Verses¶

Primary Text: Leviticus 16:1-34 (Complete Chapter)¶

Leviticus 16:1¶

And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;

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.

Leviticus 16:3¶

Thus shall Aaron come into the holy [place]: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.

Leviticus 16:4¶

He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these [are] holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and [so] put them on.

Leviticus 16:5¶

And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

Leviticus 16:6¶

And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which [is] for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.

Leviticus 16:7¶

And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Leviticus 16:8¶

And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.

Leviticus 16:9¶

And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him [for] a sin offering.

Leviticus 16:10¶

But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, [and] to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.

Leviticus 16:11¶

And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which [is] for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which [is] for himself:

Leviticus 16:12¶

And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring [it] within the vail:

Leviticus 16:13¶

And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that [is] upon the testimony, that he die not:

Leviticus 16:14¶

And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle [it] with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

Leviticus 16:15¶

Then 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:

Leviticus 16:16¶

And 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.

Leviticus 16:17¶

And 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.

Leviticus 16:18¶

And 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.

Leviticus 16:19¶

And 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.

Leviticus 16:20¶

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:

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:

Leviticus 16:22¶

And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

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 16:24¶

And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.

Leviticus 16:25¶

And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.

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 16:27¶

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 16:28¶

And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

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 16:30¶

For on that day shall [the priest] make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, [that] ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

Leviticus 16:31¶

It [shall be] a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.

Leviticus 16:32¶

And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, [even] the holy garments:

Leviticus 16:33¶

And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.

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.

CRITICAL DATA TABLE: Hebrew Grammar Summary for Leviticus 16:1-34¶

This table maps every verse with its primary verb form(s), clause type(s), discourse domain, and the presence of key structural words. The "Proposed Element" column follows the chiastic structure identified in prior study (day-of-atonement-chiastic-structure).

V#	Primary Verb Form(s)	Primary Clause Type(s)	Domain	kaphar?	qodesh?	Proposed Element
1	Wayq (דבר), Wayq (מות)	WayX, Way0	N	N	N	Frame (narrative intro)
2	Wayq (אמר), Impv (דבר), Impf+אל (בוא), Impf (מות), Impf (ראה)	WayX→ZIm0→WxY0→NmCl→xYq0	N→Q	N	Y (x1)	Frame (prohibition)
3	Impf (בוא)	xYqX	Q	N	Y (x1)	A -- Entry specification
4	Impf x4 (לבשׁ,היה,חגר,צנף), WeQt x2 (רחץ,לבשׁ)	xYq0→WXYq→WxY0→WxY0→NmCl→WQt0→WQt0	Q	N	Y (x2)	A -- Garments
5	Impf (לקח)	WxY0	Q	N	N	A -- Animals
6	WeQt (הקריב), WeQt (כפר)	WQtX→NmCl→WQt0	Q	Y	N	B -- Bullock presentation
7	WeQt x2 (לקח, העמיד)	WQt0→WQt0	Q	N	N	B -- Goats presentation
8	WeQt (נתן)	WQtX→NmCl→NmCl	Q	N	N	B -- Lots cast
9	WeQt (הקריב), Qt (עלה), WeQt (עשׂה)	WQtX→xQtX→WQt0	Q	N	N	B -- LORD's goat
10	Hophal.Impf (עמד), InfC x2 (כפר, שׁלח)	WXYq→xQtX→InfC→InfC	Q	Y	N	B -- Scapegoat intro
11	WeQt x3 (הקריב, כפר, שׁחט)	WQtX→NmCl→WQt0→WQt0→NmCl	Q	Y	N	C -- Bullock slaughter
12	WeQt x2 (לקח, הביא)	WQt0→Ellp→WQt0	Q	N	N	C -- Censer/incense
13	WeQt x2 (נתן, כסה), Impf (מות)	WQt0→WQtX→NmCl→WxY0	Q	N	N	C -- Incense on fire, cover mercy seat
14	WeQt x2 (לקח, הזה), Impf (נזה)	WQt0→WQt0→WxY0	Q	N	N	D -- Bullock blood on mercy seat
15	WeQt x4 (שׁחט, הביא, עשׂה, הזה)	WQt0→NmCl→WQt0→WQt0→xQt0→WQt0→Ellp	Q	N	N	D -- Goat blood on mercy seat
16	WeQt (כפר), Impf (עשׂה), Ptcp (שׁכן)	WQt0→WxY0→Ptcp	Q	Y	Y	E -- Atone holy place
17	Impf+לא (היה), InfC x3 (בוא, כפר, יצא), WeQt (כפר)	WXYq→InfC→InfC→InfC→WQt0	Q	Y (x2)	Y	X -- CENTER
18	WeQt x4 (יצא, כפר, לקח, נתן)	WQt0→NmCl→WQt0→WQt0→WQt0	Q	Y	N	E' -- Atone altar
19	WeQt x3 (הזה, טהר, קדשׁ)	WQt0→WQt0→WQt0	Q	N	N	E' -- Sprinkle/cleanse/hallow
20	WeQt (כלה), InfC (כפר), WeQt (הקריב)	WQt0→InfC→WQt0	Q	Y	Y	D' -- End of reconciling
21	WeQt x4 (סמך, התודה, נתן, שׁלח)	WQtX→WQt0→WQt0→WQt0	Q	N	N	Aftermath -- Scapegoat
22	WeQt x2 (נשׂא, שׁלח)	WQtX→WQt0	Q	N	N	Aftermath -- Scapegoat
23	WeQt x3 (בוא, פשׁט, הניח), Qt (לבשׁ)	WQtX→WQt0→xQt0→InfC→WQt0	Q	N	Y	C' -- Return, garment change
24	WeQt x5 (רחץ, לבשׁ, יצא, עשׂה, כפר)	WQt0→WQt0→WQt0→WQt0→WQt0	Q	Y	N	B' -- Wash, dress, burnt offerings
25	Impf (קטר)	WxY0	Q	N	N	B' -- Fat on altar
26	Ptcp (שׁלח), Impf (כבס), WeQt (רחץ), Impf (בוא)	WXYq→Ptcp→WQt0→WxY0	Q	N	N	Cleanup -- Scapegoat sender
27	Hophal.Qt (בוא), InfC (כפר), Impf (יצא), WeQt (שׂרף)	WxY0→xQtX→InfC→WQt0	Q	Y	Y	Cleanup -- Burn carcasses
28	Ptcp (שׂרף), Impf (כבס), WeQt (רחץ), Impf (בוא)	WXYq→Ptcp→WQt0→WxY0	Q	N	N	Cleanup -- Burner washes
29	WeQt (היה), Impf x2 (ענה, עשׂה), Ptcp (גור)	WQt0→xYq0→WxY0→Ptcp	Q	N	N	A' -- Statute/observance
30	Impf (כפר), InfC (טהר), Impf (טהר)	xYq0→InfC→xYq0	Q	Y	N	A' -- Purpose: cleansing
31	WeQt (ענה)	NmCl→WQt0→NmCl	Q	N	N	A' -- Sabbath of rest
32	WeQt x2 (כפר, לבשׁ), Impf x2 (משׁח, מלא)	WQtX→xYq0→WxY0→InfC→WQt0	Q	Y	Y	A' -- Perpetual institution
33	WeQt (כפר), Impf x2 (כפר, כפר)	WQt0→WxY0→WxY0	Q	Y (x3)	Y	A' -- Summary of objects atoned
34	WeQt (היה), InfC (כפר), Wayq (עשׂה), Qt (צוה)	WQtX→InfC→Way0→xQtX	Q→N	Y	N	Frame (closing + narrative return)

Key Observations from the Grammar Data¶

1. Discourse Domain Pattern: - vv.1-2a: Domain N (Narrative) -- wayyiqtol frame - vv.2b-34a: Domain Q (Quotation/Discourse) -- the entire instruction - v.34b: Domain N (Narrative) -- wayyiqtol return (וַיַּעַשׂ) - This N-Q-N frame creates a literary inclusio at the discourse level

2. Verb Form Distribution: - vv.1-2: Wayyiqtol (narrative past) -- frame - vv.3-5: Yiqtol/Imperfect (prescriptive/future) -- general instruction - vv.6-28: WeQatal dominates (instructional sequence) -- specific ritual steps - vv.29-31: Mixed Imperfect and WeQatal -- observance requirements - vv.32-34a: WeQatal and Imperfect -- perpetual institution - v.34b: Wayyiqtol (narrative past) -- closing frame

3. Nominal/Verbless Clauses (potential structural markers): - v.4: NmCl "garments of holiness they are" (classifying statement within garment list) - v.8: NmCl x2 "one lot for YHWH... one lot for Azazel" (paired nominal clauses) - v.13: NmCl "which is upon the testimony" (relative nominal) - v.17: WXYq "and every human shall NOT be" (negated existential -- the CENTER) - v.31: NmCl x2 "sabbath of sabbaths she is" + "statute forever" (verbless declaratives)

4. Verse 17 Grammatical Distinctiveness: - ONLY verse with a negated existential construction (כָל אָדָם לֹא יִהְיֶה) - Uses fronted universal subject (כָל אָדָם) + negation + היה imperfect - Contains 3 infinitive constructs in succession (בְּבֹאוֹ... לְכַפֵּר... עַד צֵאתוֹ) - The WXYq clause type with negation is unique at this position in the chapter - Grammatically functions as a STATE description amidst ACTION descriptions

5. kaphar Distribution: - First half (vv.1-17): 6 occurrences - Second half (vv.18-34): 10 occurrences - Not symmetrically distributed -- heavier in summary section (vv.30-34 alone has 6)

6. qodesh Distribution: - Verses with qodesh: 2, 3, 4(x2), 16, 17, 20, 23, 24(adj), 27, 32, 33 - Clusters at: beginning (vv.2-4), center (vv.16-17, 20), and end (vv.32-33)

Supporting Verses¶

Leviticus 23:26-32 (Day of Atonement Observance)¶

26 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 27 Also on the tenth [day] of this seventh month [there shall be] a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it [is] a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. 29 For whatsoever soul [it be] that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. 30 And whatsoever soul [it be] that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. 31 Ye shall do no manner of work: [it shall be] a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32 It [shall be] unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth [day] of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.

Numbers 29:7-11 (Day of Atonement Additional Offerings)¶

7 And ye shall have on the tenth [day] of this seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work [therein]: 8 But ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD [for] a sweet savour; one young bullock, one ram, [and] seven lambs of the first year; they shall be unto you without blemish: 9 And their meat offering [shall be of] flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals to a bullock, [and] two tenth deals to one ram, 10 A several tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 11 One kid of the goats [for] a sin offering; beside the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering of it, and their drink offerings.

Exodus 30:10 (Annual Atonement on the Altar)¶

And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it [is] most holy unto the LORD.

Hebrews 9:1-28 (Full Chapter -- NT Antitype)¶

1 Then verily the first [covenant] had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. 2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein [was] the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. 3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; 4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein [was] the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; 5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. 6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service [of God]. 7 But into the second [went] the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and [for] the errors of the people: 8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9 Which [was] a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 10 [Which stood] only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed [on them] until the time of reformation. 11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us]. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 16 For where a testament [is], there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament [is] of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. 18 Whereupon neither the first [testament] was dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 20 Saying, This [is] the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 23 [It was] therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, [which are] the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Revelation 15:1-8 (Eschatological Temple/DOA Parallel)¶

1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. 2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, [and] over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous [are] thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true [are] thy ways, thou King of saints. 4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for [thou] only [art] holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. 5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Note: Rev 15:8 "no man was able to enter into the temple" directly parallels Lev 16:17 "there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation."

Cross-Testament Parallels¶

For Leviticus 16:17 (Chiastic Center)¶

Rev 15:8 -- "no man was able to enter into the temple" (the critical thematic parallel)
2CO 5:1 -- earthly tent/tabernacle imagery
HEB 12:14 -- holiness required
HEB 12:22 -- assembly of the congregation

For Leviticus 16:30 (Purpose Statement)¶

1JN 1:7 -- "the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin"
HEB 10:18 -- "where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin"
ROM 6:6 -- freedom from sin/iniquity
ACT 3:19 -- "Repent...that your sins may be blotted out"

For Leviticus 16:2 (Mercy Seat Prohibition)¶

HEB 9:7 -- "into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood"
MAT 26:64/24:30 -- cloud/appearance language
HEB 8:5 -- Moses/tabernacle pattern

For Hebrews 9:7 (NT Interpretation of DOA)¶

HEB 9:25 -- strongest parallel (blood, himself, entering, offering) -- score 0.530
HEB 9:12 -- entered once into the holy place by his own blood
HEB 7:27 -- offered himself once for all
HEB 9:26 -- appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself