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 16:15KJV
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Leviticus 16:15 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 16:15 mean?

Leviticus 16:15 describes how the high priest is to kill the goat chosen as a sin offering for the people, take its blood inside the inner sanctuary behind the veil, and sprinkle the blood on and in front of the mercy seat, just as he did with the bull's blood. This ritual is part of the Day of Atonement, meant to make atonement for the people's sins.

In this verse, God is giving Moses instructions for Aaron, the high priest, about the specific steps to follow during the annual Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). The "mercy seat" refers to the cover of the ark of the covenant, located in the Most Holy Place, where only the high priest could enter once a year. The act of sprinkling blood is a symbolic way of seeking forgiveness and cleansing for the people's sins.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 16:15

  • "Goat" (שָּׂעִיר, saʿir): This word refers specifically to a male goat, which was commonly used in Israelite sacrifices. Its use here highlights that the offering is for the whole community, not just the priest.
  • "Offering" (חַטָּאָה, ḥaṭṭāʾāh): This word means "sin offering," emphasizing that the ritual is about dealing with sin and restoring the relationship between the people and God.
  • "Sprinkle" (נָזָה, nazah): This verb means to scatter or sprinkle, usually with the hand. The act is deliberate and ritualistic, showing that the blood is being applied in a specific, meaningful way.
  • "Seat" (כַּפֹּרֶת, kapporet): This word is often translated "mercy seat," and it refers to the gold cover on the ark where God's presence was believed to dwell. Sprinkling blood here is central to the atonement ritual.

Why Leviticus 16:15 matters

  • Leviticus 16:15 clarifies that the sin offering is not just for the priests but for all the people, making the atonement communal and not just individual.
  • The verse shows the seriousness and sacredness of entering the Most Holy Place, which could only be done by the high priest and only with blood, underlining the barrier between God and people due to sin.
  • This verse is key to understanding the entire Day of Atonement ritual, connecting the actions of the high priest to the forgiveness and cleansing of the whole nation.

Where else these words appear

“sprinkle” Hebrew H5137 · used in 22 verses

  • Exodus 29:21 And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him.
  • Leviticus 14:7 And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.
  • Numbers 19:4 And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times:

“seat” Hebrew H3727 · used in 22 verses

  • Exodus 25:17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
  • Exodus 30:6 And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.
  • Exodus 39:35 The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat,

“vail” Hebrew H6532 · used in 23 verses

  • Exodus 26:31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:
  • Exodus 38:27 And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail; an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.
  • Leviticus 4:17 And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the vail.

“goat” Hebrew H8163 · used in 57 verses

  • Genesis 27:11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:
  • 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.
  • Numbers 28:30 And one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you.