Leviticus 16:15-19 · Bible study
Leviticus 16:15-19 Commentary: Day of Atonement
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
The high priest sprinkles the goat's blood on and before the mercy seat, purifying the sanctuary and prefiguring Christ's atoning work.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The goat's blood purifies the sanctuary, atoning for Israel's sins and prefiguring Christ's sacrifice.
- Key words: kapporet (mercy seat), dam (blood), kipper (make atonement), tum'ah (uncleanness).
- Main debate: Whether the altar in v.18 is the golden incense altar or the bronze burnt offering altar.
- Theological theme: Sin defiles even holy space; only blood can purify and restore communion with God.
- Best use: A type of Christ's atonement (Hebrews 9) and a picture of the costliness of forgiveness.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
15Aaron shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and bring its blood behind the veil, and with its blood he must do as he did with the bull’s blood: He is to sprinkle it against the mercy seat and in front of it.
16So he shall make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the impurities and rebellious acts of the Israelites in regard to all their sins. He is to do the same for the Tent of Meeting which abides among them, because it is surrounded by their impurities.
17No one may be in the Tent of Meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he leaves, after he has made atonement for himself, his household, and the whole assembly of Israel.
18Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar.
19He is to sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.
WEB World English Bible 2000
15“Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with his blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.
16He shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, even all their sins; and so he shall do for the Tent of Meeting that dwells with them in the middle of their uncleanness.
17No one shall be in the Tent of Meeting when he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, and has made atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel.
18“He shall go out to the altar that is before Yahweh and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the bull’s blood, and some of the goat’s blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar.
19He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and make it holy from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
KJV King James Version 1769
15Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, 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:
16And 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.
17And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
18And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.
19And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
15Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with his blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat:
16and he shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleannesses of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, even all their sins: and so shall he do for the tent of meeting, that dwelleth with them in the midst of their uncleannesses.
17And there shall be no man in the tent of meeting when he goeth in to make atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel.
18And he shall go out unto the altar that is before Jehovah, and make atonement for it, and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.
19And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleannesses of the children of Israel.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
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,
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.
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.
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;
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.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
15And he shall slaughter the goat of the sin-offering, which is for the people, and bring its blood inside the veil, and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat;
16and he shall make atonement for the sanctuary, [to cleanse it] from the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and from their transgressions in all their sins; and so shall he do for the tent of meeting which dwelleth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
17And there shall be no man in the tent of meeting when he goeth in to make atonement in the sanctuary until he come out; and he shall make atonement for himself, and for his house, and for the whole congregation of Israel.
18And he shall go out unto the altar which is before Jehovah, and make atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about;
19and he shall sprinkle upon it of the blood with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleannesses of the children of Israel.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
15And when he hath killed the buck goat for the sin of the people, he shall carry in the blood thereof within the veil, as he was commanded to do with the blood of the calf, that he may sprinkle it over against the oracle:
16And may expiate the sanctuary from the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and from their transgressions, and all their sins. According to this rite shall he do to the tabernacle of the testimony, which is fixed among them in the midst of the filth of their habitation.
17Let no man be in the tabernacle when the high priest goeth into the sanctuary, to pray for himself and his house, and for the whole congregation of Israel, until he come out.
18And when he is come out to the altar that is before the Lord, let him pray for himself: and taking the blood of the calf, and of the buck goat, let him pour it upon the horns thereof round about.
19And sprinkling with his finger seven times, let him expiate, and sanctify it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 16:15
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the goat's blood, offered for the people (Gill), is brought within the veil and applied to the mercy seat (kapporet) and before it, just as the bull's blood was used (Keil & Delitzsch). This double sprinkling, once on the seat, then seven times in front, signifies complete expiation. The ritual cleanses the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar because of Israel's uncleanness and transgressions (Cambridge Bible). Calvin notes that sin's contagion defiles even God's sanctuary, so blood cleanses it. The high priest alone performs this (v.17), a detail that underlines the mediatorial role. The altar (v.18-19) receives blood on its horns and sevenfold sprinkling, purifying it from the people's uncleanness. Across traditions, this passage is seen as a type of Christ's once-for-all atonement (Hebrews 9:7-12).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Golden altar view: Wesley and Gill, citing the Mishna and Exodus 30:10, see the altar in v.18 as the incense altar in the holy place.
- Bronze altar view: Cambridge Bible and Keil & Delitzsch argue the phrase 'go out' and the context of Lev 16:12 point to the altar of burnt offering in the court.
- Holy of Holies focus: Cambridge notes that 'the holy place' in v.16 refers specifically to the Most Holy Place, not the outer sanctuary.
What is clear: The goat's blood makes atonement for the people, cleansing the sanctuary from their sins and restoring the possibility of God's presence among them.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the altar in verse 18 | The altar stands 'before the Lord' and receives blood from both the bull and the goat. | Some commentators (Wesley, Gill) identify it as the golden altar of incense, following the Mishna and Exodus 30:10. Others (Cambridge Bible, Keil & Delitzsch) argue it is the bronze altar of burnt offering, noting the phrase 'go out' and the use in Leviticus 16:12. |
| Meaning of 'the holy place' in verse 16 | The term refers to a sacred area within the tabernacle complex that requires annual cleansing. | Cambridge Bible specifies that 'the holy place' here means the Holy of Holies (most holy place), distinguished from the 'tent of meeting.' Other translations vary, but the context of entering within the veil supports this identification. |
| The theological purpose of the double sprinkling | The initial sprinkling on the mercy seat and the sevenfold sprinkling before it together accomplish full atonement. | Keil & Delitzsch connect the first sprinkling directly to the expiation of the sanctuary from Israel's sins, while the sevenfold sprinkling purifies the space before the throne. No tradition disputes the necessity of both actions. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) was the one day each year the high priest entered the Holy of Holies. He wore plain linen garments, not his golden vestments. After offering a bull for his own sins, he killed the goat designated by lot for the Lord (v.9) and took its blood behind the veil. The mercy seat (kapporet) on the ark was the focal point, a golden slab where God promised to meet his people. The tabernacle stood in the middle of the Israelite camp, surrounded by an unclean people (v.16 describes God dwelling 'in the midst of their uncleanness'). This proximity meant the sanctuary itself could be considered defiled by contact with sin, requiring periodic purification. The plural 'uncleannesses' and 'transgressions' (v.16) emphasizes the accumulating effect. After cleansing the inner sanctuary, the high priest 'goes out' to the altar, a point of debate. Wesley and Gill, following the Mishna, see the golden altar of incense. Cambridge Bible argues that 'the altar before the Lord' in Leviticus 16:12 is the bronze altar of burnt offering, and so here also the high priest exits the tabernacle entirely. The sevenfold sprinkling (v.19) signifies completeness; the Hebrew kol (all) and sheva (seven) reinforce that no uncleanness remains untouched. This ritual was repeated annually, a constant reminder that sin requires blood and cannot be ignored.
Textual Notes
The consulted commentaries and translations note no significant textual variants for Leviticus 16:15-19. The Masoretic Text is consistent in this passage. Differences among English translations (e.g., 'sprinkle it against the mercy seat' vs 'on the mercy seat') reflect idiomatic choices, not manuscript variations.
Reception History
The Epistle to the Hebrews (chapters 9-10) provides the earliest Christian commentary on this passage, interpreting the annual ritual as a shadow of Christ's once-for-all entry into the heavenly sanctuary. The Mishnah tractate Yoma, referenced by Cambridge and Ellicott, preserves Jewish traditions about the second Temple practice. Church fathers read the passage typologically, noting the double sprinkling as prefiguring Christ's death and resurrection. Calvin, drawing on this passage, emphasized the substitutionary nature of the blood. In modern scholarship, the passage continues to inform discussions of ritual purity, typology, and the uniqueness of Christ's priesthood.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Blood of the Goat Provides Complete Atonement for the People (v15-16), The blood is sprinkled on and before the mercy seat, purifying the entire sanctuary from Israel's sins.
- The High Priest Mediates Alone in the Holy Place (v17), No one else can be present; Christ alone enters the heavenly sanctuary for us.
- The Altar is Cleansed from the People's Uncleanness (v18-19), Blood on the horns and sevenfold sprinkling set the altar apart for holy use.
Five-point outline
- The goat is killed as the people's sin offering (v15).
- Its blood is taken within the veil and applied to the mercy seat (v15).
- Atonement covers the Most Holy Place and the Tent of Meeting (v16).
- The high priest exits to cleanse the altar with blood on its horns (v18).
- Seven sprinklings complete the purification (v19).
Illustration hooks
- A home where a family has been ill: every surface must be disinfected before they can safely live together again.
- A public square where a serious crime occurred: the community must repair not only the harm but also the sense of safety.
- A surgical instrument that is sterilized seven times to ensure no infection remains.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did the sanctuary itself need cleansing if God lived there?
- How does this elaborate ritual connect to Jesus' death on the cross?
- What does it mean that the high priest had to go in alone, does that make Christ distant?
Leading a Discussion
This passage describes the climax of the Day of Atonement. The goat's blood, the mercy seat, the solitary high priest, every detail presses home the gravity of sin and the cost of forgiveness. Use these questions to explore what this ancient ritual reveals about God's holiness and his provision for cleansing.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What specific actions does the high priest perform with the blood? (v15, v18-19)
- Interpretation: Why do you think the blood is sprinkled seven times on the altar? What does the number seven often signify in Scripture?
- Interpretation: In verse 16, the text mentions both 'uncleanness' (tum'ah) and 'transgressions' (pesha). How do these differ, and why are both listed?
- Interpretation: Verse 17 says no one may be in the Tent of Meeting while the high priest makes atonement. What does this stress about the work of atonement?
- Cross-reference: Read Hebrews 9:7-12. How does the writer use this ritual to describe Christ's work? What is similar, and what is greater?
- Application: If the sanctuary was defiled by the people's sin, what does that imply about the effect of sin on our worship spaces and communities today?
- Application: How does knowing that the high priest had to atone for himself first (v17) affect your understanding of Jesus as the sinless high priest?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 16:2 | and Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Most Holy Place within the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark; lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat. |
| Leviticus 16:5 | He shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. |
| Leviticus 16:9 | Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for Yahweh, and offer him for a sin offering. |
| Hebrews 2:17 | Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. |
| Hebrews 5:3 | Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself. |
| Hebrews 6:19 | This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil, |
| Hebrews 9:3 | After the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, |
| Hebrews 9:7 | but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that the sanctuary itself was not defiled by the people's sins; rather, its cleansing was for the people's benefit, convicting them of profaning God's sacred things. The exclusion of everyone during the atonement was a visible lesson that every part of salvation depends solely on God's mercy.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible for Schools identifies "the holy place" in this passage as the Holy of Holies, distinct from the tent of meeting. It argues that "the altar" the high priest goes out to is the brazen altar of burnt offering in the court, not the golden altar of incense as some later tradition claimed.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes emphasize that the high priest must first make atonement for himself and his household before he can cleanse the sanctuary from Israel's defilement. The blood of the people's sin offering is applied to the mercy seat and the altar to purge the holy place of the uncleanness that clings to it because God dwells among a sinful people.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that no one else was allowed in the tabernacle while the high priest made atonement. This detail, he argues, deliberately prefigured Christ, who accomplished salvation entirely
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the goat sent to Azazel as carrying away the residue of secret, inexpiable sins that all the year's sacrifices could not remove. This act confessed the law's insufficiency and pointed beyond itself to a future atonement that would finally deal with humanity's hidden guilt.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that the atonement was made for the holy place itself, because the people's sins had polluted it and threatened God's departure. The blood was applied to cleanse the sanctuary and restore it as a fit dwelling for God, so that He would continue to remain among an unclean people.