Leviticus 16:20-22

Leviticus 16:20-22

[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:  [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:  [22] And the goat  shall bear  upon him all their iniquities  unto a land  not inhabited:  and he shall let go  the goat  in the wilderness. 

What does Leviticus 16:20-22 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

These verses describe the fourth and most striking phase of this day"s ceremony. The second goat symbolically bore the sins of the people taking them to an unclean place far from God. There is difference of opinion among the authorities about what "Azazel" means ( Leviticus 16:8; Leviticus 16:10; Leviticus 16:26). The etymology of this Hebrew word is obscure. Some believe it means a rocky precipice or wilderness or some other place where the goat died, or it may refer to the goat"s function. Others think it refers to a demon to whom the Israelites" sins were returned so it would not accuse them. Another view is that it means "the goat that departs" or "is banished." Whatever its exact meaning, the symbolism is clear enough. The live goat symbolically removed the sins of the Israelites from God"s presence.
The two goats used in the ritual represented two aspects of the atonement that God provided. Both animals taught the Israelites that a sinless agent was removing their sins by vicarious atonement. The goat slain represented the judgment on sin that resulted in death necessary for atonement. The goat sent off into the wilderness with the sinner"s guilt imputed to it symbolized the removal of guilt (cf. Leviticus 14:4-7). The word "scapegoat" comes from the AV description of the goat that "escaped" into the wilderness. In Hebrew "scapegoat" is azazel.
There were two forms of the laying on of hands in the Old Testament. The Jews performed one by placing two hands on persons in non-sacrificial contexts. They performed the other by placing one hand on animals when they sacrificed them ( Leviticus 16:21). The two-handed form emphasized who the recipient of the ritual action was. The one-handed form drew attention to the person who put his hand on the animal. [1] Another view is that the imposition of two hands intensified the idea of transferring guilt, specifically for intentional sins. [1]