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.

LEVITICUS 16:19KJV
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Leviticus 16:19 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 16:19 mean?

Leviticus 16:19 describes the priest sprinkling blood on the altar seven times with his finger to cleanse and set it apart from the impurity brought by the Israelites. This act is part of a ritual to purify the altar and make it holy after it has been affected by the people's uncleanness.

In this verse, God is giving instructions to Moses for Aaron, the high priest, on the Day of Atonement. The ritual involves using blood as a symbol of purification, with the number seven often representing completeness in the Hebrew Bible. The focus is on removing ritual impurity from the altar so that it can continue to serve its sacred purpose in Israel’s worship.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 16:19

  • "Sprinkle" (נָזָה, nazah): This word means to scatter or spatter, usually referring to a ritual act. The action is deliberate and symbolic, not just a casual gesture.
  • "Cleanse" (טָהֵר, taher): This word means to make clean or pure, especially in a ritual sense. The cleansing is about restoring the altar’s suitability for holy use.
  • "Hallow" (קָדַשׁ, qadash): This word means to set apart as holy. The altar is not just cleaned but dedicated again for God’s service.
  • "Uncleanness" (טֻמְאָה, tum’ah): This refers to ritual impurity, not physical dirt, and represents anything that would separate the people or objects from God’s holiness.

Why Leviticus 16:19 matters

  • Leviticus 16:19 clarifies that even the altar, a sacred object, could become ritually unclean because of the people’s actions, showing the seriousness of impurity in Israel’s worship.
  • The verse highlights the importance of ritual acts in maintaining the relationship between God and Israel, emphasizing that holiness required ongoing attention and specific actions.
  • This verse connects to the larger Day of Atonement ceremony, showing how every part of the sanctuary needed to be purified, not just the people themselves.

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:

“finger” Hebrew H676 · used in 28 verses

  • Exodus 8:19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
  • Leviticus 9:9 And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him: and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar:
  • Psalms 144:1 A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:

“uncleanness” Hebrew H2932 · used in 31 verses

  • Leviticus 5:3 Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty.
  • Leviticus 18:19 Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.
  • Ezra 9:11 Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.

“cleanse” Hebrew H2891 · used in 79 verses

  • Genesis 35:2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:
  • Leviticus 14:31 Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the LORD.
  • 2 Chronicles 34:3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.