Leviticus 16–18

The Day of Atonement

16:2–34pp—Lev 23:26–32; Nu 29:7–11

16The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the Lord.^{z 2}The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses^a into the Most Holy Place^b behind the curtain^c in front of the atonement cover^d on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear^e in the cloud^f over the atonement cover.

³“This is how Aaron is to enter the Most Holy Place:^g He must first bring a young bull^h for a sin offering^a and a ram for a burnt offering.^{i 4}He is to put on the sacred linen tunic,^j with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban.^k These are sacred garments;^l so he must bathe himself with water^m before he puts them on.^{n 5}From the Israelite community^o he is to take two male goats^p for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

⁶“Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household.^{q 7}Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁸He is to cast lots^r for the two goats—one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat.^{bs 9}Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering. ¹⁰But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement^t by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.

¹¹“Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household,^u and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering. ¹²He is to take a censer full of burning coals^v from the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense^w and take them behind the curtain. ¹³He is to put the incense on the fire before the Lord, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover^x above the tablets of the covenant law, so that he will not die.^{y 14}He is to take some of the bull’s blood^z and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover.^a

¹⁵“He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people^b and take its blood behind the curtain^c and do with it as he did with the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkle^d it on the atonement cover and in front of it. ¹⁶In this way he will make atonement^e for the Most Holy Place^f because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the tent of meeting,^g which is among them in the midst of their uncleanness. ¹⁷No one is to be in the tent of meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of Israel.

¹⁸“Then he shall come out to the altar^h 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.^{i 19}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.^j

²⁰“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.^{k 21}He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat^l and confess^m over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. ²²The goat will carry on itself all their sinsⁿ to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.

²³“Then Aaron is to go into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments^o he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there.^{p 24}He shall bathe himself with water in the sanctuary area^q and put on his regular garments.^r Then he shall come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people,^s to make atonement for himself and for the people.^{t 25}He shall also burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.

²⁶“The man who releases the goat as a scapegoat^u must wash his clothes^v and bathe himself with water;^w afterward he may come into the camp. ²⁷The bull and the goat for the sin offerings, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, must be taken outside the camp;^x their hides, flesh and intestines are to be burned up. ²⁸The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp.^y

²⁹“This is to be a lasting ordinance^z for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month^a you must deny yourselves^cb and not do any work^c—whether native-born^d or a foreigner residing among you—³⁰because on this day atonement will be made^e for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins.^{f 31}It is a day of sabbath rest, and you must deny yourselves;^g it is a lasting ordinance.^{h 32}The priest who is anointed and ordainedⁱ to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments^{j 33}and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the members of the community.^k

³⁴“This is to be a lasting ordinance^l for you: Atonement is to be made once a year^m for all the sins of the Israelites.”

And it was done, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Eating Blood Forbidden

17The Lord said to Moses, ²“Speak to Aaron and his sonsⁿ and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: ³Any Israelite who sacrifices an ox,^a a lamb^o or a goat^p in the camp or outside of it ⁴instead of bringing it to the entrance to the tent of meeting^q to present it as an offering to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord^r—that person shall be considered guilty of bloodshed; they have shed blood and must be cut off from their people.^{s 5}This is so the Israelites will bring to the Lord the sacrifices they are now making in the open fields. They must bring them to the priest, that is, to the Lord, at the entrance to the tent of meeting and sacrifice them as fellowship offerings.^{t 6}The priest is to splash the blood against the altar^u of the Lord^v at the entrance to the tent of meeting and burn the fat as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^{w 7}They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols^bx to whom they prostitute themselves.^y This is to be a lasting ordinance^z for them and for the generations to come.’^a

⁸“Say to them: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice ⁹and does not bring it to the entrance to the tent^b of meeting^c to sacrifice it to the Lord^d must be cut off from the people of Israel.

¹⁰“ ‘I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who eats blood,^e and I will cut them off from the people. ¹¹For the life of a creature is in the blood,^f and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.^{cg 12}Therefore I say to the Israelites, “None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner residing among you eat blood.”

¹³“ ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among you who hunts any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain out the blood and cover it with earth,^{h 14}because the life of every creature is its blood. That is why I have said to the Israelites, “You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off.”ⁱ

¹⁵“ ‘Anyone, whether native-born or foreigner, who eats anything^j found dead or torn by wild animals^k must wash their clothes and bathe with water,^l and they will be ceremonially unclean till evening;^m then they will be clean. ¹⁶But if they do not wash their clothes and bathe themselves, they will be held responsible.ⁿ’ ”

Unlawful Sexual Relations

18The Lord said to Moses, ²“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God.^{o 3}You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices.^{p 4}You must obey my laws^q and be careful to follow my decrees.^r I am the Lord your God.^{s 5}Keep my decrees and laws,^t for the person who obeys them will live by them.^u I am the Lord.

⁶“ ‘No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord.

⁷“ ‘Do not dishonor your father^v by having sexual relations with your mother.^w She is your mother; do not have relations with her.

⁸“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife;^x that would dishonor your father.^y

⁹“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your sister,^z either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere.^a

¹⁰“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter; that would dishonor you.

¹¹“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister.

¹²“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sister;^b she is your father’s close relative.

¹³“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister,^c because she is your mother’s close relative.

¹⁴“ ‘Do not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt.^d

¹⁵“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law.^e She is your son’s wife; do not have relations with her.^f

¹⁶“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife;^g that would dishonor your brother.

¹⁷“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter.^h Do not have sexual relations with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter; they…