The Hebrew word ʻăzâʼzêl, represented by H5799, is translated as scapegoat and is derived from terms meaning "goat of departure." It appears 4 times across 3 unique verses, exclusively within the instructions for the Day of Atonement. This term identifies the specific goat chosen to symbolically carry away the sins of the people.
In the biblical narrative, H5799 is central to the ceremony detailed in Leviticus 16. Aaron is instructed to cast lots H1486 over two goats H8163. One lot designates a goat for the LORD, while the other designates a goat for the scapegoat Leviticus 16:8. This second goat, the one for the scapegoat, is presented alive before the LORD to make an atonement H3722 and is then sent away H7971 into the wilderness H4057 Leviticus 16:10. The ritual concludes with the person who led the goat away undergoing purification by washing H3526 his clothes and bathing H7364 his flesh Leviticus 16:26.
Several related words illuminate the context of the scapegoat ceremony:
- H1486 gôwrâl (lot): This word, defined as "a pebble, i.e. a lot" or "a portion or destiny," is the means by which the scapegoat is chosen. The casting of lots upon the two goats determines their fate, one for the LORD and one for the scapegoat Leviticus 16:8.
- H3722 kâphar (make an atonement): This primitive root means "to cover... to expiate or condone... make (an atonement)." The purpose of presenting the live goat is explicitly "to make an atonement with him" before it is sent away Leviticus 16:10.
- H7971 shâlach (send away): This verb, meaning "to send away, for, or out," describes the ultimate action taken with the scapegoat. The goat is not sacrificed but is instead sent away, carrying the confessed sins of Israel into the wilderness Leviticus 16:21.
- H8163 sâʻîyr (goat): This word for a shaggy "he-goat" identifies the animal used in the ritual. Aaron is to take two goats, and after laying hands on the live goat and confessing Israel's sins over it, he sends it away into the wilderness Leviticus 16:21.
The theological weight of H5799 is concentrated in the Day of Atonement ritual.
- Removal of Sin: The core function of the scapegoat is to physically carry away the confessed iniquities, transgressions, and sins of the people, which are placed upon its head by the high priest Leviticus 16:21. Its journey into the wilderness H4057 provides a tangible picture of sin being removed from the community.
- Divine Appointment: The selection of the scapegoat is not a human choice but is determined by casting a lot H1486, signifying a divinely ordained process Leviticus 16:8. This act of separation is part of God's prescribed system for making atonement H3722.
- Vicarious Atonement: While one goat is for the LORD (implying sacrifice), the scapegoat makes atonement by being sent away alive Leviticus 16:10. This highlights a distinct aspect of atonement focused on the removal and departure of sin, rather than a blood sacrifice.
In summary, H5799 is a highly specific term for the "scapegoat" in the Day of Atonement ceremony. It is not just an animal but a ritual instrument for the symbolic removal of sin. The entire process—from its selection by lot to its departure into the wilderness—illustrates the concept of atonement through the complete separation of a community from its confessed transgressions, as ordained by God.
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