Bible Commentaries
Leviticus 16

Verses 1-34

Leviticus 16:1-34 The Day of Atonement Leviticus 16:1-34 discusses the laws regarding the Day of Atonement. Under the Law the Jew had to become conscience of each and every sin, so that he prepared the proper sacrifices, since each sin required a specific sacrifice. This meant that the Jews were constantly reminded of their sins. The Law even made provision on the Day of Atonement for dealing with any sins that were overlooked during the course of the year. The Law made people recognize their sinful nature so that they would look to God for redemption, since no one was able to keep the Law perfectly (Galatians 3:24).

Galatians 3:24, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

Leviticus 16:23 And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there:

Leviticus 16:23 “and shall leave them there” - Comments The ancient Jewish commentator Rashi (A.D. 1040-1105) tells us that these garments were to be stored away and never worn again. He writes, “This teaches [us] that they require being stored away [forever], and he shall not use those garments for any other Yom Kippur.” [26]

[26] Rashi, Commentary on the Tanakh, in The Judaica Press Complete Tanach (Judaica Press, 1998) [on-line]; accessed 25 November 2010; available from http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16508/showrashi/true; Internet, comments on Leviticus 16:23.

Leviticus 16:26 And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.

Leviticus 16:26 Comments - Because the scapegoat was unclean, the men who took him into the wilderness were also unclean.

Leviticus 16:27 And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.

Leviticus 16:27 Comments - Note that Jesus was taken outside the city and was crucified (Hebrews 13:10-13), which reflects the laws of the sin offering in the book of Leviticus.

Hebrews 13:10-13, “We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.”

Leviticus 16:29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:

Leviticus 16:29 “ye shall afflict your souls” Comments The description of a man afflicting his soul is found a number of times in the Old Testament (Leviticus 16:29; Leviticus 16:31; Leviticus 23:27; Leviticus 23:29; Leviticus 23:32, Numbers 29:7; Numbers 30:13, Isaiah 58:3; Isaiah 58:5; Isaiah 58:10). It is generally understood to mean a fast, to abstain from food and drink, as described in Psalms 35:13, “But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.” However, John Hartley notes that use of the word ענה (affliction) rather than צום (fast) in Leviticus 16:29 implies that an individual should feel compelled to afflict himself in other ways besides fasting on the Day of Atonement, such as “wearing sackcloth, mourning, and prayer,” as described in Psalms 35:13. [27]

[27] John E. Hartley, Leviticus, in Word Biblical Commentary: 58 Volumes on CD-Rom, vol. 4, eds. Bruce M. Metzger, David A. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker (Dallas: Word Inc., 2002), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 3.0b [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2004), notes on Leviticus 16:29-31.

Leviticus 16:34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

Leviticus 16:34 “And he did as the LORD commanded Moses” - Comments That is, Aaron did as he was instructed to do regarding the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:2).

Leviticus 16:2, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.”