And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.
Parallel translations
- WEB “He who lets the goat go for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
- BSB The man who released the goat as the scapegoat must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may reenter the camp.
- NKJV And he who released the goat as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.
- NASB The one who released the goat as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body with water; then afterward he shall come into the camp.
- NLT “The man chosen to drive the scapegoat into the wilderness of Azazel must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water. Then he may return to the camp.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The man who released the scapegoat must wash before re-entering the camp. Even handling the sin-laden goat conveyed uncleanness.
Overview
The one who led the scapegoat away must wash his clothes and bathe before returning to the camp, having contacted the sin-bearing animal. This shows how real and defiling sin is, even when symbolically borne by another. It magnifies the wonder of Christ, who bore our sins without being defiled, and cleanses all who come to Him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Heb 7:19For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
- Lev 16:10But 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.
- Num 19:7–8Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.
- Lev 14:8And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.
- Lev 15:27And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
- Lev 16:21–22And 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:
- Num 19:21And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.
- Lev 11:25And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
- Lev 16:28And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
- Lev 15:5–11And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
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Christ at the center
Every sacrifice, every priest, and every day of atonement points beyond itself to the one perfect offering and the great High Priest who, by his own blood, makes the unclean holy once for all.
How Leviticus 16:26 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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