he takes the blood of the bullock, and the
blood of the goat, and mixes them together: the account given of this affair in
the MisnahF19lbid. Sect. 4. is; he poured the blood of the bullock
into the blood of the goat, and then put a full basin into an empty one, that
it might be well mixed together: and having so done, he did as follows:
and put it upon the horns of the altar round about; upon the four
horns which were around it; and it is asked in the MisnahF20Ut
supra. (Misn. Yoma, c.5. sect, 3.) , where did he begin? at the northeast horn,
and so to the northwest, and then to the southwest, and (ended) at the
southeast; at the place where he began with the sin offering on the outward
altar, there he finished on the inward altar, and as he went along he put the
blood on each horn, which was the atonement for the altar.
Leviticus 16:19. 19 Then
he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, cleanse
it, and consecrate it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
YLT 19and he hath sprinkled on it of the blood with
his finger seven times, and hath cleansed it, and hath hallowed it from the
uncleannesses of the sons of Israel.
And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven
times,.... This was done with his right finger, or forefinger, as the
Targum of Jonathan, and seven times, to denote the perfect cleansing of the
altar with it. Jarchi observes, that after he, the high priest, had put the
puttings (of blood) upon the horns of it, he sprinkled of it seven sprinklings
on the top of it: the Misnah saysF21Yoma, c. 5. sect. 6. , upon the
pure place of it, that is, upon a place of it, from whence the coals and ashes
were removed, and where the gold appeared:
and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children
of Israel; by sprinkling the blood upon it; Jarchi's note is, "and
cleanse it" from what was past, "and hallow it" for time to
come.
Leviticus 16:20. 20 “And
when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the tabernacle of
meeting, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat.
YLT 20`And he hath ceased from making atonement
[for] the sanctuary, and the tent of meeting, and the altar, and hath brought
near the living goat;
And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place,.... That is,
the holy of holies, by carrying in the blood of the bullock, and of the goat
there, and sprinkling them as before observed:
and the tabernacle of the congregation; the great
court where the people met, and where the altar of burnt offering stood:
and the altar; the altar of incense in the holy place; and
so all the parts of the tabernacle were reconciled and atoned for, even the
holy of holies, the holy place, and the court of the people: all the work the
day of atonement, we are toldF23Yoma, c. 5. sect. 7. , was done
according to the order prescribed, and that if anything was done before
another, it was doing nothing: thus, for instance, if the blood of the goat
went before (or was sprinkled before) the blood of the bullock, he must return
and sprinkle of the blood of the goat after the blood of the bullock; and if
before he has finished the puttings (of the blood) within, the blood is poured
out, (that is, at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering,) he shall bring
other blood, and return and sprinkle anew within, and so in the temple, and at
the golden altar, for every atonement is by itself:
he shall bring the live goat; that which remained
alive after the other was slain, as it was to do, according to the lot that
fell upon it, Leviticus 16:10;
this was brought to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, whither the
high priest went, and performed the following rites.
Leviticus 16:21. 21 Aaron shall lay both his
hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the
children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins,
putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the
wilderness by the hand of a suitable man.
YLT 21and Aaron hath laid his two hands on the head
of the living goat, and hath confessed over it all the iniquities of the sons
of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, and hath put them on
the head of the goat, and hath sent [it] away by the hand of a fit man into the
wilderness;
And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat,.... In this
order as the Targum of Jonathan says, his right hand upon his left hand on the
head of the live goat; this was done in the name of the people, hereby
transferring their sins, and the punishment of them, to it:
and confess him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and
all their transgressions in all their sins; which takes in their
sins, greater or lesser, sins of ignorance and presumption, known or not knownF24Vid.
Maimon. Hilchot Teshnbah, c. 1. sect. 2. , even all sorts of and all of them:
the form of confession used in after times was thisF25Misnah Yoma,
c. 6. sect. 2. ; O Lord, thy people, the house of Israel, have done perversely,
have transgressed sinned berate thee, O Lord, expiate now the iniquities,
transgressions, and sins, in which thy people, the house of Israel, have done
perversely, transgressed, and sinned before thee, as it is written in the law
of Moses thy servant (#Le 16:30;) and it is
added, and the priests and people that stood in the court, when they heard the
name Jehovah go out of the mouth of the high priest, they bowed, and
worshipped, and fell upon their faces, and said, blessed be God, let the glory
of his kingdom be for ever and ever:
putting them upon the head of the goat; that is, the
iniquities, transgressions, and sins of the people of Israel before confessed,
and that by confession of them, with imposition of hands; and which was typical
of the imputation of the sins of the people of God to Christ, of the Lord
laying, or causing to meet on him the iniquities of them all, and of his being
made sin by imputation for them:
and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the
wilderness; whether the wilderness of Judea, or what other is intended, is
not certain. The Targum of Jonathan calls it the wilderness of Zuck; which,
according to the MisnahF26Misnah Yoma, sect. 8. , was three miles
from Jerusalem, at the entrance of the wilderness; and whereas in another
MisnahF1Misn. Hieros. c. 6. sect. 9. fol. 43. 2. , instead of
Bethchadudo, Bethhoron is mentioned, which is said also to be three miles from
Jerusalem: it is not an improbable conjecture of Dr. LightfootF2Chorograph.
Cent. on Matth. c. liv. Vid. ib. c. 6. xix. , that the goat was sent in the way
to Bethhoron, which was the same distance from Jerusalem as the other place
was, in the northern coast of Judea, and had very rough hills about it, and a
narrow passage to it. The man, by whom he was sent, was one fit for the
purpose, that knew the way to the wilderness, and was acquainted with it; a man
of years and understanding, and of a disposition suitable for such a service;
the Septuagint version renders it one that was "ready"; and the
Targums, one that was "prepared" to go, or "appointed", and
got ready; Jarchi says, the day before; but the Targum of Jonathan a year ago:
perhaps it designs one, that being once appointed, was continued, and so was
used to it from time to time, and constantly did it: the phrase properly
signifies "a man of time" or "opportunity"F3איש עתי "viri
opportuni", Montanus; "viri tempestivi", Tigurine version. ;
Aben Ezra finds fault with those who render it a wise man, but observes, that
some of their Rabbins say it was a priest that led the goat to the wilderness,
which he approves of; according to the MisnahF4, all were fit for
this service (formerly common and unclean), but what the high priest did
(afterwards) was fixed, and they did not suffer an Israelite to lead him (i.e.
a common Israelite, one that was not a priest); according to the TalmudF5T.
Bab. Yoma, fol. 66. 1, 2. , even a stranger, and an unclean person, was fit for
this service. In the mystical sense, by this fit man, or man of opportunity, is
not meant, according to Abarbinel, Nebuchadnezzar, who led the children of
Israel into the wilderness of the people, into the Babylonish captivity; but
rather, if it could be understood of Christ being sent, and carried into the
wilderness of the Gentile world, upon his resurrection and ascension to heaven,
the Apostle Paul might be thought of; who was a chosen vessel to carry his name
there, and was eminently the apostle of the Gentiles: but seeing by Azazel, to
whom this goat was let go, Satan seems to be meant; if, as some thinkF6Jackson
& alii, apud Patrick in loe. , Christ was baptized on the day of atonement,
and on that day was led by the Spirit to the wilderness of Judea, there to be
tempted of the devil, that might be considered as a very singular
accomplishment of the type; and the Jews seem to expect the Messiah on the day
of atonementF7T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 19. 2. : or rather, as WitsiusF8De
Oeconomia Foeder. l. 4. c. 6. sect. 72. observes, the hand of the fit man may
denote the power that rose up against Christ, namely, the Gentiles and the
people of Israel, and particularly Pilate, who took care that Christ, burdened
with the cross, an emblem of the curse, should be led without the gate, where
he had his last conflict with the devil; See Gill on Leviticus 16:10.
This is applied to Pilate by OrigenF9In Levit. Homil. 10. c. 16.
fol. 82. .
Leviticus 16:22. 22 The
goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he
shall release the goat in the wilderness.
YLT 22and the goat hath borne on him all their
iniquities unto a land of separation. `And he hath sent the goat away into the
wilderness,
And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land
not inhabited,.... Where it would never be seen, and from whence it would never
return more; and so was a proper type of Christ, who has borne all the sins of
all his people in his own body on the cross, and all the punishment due unto
them; and so has made full satisfaction for them, and has removed them from
them, as far as the east is from the west, and out of the sight of avenging
justice; so that when they are sought they shall not be found, nor shall they ever
return unto them, or be brought against them any more; see Isaiah 53:12,
and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness; that is, the
man that was appointed to have him thither; and so the Targum of
Jonathan,"and the man shall let go the goat into the wilderness of Zuck;
and the goat shall go upon the mountains of Beth Chadure (or Chadudo), and a
tempestuous wind from the Lord shall drive him down, and he shall die.'The
manner of conducting this whole affair was this; they made for him a causeway
(i.e. for the man that had the goat committed to his care, to have it out of
the court, and out of the city), because of the Babylonians, who would pluck
him by the hair, and say, Get out, begone, get out, begone. The nobles of
Jerusalem accompanied him to the first booth, for there were ten booths from
Jerusalem to Zuck, which were ninety furlongs, seven and a half to every mile;
at every (i.e. twelve miles) at every booth they said to him, Lo food, lo
water, and they accompanied him from booth to booth, excepting the last of
them; for there was not one went with him to Zuck, but stood afar off, and
observed what he did: what did he do? he parted a scarlet line, half of it he
bound to the rock, and half of it he bound between his horns (the goat's), and
pushed him backwards, and he rolled and went down, but before he came half way
down the mountain he was dashed to pieces; then he (the man) went and sat under
the last booth until it was dark--they said to the high priest, the goat is got
to the wilderness; but from whence did they know that the goat was got to the
wilderness? they made watchtowers or beacons, and they waved linen cloths, and
so knew when the goat was come to the WildernessF11Yoma, c. 6. sect.
4, 5, 6, 8. . But the Scripture is entirely silent about the death of this
goat, though it no doubt died in the wilderness, only says that it was let go,
and was at liberty to go where it would; intimating that the people of Israel
were free from all their sins, and they should be no more seen nor remembered;
typical of the deliverance and freedom of the people of God from all their sins
by Christ. This affair was imitated by Satan among the Heathens, particularly
the Egyptians, as has been observed by many out of HerodotusF12Euterpe,
sive, l. 2. c. 39. ; who relates, that they used to imprecate many things upon
the head of a beast slain for sacrifice, and then carried it to market, where
were Grecian merchants, to whom they sold it; but if there were none, they cast
it into the river, execrating the head after this manner, that if any evil was
to befall either themselves that sacrificed, or all Egypt, it might be turned
upon that head. And on account of this custom, which obtained among all the
Egyptians, no one among them would ever taste the head of any animal; which
PlutarchF13De Iside & Osir. also affirms, who says, that having
made an execration upon the head of the sacrifice, and cut it off, formerly
they cast it into the river, but now they give it to strangers. And a like
custom obtained among other nations, as the Massilians and GreciansF14Vid.
Outram. de Sacrificiis, l. 1. c. 22. sect. 14. .
Leviticus 16:23. 23 “Then
Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of meeting, shall take off the linen
garments which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall
leave them there.
YLT 23and Aaron hath come in unto the tent of
meeting, and hath stripped off the linen garments which he had put on in his
going in unto the sanctuary, and hath placed them there;
And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation,.... Having
been into the most holy place a fourth time, as the Jews say, to fetch out the
censer and the incense cup; wherefore the Jewish writers observe, that this
verse is not in its proper place; so Jarchi from the Rabbins says, the whole
section is in its order, excepting this, which was after the sacrifice of his
burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people; and the burning the
inwards of the bullock and the goat, which were done without in the golden
garments; and then he dipped himself, and washed his hands and feet, and
stripped and put on the white garments, and went in to fetch the incense cup
and the censer, with which he offered in the inmost place (the holy of holies):
and shall put off the linen garments which he put on when he went
into the holy place; the holy of holies, that is, as Jarchi
interprets it, after he had brought it (the censer) out, then he clothed
himself with the golden garments for the daily evening sacrifice; and this was
the order of the services (on the day of atonement); the daily morning
sacrifice (was performed) in the golden garments; the service of the bullock
and of the goat, and the incense of the censer, in the white garments; and his
ram, and the ram of the people, and some of the additions, in the golden
garments; and the bringing out of the incense cup and the censer in the white
garments; and the rest of the additions, and the daily evening sacrifice, and
the incense of the temple, on the inward altar, in golden garments; and the
order of the Scripture, according to the services, so it was:
and shall leave them there; in one of the chambers
of the tabernacle, as afterwards, in the temple, where they were laid up, never
to be used more, as say the Jewish writers, Ben Gersom, and others; hence we
learn, says Jarchi, that they were obliged to be laid up, and he, the high
priest, might not minister in these four garments on another day of atonement.
Leviticus 16:24. 24 And
he shall wash his body with water in a holy place, put on his garments, come
out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make
atonement for himself and for the people.
YLT 24and he hath bathed his flesh with water in
the holy place, and hath put on his garments, and hath come out, and hath made
his burnt-offering, and the burnt-offering of the people, and hath made
atonement for himself and for the people;
And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place,.... In the
court of the tabernacle of the congregation, where, as Aben Ezra says, they
spread fine linen for him; Jarchi says, it was a place on the roof of the house
of Parvah, where all the dippings and washings were made, except the first; See
Gill on Leviticus 16:4; and
this washing was no other than the dipping of his whole body in water; and if
our Lord was baptized on this day, as some have thought, before observed, whose
baptism was by dipping, Matthew 3:16; there
will appear in this a great likeness between the type and the antitype:
and put on his garments and come forth; put on his
golden garments, and come out of the place where he had washed himself, to the
court, where was the altar of burnt offering: all which may be an emblem of
Christ's putting off the pure and spotless garment of the flesh, in which he
appeared in a low estate, and made atonement for sin; and of his burial, which
the washing of the flesh may point at, being what was used of the dead, and
which washing in baptism is a figure of; and of his resurrection from the dead,
when God gave him glory, and he appeared in a glorious body, signified by his
golden garments put on again:
and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people; his ram, and
the people's ram, and the bullock of the people, and their seven lambs, as it
is written, Numbers 29:8; so
Aben Ezra, first his own, and then the people's, which order was before
observed in the sin offerings:
and make an atonement for himself, and for the people; which though
properly made by the sin offerings, and the carrying the blood of them into the
most holy place, yet these were the completing of it, being the last of the
services peculiar to the day of atonement: the service performed by the high
priest after the sending away the goat into the wilderness was this; he read
this "sixteenth" chapter of Leviticus, and Leviticus 23:27, if
he read in linen garments, he washed his hands and his feet, he stripped
himself, went down and dipped himself, and came up and wiped himself; then they
brought him the golden garments, and he put them on, and washed his hands and
his feet, and went out and offered his ram, and the people's ram, and the seven
perfect lambs of a year old; then he washed his hands and his feet, and
stripped and went down and dipped, and came up and wiped himself; then they
brought him the white garments, and he put them on, and washed his hands and
his feet, and went into the holy of holies to fetch out the incense cup and the
censer; then he washed his hands and his feet, and stripped, and went down and
dipped, and came up and wiped himself; then they brought him the golden
garments, and he put them on, and he washed his hands and his feet, and went in
(to the holy place) to offer the evening incense, and to him the lamps; and
then he washed his hands and his feet, and stripped; and they brought him his
own garments (what he usually wore when out of service), and he put them on;
and they accompanied him to his house, where he made a feast for his friends,
because he was come out of the sanctuary in safetyF15Misn. Yoma, c.
7. sect. 3, 4. : where, it seems, sometimes some died, and others became sick
by getting cold through frequent shifting of their clothes and washing, and
wearing thin linen garments.
Leviticus 16:25. 25 The
fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar.
YLT 25and with the fat of the sin-offering he doth
make perfume on the altar.
And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar. The brazen
altar of burnt offering, and so says Jarchi, on the outward altar; for of the
inward (i.e. the altar of incense) it is written, ye shall not offer upon it
strange incense, nor a burnt offering, nor a meat offering; and this fat he
explains to be what was on the inwards of both the bullock and the goat; and so
says Aben Ezra, the fat of the bullock for the sin offering, and the fat of the
goat for a sin offering, and also the fat of the kid of the goat, which, was a
sin offering for the priest, Numbers 29:11; this
fat was burnt at the same time the burnt offerings were offered in Leviticus 16:24.
Leviticus 16:26. 26 And
he who released the goat as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his
body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.
YLT 26`And he who is sending away the goat for a
goat of departure doth wash his garments, and hath bathed his flesh with water,
and afterwards he cometh in unto the camp.
And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat,.... Or unto
Azazel; who or what Azazel is; see Gill on Leviticus 16:10 and
See Gill on Leviticus 16:21;
for the goat and Azazel are different, not the same, nor to be confounded as
they are in our version:
shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water; in forty
seahs of water, according to the Targum of Jonathan; so unclean was this person
reckoned by what he had to do with the goat sent away by him; which, in a
typical and ceremonial sense, had all the sins of the people of Israel on it:
and he and his garments were defiled as soon as he could be said to be letting
go; and that was, as Gersom says, as soon as he was out of the city; for as
long as he was in the city he was in the place from whence the motion was made,
but as soon as he was out of it he was in the way, and then he began to be in
that motion, and might be then called, "he that let him go": and from
that time the clothes he had on were defiled; according to the MisnahF16Misn.
Yoma, c. 6. sect. 6. , from the time he was got without the walls of Jerusalem:
and afterwards come into the camp; of Israel, while in the
wilderness, and into the city in later times, and so into the sanctuary, and
enjoyed all civil and religious privileges as another man: and something like
this obtained among the Heathens, as has been observed by many learned men,
particularly out of PorphyryF17De Abstinentia, l. 2. c. 44. ; who
says, all divines agree in this, that such sacrifices as were offered for
averting evils were not to be touched, but such needed purifications; nor might
any such an one go into the city; nor into his own house, before he had washed
his clothes and his body in a river or in a fountain: all this may be an emblem
of those who were concerned in having Christ without the gates of Jerusalem to
be crucified, and who afterwards, being sensible of their sin, not only had
forgiveness of it and were washed from it in the blood of Christ, but, being
baptized in water, were admitted into the church of God, Acts 2:37; and in
general may show the nature of sin, that such who have anything to do with any
who have it on them, though only in a ceremonial way, are defiled by it, and
need washing; and also the imperfection of ceremonial rites and sacrifices to
take away sin.
Leviticus 16:27. 27 The
bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering,
whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be
carried outside the camp. And they shall burn in the fire their skins, their
flesh, and their offal.
YLT 27`And the bullock of the sin-offering, and the
goat of the sin-offering, whose blood hath been brought in to make atonement in
the sanctuary, doth [one] bring out unto the outside of the camp, and they have
burnt with fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung;
And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for
the sin offering,.... The one for Aaron and his family, the other for the people
of Israel, of which see Leviticus 16:5,
whose blood was brought in to make an atonement in the holy place; the holy of
holies, where it was brought and sprinkled, as directed inLeviticus 16:14,
shall one carry forth without the camp; by command,
as Aben Ezra observes; by the order of the high priest; and, perhaps, more than
one was employed to carry out those carcasses, they being too large for one
man, and as it seems from a following clause; and the Targum of Jonathan is,
"they
shall be carried out on staves by the hands of the junior priests;
so
Jarchi saysF18In Misn. Yoma, c. 6. sect. 7. , four men carried two
staves, two before and two behind, and they went staff by staff, and the
bullock and the goat were upon them, and they carried them one upon another:
this was done after the high priest had done to them what was necessary; for so
it is said, he went to the bullock and to the goat that were to be burnt; he
ripped them up and took out their inwards, and put them in a bowl, and offered
them on the top of the altar; and cut them with cuttings (made incisions into
the flesh of them, but did not part it), and ordered them to be carried out to
the place of burning, which was without the camp of Israel, and afterwards
without the city of Jerusalem: the mystery of this, and the application of it
to Christ, setting forth the nature and place of Christs sufferings, are fully
and largely expressed by the apostle in Hebrews 13:11,
and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and
their dung; the priests, as Aben Ezra; for there were more than one
concerned, as in carrying them out, so in the burning of them: the high priest
was not concerned in it, for while these were burning he was reading, as
observed on Leviticus 16:24; so
that he that saw, the high priest when he was reading, saw not the bullock and
the goat when they were burnt; and he that saw the bullock and the goat burnt,
saw not the high priest when he read; not because it was not lawful, but
because the way was distant, and the business of both was done togetherF19Misn.
Yoma, c. 7, sect. 2. : this was done in a place called the place of ashesF20Misn.
Zebachim, c. 5. sect. 2. & c. 12. sect. 5. , where the ashes of the altar
of burnt offering were carried; See Gill on Leviticus 4:11
andSee Gill on Leviticus 4:12.
Leviticus 16:28. 28 Then
he who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and
afterward he may come into the camp.
YLT 28and he who is burning them doth wash his
garments, and hath bathed his flesh with water, and afterwards he cometh in
unto the camp.
And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his
flesh in water,.... In forty seahs of water, as the Targum of Jonathan; that is,
everyone of those that burnt them, as Aben Ezra observes; for these being sin
offerings, and had a connection with the sins of men, for whom they were
offered, the persons concerned in the carrying and burning of them were equally
defiled, and needed washing, as the man that led and let go the goat into the
wilderness:
and afterwards he shall come into the camp; and have the
liberty of conversation with men in civil and religious things, but not till
evening; so long he was defiled; and according to the MisnahF21Misn.
Yoma, c. 6. sect. 7.0 from the time they got without the walls of the court;
and after washing and bathing, and when the evening was come, they were clean;
and might go where they pleased,
Leviticus 16:29. 29 “This
shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day
of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether
a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you.
YLT 29`And it hath been to you for a statute
age-during, in the seventh month, in the tenth of the month, ye humble
yourselves, and do no work -- the native, and the sojourner who is sojourning
in your midst;
And this shall be a statute for ever unto you,.... As long
as the Aaronic priesthood was in being, and the Levitical dispensation lasted,
until: the true Messiah came and put an end to all these rites and ceremonies;
until that time this service was to be performed by the high priest in
succession every year:
that in the seventh
month; the month Tisri, as the Targum of Jonathan explains it, which
answers to part of our September, and was the seventh month from the month Abib
or Nisan, answering to part of our March; which was appointed the first month,
upon the Israelites coming out of Egypt in that month, and for that reason;
otherwise this seventh month, or Tisri, was the first month of the year before,
and, indeed, continued to be so notwithstanding, with respect to things civil:
on the tenth day of the month; on which day,
the Jews sayF23Seder Olam Rabba, c. 6. p. 19. , Moses descended from
the mount the second time, with the tables of the law, and the tidings of
forgiveness of the sin of the calf; wherefore this day is thought to be
appointed a day of affliction and humiliation for that and all other sins, and
for the atonement of them, and on this day the jubilee trumpet was blown, Leviticus 25:9,
ye shall afflict your souls; not only by humiliation
of the heart for sin, and by repentance of it, and by turning from their evil
ways, but by corporeal fasting, which is chiefly meant by the affliction of
their souls; so the Targum of Jonathan explains it, by abstaining from eating
and from drinking, and from the use of baths, and from anointing, and from the
use of shoes, and of the marriage bed; and so it is said in the MisnahF24Misn.
Yoma, c. 8. sect. 1, 2, 4. , on the day of atonement, eating and drinking, and
washing, and anointing, and putting on of the shoes, and the use of the bed,
are forbidden; whoever eats the quantity of a gross date with its kernels, or
drinks a mouthful (as much as he can hold in his jaws), is guilty: they do not
afflict children on the day of atonement, but they train them up a year or two
before, that they may be inured to the command; hence this day, in Acts 27:9 is called
"the fast":
and do no work at all; no bodily work, for it
was in that respect a sabbath, as it is afterwards called; the Jewish canon is,
he that ate and did any work was guilty of two sins, or was obliged to two sin
offeringsF25Ibid. sect. 3. :
whether it be one of your
own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you; whether a
native of the land of Israel, that was born there, and of parents who were
Israelites, or one that was a proselyte to the Jewish religion, a proselyte of
righteousness, as Ben Gersom interprets it; this law concerning fasting and
abstinence from all servile work on the day of atonement was binding on the one
as on the other,
Leviticus 16:30. 30 For
on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that
you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.
YLT 30for on this day he maketh atonement for you,
to cleanse you; from all your sins before Jehovah ye are clean;
For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you
to cleanse you,.... By offering the sin offering for them; typical of the
sacrifice of Christ, whose soul was made an offering for sin whereby atonement
is made for it, and whose blood cleanses from all sin. Though the word
"priest" is not in the text, it is rightly supplied, as it is by Aben
Ezra, for by no other could, a sacrifice be offered, or atonement made; and on
the day of atonement only by the high priest, who was a type of Christ our high
priest, who has by his sacrifice made reconciliation for sin, and by himself
has purged from it:
that ye may be
clean from all your sins before the Lord; which is a general
phrase, as Aben Ezra observes, and may be understood of sins of ignorance and
presumption; as Christ by his blood and sacrifice has cleansed all his people
from all their sins of every sort, so that they stand pure and clean,
unblamable and unreproveable, before the throne of God, and in his sight; see Colossians 1:22.
Leviticus 16:31. 31 It is a sabbath of
solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute
forever.
YLT 31it [is] to you a sabbath of rest, and ye have
humbled yourselves -- a statute age-during.
It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you,.... From all
servile work, as before observed; typical of a cessation from the performance
of sinful works, at least from a sinful course of life, and from a dependence
on works of righteousness, when a man is brought to believe in Christ, and in
the atonement which he has made, see Hebrews 4:3,
and ye shall afflict your souls by a statute for ever: as long as
the ceremonial law, and its statutes and ordinances lasted, which were to be
until the time of reformation; and till that time came, once a year, on the day
of atonement, they were to keep a severe fast, here called an afflicting of
their souls; and in this respect this day differed from the seventh day
sabbath, which was rather a festival than a fast, and is what led some of the
Heathen writersF26Martial. l. 4. Epigram. 4. Justin. e Trogo, l. 36.
Suetonius in Vita Octav. Aug. c. 76. into that this take, that the Jews fasted
on the sabbath day. The time of Christ's sufferings, and of his being a
sacrifice for the sins of his people, was a time of great affliction to his
disciples; then it was the children of the bridegroom fasted, he being taken
from them; and true humiliation for sin, and repentance of it, are occasioned
and influenced by a view of a suffering Saviour, and atonement by him; and this
may denote also, that such that believe in Christ, and in his atonement, must
expect afflictions and troubles in this world,
Leviticus 16:32. 32 And
the priest, who is anointed and consecrated to minister as priest in his
father’s place, shall make atonement, and put on the linen clothes, the holy
garments;
YLT 32`And the priest whom he doth anoint, and
whose hand he doth consecrate to act as priest instead of his father, hath made
atonement, and hath put on the linen garments, the holy garments;
And the priest whom he shall anoint,.... Whom God shall
anoint, or shall be anointed, that shall succeed in the high priesthood, as Aaron's
sons did, the eldest of them, and none but such were anointed:
and whom he shall consecrate; or fill his hands, by
putting the sacrifices into them; See Gill on Exodus 28:41 andSee
Gill on Exodus 29:9, Exodus 29:24; by which,
and by anointing him, and clothing him with the priestly garments, he was
consecrated and installed into his office, in order
to minister in the priest's office, in his father's stead: a son of an
high priest was always preferred to any other, and to him it of right belonged
to succeed his father in his office: and such an one, thus consecrated,
shall make the atonement; on this day of
atonement; not a common priest, but the high priest only; so Jarchi observes,
this expiation of the day of atonement was not right but by an high priest; for
the whole section is said concerning Aaron, and therefore it must needs be said
of an high priest that comes after him, that should be as he was:
and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments: that is, on
the day of atonement; in which clothes all the service peculiar to that day, as
it was done by Aaron, so it was to be done by all his successors.
Leviticus 16:33. 33 then
he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary,[a] 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.
YLT 33and he hath made atonement [for] the holy
sanctuary; and [for] the tent of meeting, even [for] the altar he doth make
atonement; yea, for the priests, and for all the people of the assembly he
maketh atonement.
And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary,.... The holy
of holies, just in the same manner as Aaron had done, Leviticus 16:16,
and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the
congregation; the court of the tabernacle, and the holy place, and all in
them, as Aaron did, in the places referred
and for the altar; see Leviticus 16:18,
and he shall make an atonement for the priests; for himself
and for his family, and for all the priests, as Aaron did by his bullock of the
sin offering, Leviticus 16:6,
and for all the people of the congregation of Israel; the whole
body of the Israelites, and with them the Levites, as Aben Ezra observes, for
they are not called priests; indeed every priest was a Levite, but not every
Levite a priest; wherefore these were included not among the priests, but in
the congregation of Israel. These several atonements, according to Ben Gersom,
were separate and distinct, and did not hinder one another, or interfere with
one another.
Leviticus 16:34. 34 This
shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of
Israel, for all their sins, once a year.” And he did as the Lord commanded
Moses.
YLT 34`And this hath been to you for a statute
age-during, to make atonement for the sons of Israel, because of all their
sins, once in a year;' and he doth as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you,.... Which is
the third time of its being observed, see Leviticus 16:29, to
show that this was a law of considerable moment, and to be taken notice of, and
strictly and closely kept by the priests, to whom these words are directed, and
on whom the chief service of the day lay:
to make atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins
once a year; namely, on the tenth day of the seventh month, or Tisri, as
before directed:
and he did as the Lord commanded Moses; that is,
Aaron did, as the Targum of Jonathan, Aben Ezra, and Ben Gersom supply it; when
the day of atonement came, as Jarchi expresses it, he did according to this
order, to fulfil the decree of the king, even the King of kings; whose will it
was that such a day should be yearly observed, and such and such rules
performed in it; so very significant of Christ, and of the atonement to be made
by him, and which has been made.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)