Leviticus 16:20 · Bible study
Leviticus 16:20 Commentary: The Live Goat
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Meaning of the live goat in Lev 16:20: the ritual that completes atonement by visibly removing sin, foreshadowing Christ's work.
Research Summary
- Meaning: After cleansing the sanctuary, the high priest presents the live goat that will carry Israel's sins away.
- Key words: “finish atoning” (kalah + kipper), “present” (hikriv, Hiphil of qarav), “living goat” (sa'ir chai).
- Main debate: Identity of Azazel, a place, a demon, or simply “the scapegoat” for removal.
- Theological theme: Complete atonement includes both purification by blood and visible removal of sin.
- Best use: To illustrate Christ's work as both sacrifice and sin-bearer (2 Corinthians 5:19, 1 John 3:5).
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he is to bring forward the live goat.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“When he has finished atoning for the Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat.
KJV King James Version 1769
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:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`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;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And when he hath ended making atonement for the sanctuary, and the tent of meeting, and the altar, he shall present the living goat;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
After he hath cleaned the sanctuary, and the tabernacle, and the altar, then let him offer the living goat.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y cuando hubiere acabado de expiar el santuario, y el tabernáculo del testimonio, y el altar, hará llegar el macho cabrío vivo:
E quando houver acabado de expiar o santuário, e o tabernáculo do testemunho, e o altar, fará chegar o bode macho vivo:
Lorsqu’ il aura achevé de faire l’ expiation pour le sanctuaire, pour la tente d’ assignation et pour l’ autel, il fera approcher le bouc vivant.
Und wenn er vollbracht hat das Versöhnen des Heiligtums und der Hütte des Stifts und des Altars, so soll er den lebendigen Bock herzubringen.
Als hij nu zal geeindigd hebben van het heilige, en de tent der samenkomst, en het altaar te verzoenen, zo zal hij dien levenden bok toebrengen.
E quando avrà finito di fare l’espiazione per il santuario, per la tenda di convegno e per l’altare, farà accostare il capro vivo.
Potem gdy odprawi oczyszczenie świątnicy i namiotu zgromadzenia i ołtarza, ofiarować będzie kozła żywego.
И совершив очищение святилища, скинии собрания и жертвенника [и очистив священников], приведет он живого козла,
「亞倫為 聖所 和 會 幕 並 壇 獻完了 贖罪祭，就要把 那隻活著的 公山羊 奉上。
And when he has done whatever is necessary to make the holy place and the Tent of meeting and the altar free from sin, let him put the living goat before the Lord;
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 16:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse marks a decisive transition. The high priest has finished making atonement with blood for the holy place, the tent of meeting, and the altar. Now he moves to a second action, presenting the live goat. Keil and Delitzsch emphasize that both goats together constitute a single sin offering, and the live goat is not a mere add-on but a necessary completion. Calvin calls it the only bloodless sacrifice in the ritual, yet one whose efficacy depends on its link to the slaughtered goat. The Cambridge Bible notes the geographical logic: the priest moves from west to east, from the inner sanctuary outward, and finally to the live goat. What emerges is a shared conviction that atonement has two dimensions: purification (blood) and removal (the living goat carrying sin away). The order is irreversible, sins must first be atoned for at the altar before they can be sent away.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Scapegoat for removal: Lev 16:22 says the goat carries all iniquities to a solitary land; traditional English translation 'scapegoat' derives from this removal function.
- Azazel as a demon or Satan: Some commentators (Gesenius, Hengstenberg) note the wilderness as a haunt of evil spirits, supported by a parallel in Enochic literature; they see the goat as a curse sent to the source of evil.
- Azazel as a place or cliff: Bochart and others connect the word to a rugged cliff; the Mishnah describes pushing the goat off a precipice, suggesting the term originally referred to the location of execution.
- Both goats as one unified sacrifice: Keil and Delitzsch, following the Talmud, argue that Lev 16:5 explicitly calls both goats 'a sin offering,' making the live goat part of the atoning work, not merely a disposal mechanism.
What is clear: The live goat carries away the sins of Israel that have been atoned for, completing the Day of Atonement ritual by visibly removing transgression from the community.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Two goats as one sin offering | Both goats are devoted to the same purpose, atonement, and together constitute the sin offering (Lev 16:5). | Some traditions (e.g., Talmud) treat the live goat as a separate pedestal for removal; others (Keil) insist it remains part of the sin-offering proper, with the same holiness. |
| Meaning of Azazel | Azazel is a proper name or title occurring only here and in Lev 16:8, 10, 26. | Interpretations include: the scapegoat (Septuagint, Vulgate, most English versions), a demon or Satan (Gesenius, Hengstenberg), a desert rocky cliff (Bochart), or a place of separation (Keil, Ewald). |
| Typological foreshadowing of Christ | The ritual points forward to Christ who bears and removes sin (Hebrews 10:4, 1 John 3:5). | Reformed theology (Calvin) emphasizes Christ as both substitute and curse-bearer; other traditions focus on the removal aspect, with the scapegoat symbolizing the complete eradication of sin through the resurrection. |
| Order of the ceremony | The live goat is presented only after the sanctuary has been fully cleansed with blood. | Some commentators see this as a strict chronological sequence required for validity; others view it as pedagogical, first atonement, then removal, without implying temporal necessity. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Leviticus 16 prescribes the annual Day of Atonement, the single day the high priest entered the Holy of Holies. The ceremony used two goats selected by lot: one for Yahweh, slaughtered as a sin offering; the other for Azazel, kept alive. Verse 20 describes the moment the live goat is brought forward after the sanctuary has been cleansed. The Hebrew verb hikriv (Hiphil of qarav) means to bring near or present, a term used for offerings. It signals that this goat now stands before God in a formal presentation.
The word Azazel is debated. The Septuagint renders it “the scapegoat” (scapegoat > escape goat), and this tradition entered English through Tyndale. Others propose it means a precipitous cliff (Bochart) or designates Satan (Gesenius, Hengstenberg). Keil and Delitzsch read Azazel as a proper name for a desert region, a land “cut off” (gzerah), where the goat could never return. The wilderness in ancient Near Eastern thought was a place of chaos, demons, and removal, fitting for sins that must be carried away permanently.
The phrase “when he has finished atoning” uses kalah (to finish) with kipper (to atone). Gill notes that according to Mishnah Yoma, if any part of the sequence was done out of order, it was invalid. This precision shows that removal of sin depends on prior atonement, a pattern later writers like Paul echo (Romans 4:25).
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Leviticus 16:20. The Masoretic Text is stable. The Septuagint renders the phrase “he shall bring the live goat” in close agreement. Ancient versions and the Samaritan Pentateuch show no material differences here.
Reception History
From the early church onward, the scapegoat was read as a type of Christ. The Epistle of Barnabas (late first/early second century) explicitly identifies the goat sent away with Jesus bearing sins. Origen and later Latin fathers developed the typology further. In Jewish tradition, the Mishnah tractate Yoma detailed the ritual, including the practice of leading the goat to a precipice twelve miles from Jerusalem, by the time of Josephus, the goat was often killed to prevent its return. Reformation commentators such as Calvin saw in the live goat a vivid picture of Christ becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). Modern scholarship debates the figure of Azazel, but the typological link persists: the goat that carries sin away into the wilderness remains a powerful image of God’s complete removal of transgression (Psalm 103:12).
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Atonement must be complete before sin can be removed. The priest finishes purifying the sanctuary, tent, and altar. Only then does he bring the live goat. This sequence teaches that forgiveness is not sloppy; God deals thoroughly with sin before sending it away.
- Sin is transferred and carried away. Aaron places both hands on the goat's head, confessing every transgression. The animal becomes a burden-bearer, literally carrying Israel's guilt into a solitary land. This visual act gives the people, and us, concrete assurance that sin is gone.
- The two goats together portray Christ. The slain goat provides purification by blood; the live goat provides removal by substitution. Jesus fulfills both: He shed blood to cleanse us and, in His resurrection, carried sin away (Romans 4:25, 2 Corinthians 5:19).
Five-point outline
- Finished work: “When he has finished atoning” marks completion. No partial atonement.
- Ordered cleansing: The holy place, then the tent, then the altar. God's dwelling, meeting place, and sacrifice are all purified.
- The live goat presented: It is brought near to God before being sent away, a reminder that removal is part of the divine plan.
- Confession and transfer: Both hands on the head, all sins named. Guilt moves from the people to the substitute.
- Irreversible removal: The goat goes to a land cut off, never to return. Sin is not just covered but taken out of reach.
Illustration hooks
- Laundry stain: A stain that is both treated with remover and then physically flushed away. The blood treats it; the live goat flushes it.
- Court pardon: A judge declares a debt paid, then orders the record expunged. Atonement clears the account; the scapegoat destroys the receipt.
- Moving day: You clean a house thoroughly, then walk out and lock the door. The goat is the final step of leaving dirt behind.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did the goat have to stay alive? Wasn't the blood sacrifice enough?
- Who or what is Azazel? Does that matter for understanding the cross?
- How does the Old Testament scapegoat connect to Jesus? Do we still need a scapegoat today?
Leading a Discussion
This verse captures the hinge moment of Yom Kippur. After the sanctuary has been cleansed with blood, a live goat is brought forward. Its role is not to be killed but to take sin away. The ritual shows that atonement has two parts: purification and removal. As you read Leviticus 16:20 and its context, consider how each detail builds a picture of God's provision.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What has the priest finished doing before he presents the live goat? List the places mentioned.
- Observation: The Hebrew verb hikriv means “to bring near” or “present.” Why is it significant that the live goat is brought to God before being sent away?
- Interpretation: Keil and Delitzsch say both goats form one sin offering. How does the slain goat and the live goat together complete the picture of atonement?
- Interpretation: Verse 22 says the goat carries “all their iniquities on himself.” What does this suggest about how God deals with sin after forgiveness?
- Connection: Paul writes that Jesus was “delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25). How does the two-goat ceremony help you understand that verse?
- Application: The scapegoat was sent into a land “cut off.” Where do you need to believe that your sin is truly gone, not just hidden?
- Application: In what ways does the Day of Atonement deepen your gratitude for Christ’s once-for-all work?
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 6:30 | No sin offering, of which any of the blood is brought into the Tent of Meeting to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be eaten. It shall be burned with fire. |
| Leviticus 8:15 | He killed it; and Moses took the blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar, and sanctified it, to make atonement for it. |
| Leviticus 16:16 | He 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. |
| Ezekiel 45:20 | So you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who errs, and for him who is simple. So you shall make atonement for the house. |
| Romans 4:25 | who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification. |
| Romans 8:34 | Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. |
| II Corinthians 5:19 | namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation. |
| Colossians 1:20 | and through him to reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things on the earth or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross. |
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
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What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin notes that the live goat, though a bloodless sacrifice, is still an offering and inseparable from the slain goat in its atoning efficacy. It teaches that an innocent substitute must bear the divine curse in place of sinners, since they cannot endure God's judgment and need their guilt transferred away.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the atonement ritual followed a precise sequence: first the Holy of Holies, then the outer tent, and finally the altar outside. The high priest moved from west to east, tracing a path that mirrored the order of descending holiness.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the prescribed sequence: the high priest must complete the cleansing of the sanctuary and altar before the live goat is brought forward. This order ensures that atonement for the holy places comes first, setting the stage for the scapegoat ritual.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses the strict order of the Day of Atonement rituals: the high priest must sprinkle blood in the holy of holies, the sanctuary, and on the altar in sequence. If any step is performed out of order, the whole procedure is invalid and must be repeated from the point of error.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB presents several competing views on the meaning of Azazel, including a remote rock, a thing separated to God, or even Satan himself, without settling on any one. He finds the subject deeply obscure but still affirms that in any interpretation the ceremony typifies Christ bearing away sin.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stress that both goats together form a single sin-offering, not two separate rites. The slaughtered goat secures forgiveness before God, while the live goat, laden with the same already-expiated sins, carries them back to Azazel, the head of evil spirits, demonstrating Israel's complete deliverance from sin and its author.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the two goats of the Day of Atonement as a single sin offering with a dual purpose: one goat’s blood purifies the sanctuary, while the other carries the people’s unatoned, hidden guilt away to Azazel in the wilderness. This sending away of sin beyond the camp exposes the ultimate inadequacy of the entire Levitical system and its yearning for a perfect atonement yet to come.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry highlights the scapegoat as a vivid picture of complete removal: after the atoning blood is presented, the high priest lays both hands on the live goat, confesses every sin over it, and sends it away into an uninhabited wilderness. This act shows sins carried off and forgotten, never to return.