The Day of Atonement
1Yahweh spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron’s two sons, who died when they approached Yahweh. 2Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell your brother Aaron that he may not come whenever he wishes into the sanctuary behind the curtain, in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or he will die — for I appear in the cloud above the atonement cover. 3This is how Aaron is to enter the sanctuary: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4He is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and wrap the linen turban on his head. These are sacred garments, so he must bathe his body in water before he puts them on. 5From the Israelite community he is to take two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering. 6Aaron is to present the bull for his own sin offering, to make atonement for himself and his household. 7Then he is to take the two goats and present them before Yahweh at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8He is to cast lots for the two goats — one lot for Yahweh and the other for Azazel. 9Aaron is to bring forward the goat chosen by lot for Yahweh and offer it as a sin offering. 10But the goat chosen by lot for Azazel is to be presented alive before Yahweh, to make atonement by sending it away into the wilderness to Azazel. 11Aaron is to present the bull for his own sin offering, make atonement for himself and his household, and slaughter it as his sin offering. 12He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before Yahweh, along with two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense, and bring them inside the curtain. 13He is to put the incense on the fire before Yahweh, so that the cloud of incense covers the atonement cover above the ark of the testimony, or he will die. 14He is to take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the atonement cover, and sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times before the cover. 15Then he is to slaughter the goat for the sin offering of the people, bring its blood inside the curtain, and do with it as he did with the bull’s blood, sprinkling it on the atonement cover and in front of it. 16In this way he will make atonement for the sanctuary because of the uncleanness and the rebellious acts of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the tent of meeting, which remains among them in the midst of their uncleanness. 17No one is to be in the tent of meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the sanctuary until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household, and the whole assembly of Israel. 18Then he is to go out to the altar that is before Yahweh and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar. 19He is to sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, cleansing it and consecrating it from the uncleanness of the Israelites. 20When he has finished making atonement for the sanctuary, the tent of meeting, and the altar, he is to bring forward the live goat. 21Aaron is to lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities and rebellious acts of the Israelites — all their sins — putting them on the head of the goat. He is to send it away into the wilderness in the care of a man appointed for the task. 22The goat will carry all their iniquities on itself into a remote place, and the man is to release it in the wilderness. 23Aaron is to go into the tent of meeting, take off the linen garments he put on before entering the sanctuary, and leave them there. 24He is to bathe his body with water in a holy place and put on his regular garments. Then he is to come out and offer his own burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, making atonement for himself and for the people. 25He is to burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar. 26The man who releases the goat for Azazel must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may come into the camp. 27The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the sanctuary, are to be carried outside the camp, where their hides, their flesh, and their dung are to be burned. 28The one who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may come into the camp. 29This is to be a lasting statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you are to deny yourselves and do no work at all — neither the native-born nor the foreigner living among you — 30because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Before Yahweh you will be clean from all your sins. 31It is a sabbath of complete rest for you, and you are to deny yourselves; it is a lasting statute. 32The priest who is anointed and ordained to serve as priest in his father’s place is the one who is to make atonement, wearing the sacred linen garments. 33He is to make atonement for the holy sanctuary, for the tent of meeting, and for the altar, and he is to make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34This is to be a lasting statute for you: atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.” And it was done, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
