Leviticus 16:21

Leviticus 16:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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:
• New International Version (NIV)He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess 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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man.

Context of Leviticus 16:21

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. 20When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he is to bring forward the live goat. Then he 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 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 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.

Leviticus 16:21 word by word

וְסָמַ֨ךְ אַהֲרֹ֜ן אֶת־שְׁתֵּ֣י יָדָ֗יו עַ֨ל רֹ֣אשׁ הַשָּׂעִיר֮ הַחַי֒ וְהִתְוַדָּ֣ה עָלָ֗יו אֶת־כָּל־עֲוֹנֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶת־כָּל־פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֖ם לְכָל־חַטֹּאתָ֑ם וְנָתַ֤ן אֹתָם֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַשָּׂעִ֔יר וְשִׁלַּ֛ח בְּיַד־אִ֥ישׁ עִתִּ֖י הַמִּדְבָּֽרָה׃Read the interlinear

• Thenאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• is to layסָמַךְsâmak · to supportH5564
• bothשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• handsיָדyâd · handH3027
• onעַל‛al · uponH5921
• the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• of the liveחַיchay · aliveH2416
• goatשָׂעִירώâ‛îyr ώâ‛ir · he-goatH8163
• and confessיָדָהyâdâh · to give thanksH3034
• allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the iniquitiesעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
• and rebellious actsפֶּ֫שַׁעpesha‛ · transgressionH6588
• of the Israelitesבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of the Israelitesיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• their sinsחַטָּאתchaţţâ'âh chaţţâ'th · sinH2403
• He is to putנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• and send it awayשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• into the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• of a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• appointed for the taskעִתִּי‛ittîy · timelyH6261

Cross-references for Leviticus 16:21

• Leviticus 1:4He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.
• Exodus 29:10You are to present the bull at the front of the Tent of Meeting, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on its head.
• Leviticus 26:40But if they will confess their iniquity and that of their fathers in the unfaithfulness that they practiced against Me, by which they have also walked in hostility toward Me—
• Ezra 10:1While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israelites—men, women, and children—gathered around him, and the people wept bitterly as well.
• Nehemiah 1:6let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned.
• Nehemiah 9:3While they stood in their places, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and they spent another quarter of the day in confession and worship of the LORD their God.
• Psalms 32:5Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
• Psalms 51:3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
• Proverbs 28:13He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
• Daniel 9:3So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
• Romans 10:10For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.
• Isaiah 53:6We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.
• 2 Corinthians 5:21God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Commentaries on Leviticus 16:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head, etc. - What this imposition of hands meant see in the notes on Exodus 29:10; (note), and Leviticus 1:4; (note). And confess over him all the iniquities - transgressions - sins - The three terms used here, Iniquities, עונת avonoth, from עוה avah, to pervert, distort, or turn aside; Transgressions, פשעים peshaim, from פשע pasha, to transgress, to rebel; and Sins, חטאת chattaoth, from חטא chata, to miss the mark…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11-25Verses 11-25 It is important, in reference to the meaning of the day of atonement, to observe the order of the rites as they are described in these verses. Leviticus 16:12 A censer - See Exodus 25:38 note. The altar before the Lord - i. e. the altar of burnt-offering on which the fire was always burning. Leviticus 16:14 The high priest must have come out from the most holy place to fetch the blood, leaving the censer smoking within, and then have entered…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-34Verses 15-34 Here are typified the two great gospel privileges, of the remission of sin, and access to God, both of which we owe to our Lord Jesus. See the expiation of guilt. Christ is both the Maker and the Matter of the atonement; for he is the Priest, the High Priest, that makes reconciliation for the sins of the people. And as Christ is the High Priest, so he is the Sacrifice with which atonement is made; for he is all in all in our reconciliation to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-34The day of atonement, on the tenth day of the seventh month, was the most serious and holy day of the year for Israelites (see Leviticus 16:29; 23:27; Numbers 29:7). It was the only required fast and a Sabbath of rest for all the people (Leviticus 23:32). The Feast of Trumpets came before it and announced its arrival (Numbers 29:1, 7–11). On this day, God forgave the sins of the community. Only the high priest, Aaron, could lead the ceremony because he…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2220-22. he shall bring the live goat--Having already been presented before the Lord (Le 16:10), it was now brought forward to the high priest, who, placing his hands upon its head, and "having confessed over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins," transferred them by this act to the goat as their substitute. It was then delivered into the hands of a person, who was appointed to lead him away into a…Read the comment

Topics related to Leviticus 16:21

• Atonement
• Church
• Hand
• Offerings
• Scapegoat
• Sin
• Substitution

In the dictionaries

• Aaron
• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Attire
• Burnt offering
• Coat
• Confession
• High priest

Commentaries on Leviticus 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings