Leviticus 16:20

ยถ And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy [place], and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:

And when he hath made an end {H3615} of reconciling {H3722} the holy {H6944} place, and the tabernacle {H168} of the congregation {H4150}, and the altar {H4196}, he shall bring {H7126} the live {H2416} goat {H8163}:

"When he has finished atoning for the Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he is to present the live goat.

When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he is to bring forward the live goat.

And when he hath made an end of atoning for the holy place, and the tent of meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat:

Commentary

Leviticus 16:20 is a pivotal verse within the detailed instructions for the Day of Atonement, known in Hebrew as Yom Kippur. This annual ritual was the most significant day in ancient Israel's religious calendar, designed to reconcile the nation and its sacred spaces with God.

Context

This verse describes the moment after the High Priest, Aaron, has completed the purification rites for the holy place (the Most Holy Place within the Tabernacle), the tabernacle of the congregation (the Holy Place and courtyard), and the altar. These sacred spaces were considered defiled by the sins and impurities of the Israelites throughout the year. The first goat, chosen by lot, had already been sacrificed as a sin offering to make atonement for the people (Leviticus 16:9).

Having purified the sanctuary, the High Priest now turns his attention to the second goat, the live goat, which plays a unique and symbolic role in the atonement process.

Key Themes

  • Atonement and Purification: The primary purpose of the Day of Atonement was to cleanse or "reconcile" the people and their sacred dwelling places from sin and impurity, restoring their relationship with a holy God.
  • The Scapegoat's Role: The "live goat" is often referred to as the scapegoat. Its role was not to be sacrificed, but to symbolically bear away the sins of the people into the wilderness, signifying their removal from the community. This act provided a powerful visual representation of forgiveness.
  • God's Provision for Forgiveness: Through these elaborate rituals, God demonstrated His gracious provision for dealing with human sin, emphasizing both the seriousness of sin and the necessity of divine intervention for reconciliation.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "made an end of reconciling" comes from the Hebrew verb kaphar (ื›ึธึผืคึทืจ), which fundamentally means "to cover," "to purge," or "to make atonement for." This highlights the idea of a covering for sin that allows God's presence to remain among an otherwise impure people.

The "live goat" is referred to in Hebrew as the sa'ir la'azazel, often translated as "goat for Azazel." While the exact meaning of "Azazel" is debated (perhaps a desolate place, a demon, or the idea of complete removal), its function is clear: the goat carries the sins away, symbolizing their complete banishment from the community, never to return.

Theological Significance and Application

The rituals of the Day of Atonement, particularly the role of the two goats, powerfully foreshadowed the ultimate work of Jesus Christ. Just as the first goat was sacrificed for sin, Christ's death on the cross was a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins.

Furthermore, the live goat, bearing away the sins into the wilderness, points to Christ's ability to not only pay the penalty for our sins but also to completely remove them from us. The New Testament emphasizes that Christ entered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption, making the annual sacrifices of the Old Covenant obsolete. He is the ultimate "Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).

For believers today, Leviticus 16:20 reminds us of the profound depth of God's forgiveness and the completeness of Christ's atoning work. We no longer need annual rituals because our reconciliation with God is permanent through faith in Jesus, who fulfilled every aspect of the Day of Atonement.

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Cross-References

  • Ezekiel 45:20 (3 votes)

    And so thou shalt do the seventh [day] of the month for every one that erreth, and for [him that is] simple: so shall ye reconcile the house.

  • Leviticus 16:16 (3 votes)

    And he shall make an atonement for the holy [place], because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

  • Revelation 1:18 (2 votes)

    [I am] he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

  • Hebrews 7:25 (2 votes)

    Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

  • Romans 8:34 (2 votes)

    Who [is] he that condemneth? [It is] Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

  • Colossians 1:20 (2 votes)

    And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven.

  • Romans 4:25 (2 votes)

    Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.