Leviticus 16:20
New International Version
“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.

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

English Standard Version
“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.

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

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
“And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the tabernacle of meeting, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat.

New American Standard Bible
“When he finishes atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall offer the live goat.

NASB 1995
“When he finishes atoning for the holy place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall offer the live goat.

NASB 1977
“When he finishes atoning for the holy place, and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall offer the live goat.

Legacy Standard Bible
“And when he finishes making atonement for the holy place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring near the live goat.

Amplified Bible
“When he has finished atoning for the Holy Place and the Tent of Meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat.

Christian Standard Bible
“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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When he has finished purifying the most holy place, the tent of meeting, and the altar, he is to present the live male goat.

American Standard Version
And when he hath made an end of atoning for the holy place, and the tent of meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat:

Contemporary English Version
After you have purified the most holy place, the sacred tent, and the bronze altar, you must bring the live goat to the front of the tent.

English Revised Version
And when he hath made an end of atoning for the holy place, and the tent of meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"When he finishes making peace with the LORD at the holy place, the tent of meeting, and the altar, he will bring the living goat forward.

Good News Translation
When 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.

International Standard Version
"When he has completed making atonement at the sacred place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, then he is to present the live male goat.

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

NET Bible
"When he has finished purifying the holy place, the Meeting Tent, and the altar, he is to present the live goat.

New Heart English Bible
"When he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat.

Webster's Bible Translation
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:

World English Bible
“When he has finished atoning for the Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he has ceased from making atonement [for] the holy place, and the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, and has brought the living goat near;

Young's Literal Translation
And he hath ceased from making atonement for the sanctuary, and the tent of meeting, and the altar, and hath brought near the living goat;

Smith's Literal Translation
And he finished expiating the holy place, and the tent of appointment, and the altar, and he brought the living he goat.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
After he hath cleansed the sanctuary, and the tabernacle, and the altar, then let him offer the living goat:

Catholic Public Domain Version
After he has cleansed the Sanctuary, and the tabernacle, and the altar, then let him offer the living goat.

New American Bible
When he has finished purging the inner sanctuary, the tent of meeting and the altar, Aaron shall bring forward the live goat.

New Revised Standard Version
When he has finished atoning for the holy place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when he has made an end of atoning for the holy place and the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, he shall bring the live goat;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And whenever he has finished making atonement for the Holy Place and for the Time Tent and for the altar, he shall bring the living kid:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And when he hath made an end of atoning for the holy place, and the tent of meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he shall finish making atonement for the sanctuary and for the tabernacle of witness, and for the altar; and he shall make a cleansing for the priests, and he shall bring the living goat;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Scapegoat
20When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he is to bring forward the live goat. 21Then 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.…

Cross References
Hebrews 9:7
But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.

Hebrews 9:12
He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.

Hebrews 9:24-26
For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but He entered heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God. / Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. / Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Hebrews 10:1-4
For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. / If it could, would not the offerings have ceased? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt the guilt of their sins. / Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, ...

Hebrews 10:19-22
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, / by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body, / and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ...

Hebrews 13:11-12
Although the high priest brings the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, the bodies are burned outside the camp. / And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate, to sanctify the people by His own blood.

1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 2:2
He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Romans 3:25
God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.

Romans 5:10-11
For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! / Not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:21
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Matthew 27:51
At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, and the rocks were split.

John 1:29
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Isaiah 53:4-6
Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. / But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. / We 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.

Isaiah 53:11-12
After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. / Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.


Treasury of Scripture

And when he has made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:

reconciling

Leviticus 16:16
And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

Leviticus 6:30
And no sin offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withal in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in the fire.

Leviticus 8:15
And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it.

live goat

Romans 4:25
Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Romans 8:34
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Hebrews 7:25
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Jump to Previous
Aaron Altar Atonement Atoning Ceased Congregation End Ended Finished Forward Free Goat Holy Live Making Meeting Necessary Offer Present Reconciling Sanctuary Sin Tabernacle Tent Whatever
Jump to Next
Aaron Altar Atonement Atoning Ceased Congregation End Ended Finished Forward Free Goat Holy Live Making Meeting Necessary Offer Present Reconciling Sanctuary Sin Tabernacle Tent Whatever
Leviticus 16
1. how the high priest must enter into the holy place
11. The sin offering for himself
15. The sin offering for the people
20. The scapegoat
29. The yearly feast of the expiations














When Aaron has finished
The phrase indicates a completion of a sacred duty. Aaron, as the high priest, had a unique role in the spiritual life of Israel. The Hebrew root for "finished" is "kalah," which implies bringing something to completion or fulfillment. This completion signifies the thoroughness required in the purification process, emphasizing the seriousness of sin and the need for meticulous atonement.

purifying
The Hebrew word "kaphar" is used here, which means to cover, make atonement, or cleanse. This purification is not merely a physical cleaning but a spiritual act that symbolizes the removal of sin and impurity. It reflects the holiness of God and the necessity for His people to be cleansed to maintain a relationship with Him.

the Most Holy Place
This refers to the innermost part of the tabernacle, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. It was the earthly dwelling place of God's presence. The Hebrew term "Qodesh HaQodashim" underscores the supreme sanctity of this space. Only the high priest could enter, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement, highlighting the separation between a holy God and sinful humanity.

the Tent of Meeting
Known in Hebrew as "Ohel Moed," this was the place where God met with Moses and the Israelites. It served as a central point for worship and communication with God. The Tent of Meeting represents God's desire to dwell among His people and the structured way in which He established His presence among them.

and the altar
The altar was central to the sacrificial system, symbolizing the place where atonement for sin was made. The Hebrew word "mizbeach" comes from a root meaning "to slaughter," indicating its primary function. The altar's purification was essential to ensure that the sacrifices offered were acceptable to God.

he shall bring forward
This action signifies a transition in the ritual. The Hebrew verb "qarab" means to approach or bring near, indicating the movement towards the next phase of the atonement process. It reflects the ongoing nature of atonement and the need for continual intercession.

the live goat
This refers to the "scapegoat," or "Azazel" in Hebrew, which was part of the Day of Atonement ritual. The live goat symbolized the removal of the people's sins, as it was sent into the wilderness. This act foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, who bore the sins of humanity and removed them as far as the east is from the west.

(20) And when he hath made an end.--Having finished the expiation for himself, his fellow priests, and the sanctuary with its utensils, the goat destined by lot for Azazel, which was standing in the court before the Lord, was now brought to the high priest, that he might complete the sin-offering for the Israelites.

Verses 20, 21. - The second part of the ceremonies of the day now commences. It was not enough that the defilement of the sanctuary should be covered, and the sins of the priests and people atoned for by the blood of the sacrifices. There remained a consciousness of sin. How was this to be taken away? To effect this, Aaron proceeds to the unique ceremony of the day by which the utter removal of sin from the reconciled people is typified. He shall bring the live goat; this should be translated offer the live goat. It is the word used above for the offering of the goat that was slain, and it is the word always used for offering sacrifices to the Lord. The first goat had been offered in the usual manner, the offerer laying his hand on his head and perhaps praying over him. Now the second goat is offered, the high priest having to lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel,... putting them upon the head of the goat. The confession of sins, at first extempore, would naturally, as time progressed, become stereotyped into a liturgical form, as it is found in the Mishna: "O Lord, they have committed iniquity; they have transgressed; they have sinned, - thy people, the house of Israel. O Lord, cover over, I entreat thee, their iniquities, their transgressions, and their sins, which they have wickedly committed, transgressed, and sinned before thee, - thy people, the house of Israel. As it is written in the Law of Moses thy servant, saying, ' For on that day shall it be covered over for you, to make you clean; from all your sins before the Lord ye shall be cleansed'" (Edersheim, 'Temple Service '). During this confession of sins the people remained prostrate in humiliation and prayer in the court of the tabernacle, and it was the custom of the high priest to turn towards them as he pronounced the last words, "Ye shall be cleansed." At the conclusion of the confession, the high priest handed over the goat to a fit man, that is, to a man who was standing ready to take charge of him, and sent him away by his hand into the wilderness.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When [Aaron] has finished
וְכִלָּה֙ (wə·ḵil·lāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3615: To be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, or spent

purifying
מִכַּפֵּ֣ר (mik·kap·pêr)
Preposition-m | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3722: To cover, to expiate, condone, to placate, cancel

the Most Holy Place,
הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ (haq·qō·ḏeš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6944: A sacred place, thing, sanctity

the Tent
אֹ֥הֶל (’ō·hel)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 168: A tent

of Meeting,
מוֹעֵ֖ד (mō·w·‘êḏ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4150: Appointed time, place, or meeting

and the altar,
הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ (ham·miz·bê·aḥ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4196: An altar

he is to bring forward
וְהִקְרִ֖יב (wə·hiq·rîḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7126: To come near, approach

the live
הֶחָֽי׃ (he·ḥāy)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life

goat.
הַשָּׂעִ֥יר (haś·śā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8163: Shaggy, a he-goat, a faun


Links
Leviticus 16:20 NIV
Leviticus 16:20 NLT
Leviticus 16:20 ESV
Leviticus 16:20 NASB
Leviticus 16:20 KJV

Leviticus 16:20 BibleApps.com
Leviticus 16:20 Biblia Paralela
Leviticus 16:20 Chinese Bible
Leviticus 16:20 French Bible
Leviticus 16:20 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Leviticus 16:20 When he has made an end (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 16:19
Top of Page
Top of Page