The Day of Atonement
(Leviticus 23:26–32; Numbers 29:7–11)

1Now the LORD {YHWH} spoke to Moses (drawn out) after the death of two of Aaron’s (light bringer) sons when they approached the presence of the LORD. 2And the LORD {YHWH} said to Moses (drawn out): “Tell your brother Aaron (light bringer) not to enter freely into the Most Holy Place (the Holy Place)a behind the veil in front of the mercy seat (atonement cover)b on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.

3This is how Aaron (light bringer) is to enter the Holy Place: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4He is to wear the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments. He must tie a linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are holy garments, and he must bathe himself with water before he wears them. 5And he shall take from the congregation of Israel (he wrestles with God) two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering.

6Aaron (light bringer) is to present the bull for his sin offering and make atonement for himself and his household. 7Then he shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD {YHWH} at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

8After Aaron (light bringer) casts lots for the two goats, one for the LORD {YHWH} and the other for the scapegoat \the other to Azazel/,c 9he (light bringer) shall present the goat chosen by lot for the LORD {YHWH} and sacrifice it as a sin offering. 10But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD {YHWH} to make atonement by sending it into the wilderness as the scapegoat.

11When Aaron (light bringer) presents the bull for his sin offering and makes atonement for himself and his household, he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering. 12Then he must take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD {YHWH}, and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense, and take them inside the veil. 13He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD {YHWH}, and the cloud of incense will cover the mercy seat above the Testimony (stone tablets),d so that he will not die. 14And he is to take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the east side of the mercy seat; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the mercy seat.

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 (God prevails) in regard to all their sins. He is to do the same for the Tent of Meeting which abides among them in the midst of 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 (he wrestles with God).

18Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD {YHWH} 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 (God prevails).

20When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he is to bring forward the live goat. 21Then he (light bringer) 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 (God prevails) 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. 22The goat will carry on itself all their iniquities into a solitary place, and the man will release it into the wilderness.

23Then Aaron (light bringer) is to enter the Tent of Meeting, take off the linen garments he put on before entering the Most Holy Place, and leave them there. 24He is to bathe himself with water in a holy place and put on his own clothes. Then he must go out and sacrifice his burnt offering and the people’s burnt offering to make atonement for himself and for the people. 25He is also to burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.

26The man who released the goat as the scapegoat must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may reenter the camp.

27The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, must be taken outside the camp; and their hides, flesh, and dung must be burned up. 28The one who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and afterward he may reenter the camp.

29This is to be a permanent statute for you⁺: On the tenth day of the seventh month, you⁺ shall humble yourselves (afflict your souls)e and not do any work—whether the native or the foreigner who resides among you⁺— 30because on this day atonement will be made for you⁺ to cleanse you⁺, and you⁺ will be clean from all your⁺ sins before the LORD {YHWH}. 31It is a Sabbath of complete rest for you⁺, that you⁺ may humble yourselves; it is a permanent statute.

32The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest shall make atonement. He will put on the sacred linen garments 33and make atonement for the Most Holy Place (the Holy Sanctuary),f the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, and for the priests and all the people of the assembly. 34This is to be a permanent statute for you⁺, to make atonement once a year for the Israelites (God prevails) because of all their sins.”

And all this was done as the LORD {YHWH} had commanded Moses (drawn out).