After the Death of Aaron's Sons
After his sons' deaths, Aaron is told by our Father that he cannot go behind the curtain whenever he likes. Once a year, in linen, he atones for the sanctuary and the people with blood, and lays every sin on a goat that carries them away into the wilderness.
16 1Our Father spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron's two sons, who died approaching our Father.
2Our Father told Moses: "Tell Aaron your brother not to enter the Holy Place behind the curtain, before the mercy seat on the ark, whenever he wants, or he'll die—for I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat."
3"With this Aaron may enter the Holy Place: a young bull for a sin offering, a ram for a burnt offering. 4He must wear the holy linen tunic, linen undergarments next to his body, a linen sash tied around him, and a linen turban. These are holy garments; he is to bathe his body in water before putting them on. 5From Israel's community he must take two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering.
6Aaron will offer his own sin-offering bull, making atonement for himself and his household. 7He must take the two goats and stand them before me at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8Aaron will cast lots over the two goats: one for me, one for Azazel. a a v8 Azazel is the name of the goat "sent away" — the scapegoat that carried the people's sins out into the wilderness, away from the camp. 9Aaron is to bring the goat chosen for me by lot and offer it as a sin offering. 10But the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel is presented alive before me, to atone over it by sending it into the wilderness to Azazel.
11Aaron is to present his sin offering bull, to atone for himself and his household, then slaughter his sin offering bull. 12He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before me, two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense, and bring them inside the veil. 13He must put the incense on the fire before me, so its cloud covers the mercy seat over the testimony, and he does not die. b b v13 The testimony: the stone tablets of the covenant law housed inside the ark. 14He must take some of the bull's blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy seat, eastward, then sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times before the mercy seat.
15Then he must slaughter the people's sin-offering goat, bring its blood inside the curtain, and do with it as with the bull's blood—sprinkling it on the mercy seat and before it. 16This is how he atones for the Holy Place because of Israel's uncleanness, their rebellions, all their sins. He does the same for the tent of meeting, which stays among them in the midst of their uncleanness. 17No one may be in the tent of meeting when he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place until he leaves, having atoned for himself, his household, and the whole assembly of Israel.
18He must go out to the altar before me, make atonement for it, take some of the bull's blood and some of the goat's blood, and put it on the altar's horns all around. 19He is to sprinkle blood on it with his finger seven times, to cleanse and dedicate it from the impurity of Israel's people.
20When he finishes atoning for the Holy Place, tent of meeting, and altar, he is to present the live goat. 21Aaron is to lay both hands on the live goat's head and confess over it all Israel's guilt, all their rebellions, all their sins, placing them on the goat's head, then send it into the wilderness by a man appointed for the task. 22The goat will carry all their sins on itself into a cut-off land; the man will release it in the wilderness.
23Aaron will enter the tent of meeting, take off the linen garments he wore entering the Holy Place, and leave them there. 24He must bathe his body in water in a holy place and put on his clothes. Then he comes out, offers his burnt offering and the people's burnt offering, atoning for himself and the people. 25He is to burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.
26He who sent the goat to Azazel must wash his clothes, bathe his body in water, then he may enter the camp. 27The bull and goat of the sin offering, whose blood was brought to atone in the Holy Place, are to be taken outside the camp; their hides, flesh, and dung are to be burned in the fire. 28Whoever burns them must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, then he may come into the camp.
29This is a permanent law for you: on the tenth day of the seventh month, humble yourselves and do no work—neither the native nor the foreigner living among you. 30For on this day atonement is made for you, to cleanse you from all your sins; you will be clean before me. 31It is a Sabbath of complete rest for you; humble yourselves—a lasting statute. 32The priest anointed and ordained to serve in his father's place is to make atonement and put on the linen garments—the holy garments, 33and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting, the altar, the priests, and all the assembly's people. 34This is a permanent statute for you: atone for all the Israelites' sins once a year." And it was done, as our Father commanded Moses.
