Leviticus 16 · Verse 20

Leviticus 16:20

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:
Leviticus 16:20, King James Version

Leviticus 16:20 in other translations

BSBWhen Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he is to bring forward the live goat.
WEB“When he has finished atoning for the Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat.
ASVAnd 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:
YLT‘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;
DARBYAnd when he hath ended making atonement for the sanctuary, and the tent of meeting, and the altar, he shall present the living goat;
BBEAnd when he has done whatever is necessary to make the holy place and the Tent of meeting and the altar free from sin, let him put the living goat before the Lord;
WebsterAnd 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:

What does Leviticus 16:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Leviticus 16:20-22
20-22. he shall bring the live goat--Having already been presented before the Lord (Le 16:10), it was now brought forward to the high priest, who, placing his hands upon its head, and "having confessed over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins," transferred them by this act to the goat as their substitute. It was then delivered into the hands of a person, who was appointed to lead him away into a distant, solitary, and desert place, where in early times he was let go, to escape for his life; but in the time of Christ, he was carried to a high rock twelve miles from Jerusalem, and there, being thrust over the precipice, he was killed. Commentators have differed widely in their opinions about the character and purpose of this part of the ceremonial; some considering the word "Azazel," with the Septuagint and our translators, to mean, "the scapegoat"; others, "a lofty, precipitous rock" [Bochart]; others, "a thing separated to God" [Ewald, Tholuck]; while others think it designates Satan [Gesenius, Hengstenberg]. This last view is grounded on the idea of both goats forming one and the same sacrifice of atonement, and it is supported by Zec 3:1-10, which presents a striking commentary on this passage. Whether there was in this peculiar ceremony any reference to an Egyptian superstition about Typhon, the spirit of evil, inhabiting the wilderness, and the design was to ridicule it by sending a cursed animal into his gloomy dominions, it is impossible to say. The subject is involved in much obscurity. But in any view there seems to be a typical reference to Christ who bore away our sins [He 10:4; 1Jo 3:5].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Leviticus 16:15-34

Here are typified the two great gospel privileges, of the remission of sin, and access to God, both of which we owe to our Lord Jesus. See the expiation of guilt. Christ is both the Maker and the Matter of the atonement; for he is the Priest, the High Priest, that makes reconciliation for the sins of the people. And as Christ is the High Priest, so he is the Sacrifice with which atonement is made; for he is all in…

Read the full comment on Leviticus 16:15-34 →

Leviticus 16:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְכִלָּה֙ve.khi.Lahand he will finishH3615
מִכַּפֵּ֣רmi.ka.Perfrom making atonement forH3722
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁha.Ko.deshthe holy placeH6944
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
אֹ֥הֶל'O.hel[the] tent ofH168
מוֹעֵ֖דmo.'EdmeetingH4150
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַha.miz.Be.achthe altarH4196
וְהִקְרִ֖יבve.hik.Rivand he will presentH7126
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַשָּׂעִ֥ירha.sa.'Irthe male goatH8163
הֶחָֽי\׃he.Chai<the> livingH2416

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Leviticus 16:20

  • Ezekiel 45:20

    And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the house.

  • 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 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.

  • Revelation 1:18

    I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Romans 4:25

    Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:19

    To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

  • Colossians 1:20

    And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

  • 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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
reconciling.
16; 6:30; 8:15; Eze 45:20; 2Co 5:19; Col 1:20
live goat.
Ro 4:25; 8:34; Heb 7:25; Re 1:18

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Leviticus 16:19

    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 16:20

    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:

  • Leviticus 16:21

    And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:

Read all of Leviticus 16

Leviticus 16:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y cuando hubiere acabado de expiar el santuario, y el tabernáculo del testimonio, y el altar, hará llegar el macho cabrío vivo:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et quand il aura achevé de faire propitiation pour le lieu saint, et pour la tente d’assignation, et pour l’autel, il présentera le bouc vivant.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und hat er die Sühnung des Heiligtums und des Zeltes der Zusammenkunft und des Altars vollendet, so soll er den lebendigen Bock herzubringen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Postquam emundaverit sanctuarium, et tabernaculum, et altare, tunc offerat hircum viventem: