¹⁸he must then go out to the altar for burnt offerings and purify it. He must take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it all over the projections at the corners of the altar. ¹⁹With his finger he must sprinkle some of the blood on the altar seven times. In this way he is to purify it from the sins of the people of Israel and make it holy.

The Scapegoat

²⁰When Aaron has finished performing the ritual to purify the Most Holy Place, the rest of the Tent of the Lord’s presence, and the altar, he shall present to the Lord the live goat chosen for Azazel.^g

Read in Logos

Footnotes

gazazel: The meaning of this Hebrew word is unknown; it may be the name of a desert demon.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around. And he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it and consecrate it from the uncleannesses of the people of Israel.

“And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Then he shall come out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it. He shall take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar. He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and to consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.

“When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Then he will go out to the altar that is before the Lord 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 the horns on all sides of the altar. He is to sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse and set it apart from the Israelites’ impurities.

“When he has finished making atonement for the most holy place, the tent of meeting, and the altar, he is to present the live male goat.

NLTNew Living Translation

“Then Aaron will come out to purify the altar that stands before the Lord. He will do this by taking some of the blood from the bull and the goat and putting it on each of the horns of the altar. Then he must sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times over the altar. In this way, he will cleanse it from Israel’s defilement and make it holy.

“When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place and the Tabernacle and the altar, he must present the live goat.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“Then he shall go out to the altar that is before Yahweh, and he shall make atonement for it; and he shall take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood, and he shall put it all around on the altar’s horns. And he shall spatter some of the blood on it seven times with his finger, and he shall cleanse it and consecrate it from the Israelites’ impurities.

“And he shall finish making atonement for the sanctuary and the tent of assembly and the altar; then he shall present the living goat.

KJV 1900King James Version

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. 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. 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:

Public Domain