Leviticus 16:20-34

Common English Bible

²⁰ When Aaron has finished reconciling the inner holy area, the rest of the meeting tent, and the altar, he will bring forward the live goat. ²¹ Aaron will press both his hands on its head and confess over it all the Israelites’ offenses and all their rebellious sins, as well as all their other sins, putting all these on the goat’s head. Then he will send it away into the wilderness with someone designated for the job.^{[a] 22} The goat will carry on itself all their offenses to a desolate region, then the goat will be released into the wild.

²³ After this, Aaron will enter the meeting tent, take off the linen clothes he was wearing when he entered the inner holy area, and will leave them there. ²⁴ He will bathe his body in water in a holy place and dress in his priestly clothing. Then he will go out and perform the entirely burned offerings for himself and for the people. In this way, he will make reconciliation for himself and for the people. ²⁵ He will completely burn the fat of the purification offering on the altar. ²⁶ The one who set the goat free for Azazel must wash their clothes and bathe their body in water; after that they can return to the camp. ²⁷ The bull and the goat for the purification offerings, whose blood was brought in to make reconciliation in the inner holy area, will be taken outside the camp. Their hides, flesh, and dung will be burned with fire. ²⁸ The person who burns them must wash their clothes and bathe their body in water; after that, they can return to the camp.

²⁹ This will be a permanent rule for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month,^[b] you must deny yourselves. You must not do any work—neither the citizen nor the immigrant who lives among you. ³⁰ On that day reconciliation will be made for you in order to cleanse you. You will be clean before the Lord from all your sins. ³¹ It will be a Sabbath of special rest for you, and you will deny yourselves. This is a permanent rule.

Conclusion concerning the Day of Reconciliation

³² The priest who is anointed and ordained to serve as priest after his father will perform the reconciliation, wearing the holy linen clothes. ³³ He will reconcile the holiest part of the sanctuary and will do the same for the meeting tent and the altar. He will make reconciliation for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. ³⁴ This will be a permanent rule for you, in order to make reconciliation for the Israelites from all their sins once a year.

It was done just as the Lord commanded Moses.