Leviticus 16:10
in Leviticus 16But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement by sending it into the wilderness as the scapegoat.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But the goat, on which the lot fell for Azazel, shall be set alive before Jehovah, to make atonement for him, to send him away for Azazel into the wilderness.
KJV
But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
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This verse in Leviticus 16
Commentary
8 notes on this verseTo be the scape-goat - עזאזל azazel, from עז az, a goat, and אזל azal, to dismiss; the dismissed or sent away goat, to distinguish it from the goat that was to be offered in sacrifice. Most ancient nations had vicarious sacrifices, to which they transferred by certain rites and ceremonies the guilt of the community at large, in the same manner in which the scapegoat was used by the Jews.
This site's exposition
the goat chosen by lot for the LORD
on Leviticus 16:9-10
Verse 10 says the live goat is "presented alive before the LORD to make atonement" by being sent away. The text treats the pair as one offering, so the death and the carrying away are halves of a single act.
This site's exposition
presented alive before the LORD
The Hebrew behind scapegoat is azazel. Adam Clarke derives it from the words for a goat and for sending away, so the animal is the goat dismissed. Albert Barnes renders the phrase to Azazel, into the wilderness, which keeps Azazel as a proper noun.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Some think that goats were chosen for the sin-offering because, by the disagreeableness of their smell, the offensiveness of sin is represented: others think, because it was said that the demons which the heathens then worshipped often appeared to their worshippers in the form of goats, God therefore obliged his people to sacrifice goats, that they might never be tempted to sacrifice to goats.
), then go within the veil with some of the blood of his sin-offering, burn incense, and sprinkle the blood before the mercy-seat,
quarantine:debris,scripture (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens; scripture-overlap:83%@v13-15
But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
shall take of the congregation . . . two kids of the goats . . . and one ram--The sacrifices were to be offered by the high priest, respectively for himself and the other priests, as well as for the people. The bullock (Le 16:3) and the goats were for sin offerings and the rams for burnt offerings.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
On which the lot fell to be the scapegoat - Rather, on which the lot ‘for Azazel’ fell. An atonement with him - The goat “for Azazel” was to be considered as taking his part along with the other goat in the great symbol of atonement. For a scapegoat into the wilderness - Rather, “to Azazel, into the wilderness.”
How the passage was read
On Leviticus 16:1-34On Leviticus 16:1-34
The day Israel still fasts
This chapter founds the Day of Atonement, in Hebrew Yom Kippur, the most solemn day of the Jewish year: the one day the high priest entered the innermost room of the sanctuary with blood for the nation's sins. With no Temple standing since AD 70, the day is kept now as a full fast: roughly 25 hours with no food or drink, most of it spent in synagogue prayer, many wearing white.
The Mishnah (the first code of Jewish oral law, about AD 200) defines the day's five abstentions: eating and drinking, washing, anointing, leather shoes, and marital relations (Yoma 8:1). It also carries a saying worth any reader's time: the day atones for sins between a person and God, “but for sins between a person and his fellow, the Day of Atonement does not atone until he has appeased his fellow” (Yoma 8:9). Reconciliation with people is homework done before the day.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Sources: Mishnah Yoma 8:1 (the five abstentions) · Mishnah Yoma 8:9 (appease your fellow first) · The Day of Atonement (this site's study)
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהַשָּׂעִ֗יר | vehasair | and the male goat | H8163 → | 59 times |
| אֲשֶׁר֩ | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָלָ֨ה | ʾalah | it came up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| עָלָ֤יו | ʾalav | on it | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַגּוֹרָל֙ | hagoral | the lot | H1486 → | 78 times |
| לַעֲזָאזֵ֔ל | laazazel | for [the] escape goat | H5799 → | 4 times |
| יָֽעֳמַד־ | yoomad- | it will be stationed | H5975 → | 521 times |
| חַ֛י | chai | alive | H2416 → | 498 times |
| לִפְנֵ֥י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לְכַפֵּ֣ר | lekhaper | to make atonement | H3722 → | 102 times |
| עָלָ֑יו | ʾalav | on it | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| לְשַׁלַּ֥ח | leshalach | by sending away | H7971 → | 845 times |
| אֹת֛וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> it | H853 → | 10935 times |
| לַעֲזָאזֵ֖ל | laazazel | to [the] escape goat | H5799 → | 4 times |
| הַמִּדְבָּֽרָה׃ | hamidbarah | the wilderness towards | H4057 → | 270 times |
וְהַשָּׂעִ֗ירand the male goat
vehasairH8163 →59 times
אֲשֶׁר֩which
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עָלָ֨הit came up
ʾalahH5927 →890 times
עָלָ֤יוon it
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
הַגּוֹרָל֙the lot
hagoralH1486 →78 times
לַעֲזָאזֵ֔לfor [the] escape goat
laazazelH5799 →4 times
יָֽעֳמַד־it will be stationed
yoomad-H5975 →521 times
חַ֛יalive
chaiH2416 →498 times
לִפְנֵ֥י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לְכַפֵּ֣רto make atonement
lekhaperH3722 →102 times
עָלָ֑יוon it
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
לְשַׁלַּ֥חby sending away
leshalachH7971 →845 times
אֹת֛וֹ<obj.> it
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
לַעֲזָאזֵ֖לto [the] escape goat
laazazelH5799 →4 times
הַמִּדְבָּֽרָה׃the wilderness towards
hamidbarahH4057 →270 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 John 3:16By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:9–11
This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
- Ephesians 5:2
and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.
- John 13:34
A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.
- John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
- Romans 5:8
But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- 1 John 4:9–11
Through
1 John 2:2He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:14
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.
- 1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,
- 1 John 4:10
And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
- 1 John 4:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies18
On this verse
About Leviticus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alfred Edersheim, The Temple: Its Ministry and Services; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.