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Leviticus 16:13

in Leviticus 16

He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, and the cloud of incense will cover the mercy seat above the Testimony, so that he will not die.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

and he shall put the incense upon the fire before Jehovah, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:

KJV

And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:

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This verse in Leviticus 16

Commentary

3 notes on this verse

This site's exposition

presents the bull for his sin offering

on Leviticus 16:11-13

The cloud of the incense is to cover the mercy seat, and the stated purpose is that he die not. That purpose is stated for the second time in thirteen verses.

This site's exposition

the cloud of incense will cover the mercy seat above the Testimony

Verse 2 said God appears in the cloud above the mercy seat, and here the priest raises a second cloud over that same place. The Testimony lies beneath it, inside the ark.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord,....

How the passage was read

On Leviticus 16:1-34

On 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

17 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וְנָתַ֧ןand he will put

    venatanH5414 →2011 times

  • אֶֽת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הַקְּטֹ֛רֶתthe incense

    haketoretH7004 →60 times

  • עַל־on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • הָאֵ֖שׁthe fire

    haeshH784 →378 times

  • לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before

    lifneiH6440 →2123 times

  • יְהוָ֑הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • וְכִסָּ֣ה׀and it will cover

    vekhisahH3680 →152 times

  • עֲנַ֣ן[the] cloud of

    ʾananH6051 →

  • הַקְּטֹ֗רֶתthe incense

    haketoretH7004 →60 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הַכַּפֹּ֛רֶתthe atonement cover

    hakaporetH3727 →27 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • עַל־[is] on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • הָעֵד֖וּתthe testimony

    haedutH5715 →

  • וְלֹ֥אand not

    velo'H3808 →5168 times

  • יָמֽוּת׃he will die

    yamutH4191 →839 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

17 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Exodus 25:21Set the mercy seat atop the ark, and put the Testimony that I will give you into the ark.4 worksHebrews 9:5Above the ark were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.4 worksExodus 30:7–8And Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he tends the lamps.3 works1 John 2:1–2My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.3 worksExodus 30:1“You are also to make an altar of acacia wood for the burning of incense.3 worksLeviticus 16:2And the LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron not to enter freely into the Most Holy Place behind the veil in front of the mercy seat on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.3 works
The other 11 cross-references, with their words ▾
Numbers 16:18So each man took his censer, put fire and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.2 worksRevelation 8:3–4Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne.2 worksHebrews 7:25Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.2 worksNumbers 16:7and tomorrow you are to place fire and incense in them in the presence of the LORD. Then the man the LORD chooses will be the one who is holy. It is you sons of Levi who have taken too much upon yourselves!”2 worksHebrews 4:14–16Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.2 worksHebrews 9:24For 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.2 worksLeviticus 22:9The priests must keep My charge, lest they bear the guilt and die because they profane it. I am the LORD who sanctifies them.2 worksExodus 28:43Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die. This is to be a permanent statute for Aaron and his descendants.2 worksNumbers 16:46Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, place fire from the altar in it, and add incense. Go quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, because wrath has come out from the LORD; the plague has begun.”2 worksExodus 30:6Place the altar in front of the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony—before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony—where I will meet with you.2 worksLuke 1:11Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Exodus 30:1

    “You are also to make an altar of acacia wood for the burning of incense.

    it leads to

    • Revelation 8:3

      Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before…

    • Exodus 37:25–28

      He made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long, a cubit wide, and two cubits high. Its horns were of one piece.

    • Leviticus 4:7

      The priest must then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the LORD in the Tent of Meeting. And he is to pour out…

    • Exodus 40:5

      Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony, and hang the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

    • 2 Chronicles 26:16

      But when Uzziah grew powerful, his arrogance led to his own destruction. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar…

  • Through

    Exodus 25:21

    Set the mercy seat atop the ark, and put the Testimony that I will give you into the ark.

    it leads to

    • Exodus 26:34

      Put the mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place.

    • Romans 10:4

      For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes.

    • Exodus 25:16–17

      And place inside the ark the Testimony, which I will give you.

Where this verse is studied

About Leviticus

The Scapegoat, William Holman Hunt, 1854. Public domain.
The Scapegoat, William Holman Hunt, 1854. Public domain.
Leviticus: the study guide →Read Leviticus 16 →

This page draws on Alfred Edersheim, The Temple: Its Ministry and Services; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Leviticus 16 →