Leviticus 16:21

And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send [him] away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:

And Aaron {H175} shall lay {H5564} both {H8147} his hands {H3027} upon the head {H7218} of the live {H2416} goat {H8163}, and confess {H3034} over him all the iniquities {H5771} of the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478}, and all their transgressions {H6588} in all their sins {H2403}, putting {H5414} them upon the head {H7218} of the goat {H8163}, and shall send him away {H7971} by the hand {H3027} of a fit {H6261} man {H376} into the wilderness {H4057}:

Aharon is to lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the transgressions, crimes and sins of the people of Isra'el; he is to put them on the head of the goat and then send it away into the desert with a man appointed for the purpose.

Then he is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities and rebellious acts of the Israelites in regard to all their sins. He is to put them on the goat’s head and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man appointed for the task.

and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a man that is in readiness into the wilderness:

Commentary

Leviticus 16:21 describes a pivotal moment in the ancient Israelite ritual for the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). This verse focuses on the "scapegoat," a powerful symbol of sin's removal.

Context

This verse is part of the detailed instructions for the annual Day of Atonement, the most solemn day in the Israelite calendar. On this day, the High Priest, Aaron, performed specific rites to atone for the sins of the entire nation. Two goats were chosen: one for a sin offering to the Lord (whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place, as described in Leviticus 16:15), and the other, the "live goat" or "scapegoat" (often associated with the Hebrew term azazel), which is the subject of this verse. After the first goat's sacrifice, the focus shifted to the live goat, symbolizing the removal of sins confessed over it.

Key Themes

  • Confession and Transfer of Sin: Aaron's laying of hands on the goat's head and confessing "all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins" vividly illustrates the symbolic transfer of the nation's collective guilt onto the animal. This act emphasized the burden of sin and the need for its removal.
  • Symbolic Removal and Banishment: The act of sending the goat into the wilderness by a "fit man" (or "designated man") signified the complete removal and banishment of the confessed sins from the community. The sins were not merely covered, but physically carried away into an uninhabited place, never to return. This gave the people assurance that their sins were truly gone.
  • Foreshadowing of Christ: The ritual of the scapegoat is a profound foreshadowing of Jesus Christ. Just as the goat bore the sins of Israel and carried them away, Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice, bore the sins of humanity on the cross and removed them. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV uses three distinct terms for sin: "iniquities," "transgressions," and "sins." While often used broadly, they can carry specific nuances:

  • Iniquities (Hebrew: avon): Often refers to crookedness, perversity, or guilt associated with sin, emphasizing its inherent wrongness and the burden it creates.
  • Transgressions (Hebrew: pesha'): Implies rebellion or a breach of trust, an intentional overstepping of boundaries or breaking of a covenant.
  • Sins (Hebrew: chatta'th): The most common term, meaning "to miss the mark," referring to any failure to meet God's standard, whether intentional or unintentional.

Aaron's comprehensive confession over the goat ensures that every aspect of Israel's wrongdoing is covered and symbolically transferred.

Practical Application

Leviticus 16:21, though part of an ancient ritual, offers timeless spiritual truths. It highlights God's meticulous provision for dealing with sin and His desire for reconciliation with His people. For believers today, this verse underscores the completeness of Christ's work on the cross. We no longer need annual rituals or animal sacrifices because Jesus, our ultimate substitute and scapegoat, has definitively carried away our sins. We can confess our sins with confidence, knowing that as far as the east is from the west, He has removed our transgressions from us through His sacrifice.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Corinthians 5:21 (6 votes)

    For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

  • Isaiah 53:6 (6 votes)

    All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

  • Ezra 10:1 (4 votes)

    ¶ Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.

  • Psalms 51:3 (4 votes)

    For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin [is] ever before me.

  • Exodus 29:10 (3 votes)

    And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock.

  • Psalms 32:5 (3 votes)

    I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

  • Daniel 9:3 (3 votes)

    And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: