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Leviticus 16:2

16:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;
And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

KJV

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and Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother, not to come at all times into the Most Holy Place within the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark; lest he die: for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

And the LORD said to Moses, Speak to Aaron your brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is on the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat.

16:3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.

What does Leviticus 16:2 mean?

Leviticus 16:2 is a verse in the book of Leviticus, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh), אָמַר (ʼâmar), מֹשֶׁה (Môsheh). It connects to 22 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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And
the
LORDיְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
saidאָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/H559to say (used with great latitude)
unto
Moses,מֹשֶׁהMôsheh/mo-sheh'/H4872Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
Speakדָבַרdâbar/daw-bar'/H1696perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
unto
AaronאַהֲרוֹןʼAhărôwn/a-har-one'/H175Aharon, the brother of Moses
thy
brother,אָחʼâch/awkh/H251a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father))
that
he
comeבּוֹאbôwʼ/bo/H935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
not
at
all
timesעֵתʻêth/ayth/H6256time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.
into
the
holyקֹדֶשׁqôdesh/ko'-desh/H6944a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity
place
withinבַּיִתbayith/bah'-yith/H1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
the
vailפֹּרֶכֶתpôreketh/po-reh'-keth/H6532a separatrix, i.e. (the sacred) screen
beforeפָּנִיםpânîym/paw-neem'/H6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
the
mercy
seat,כַּפֹּרֶתkappôreth/kap-po'-reth/H3727a lid (used only of the cover of the sacred Ark)
which
is
upon
the
ark;אָרוֹןʼârôwn/aw-rone'/H727a box
that
he
dieמוּתmûwth/mooth/H4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
not:
for
I
will
appearרָאָהrâʼâh/raw-aw'/H7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
in
the
cloudעָנָןʻânân/aw-nawn'/H6051a cloud (as covering the sky), i.e. the nimbus or thunder-cloud
upon
the
mercyכַּפֹּרֶתkappôreth/kap-po'-reth/H3727a lid (used only of the cover of the sacred Ark)
seat.

Commentary on Leviticus 16:2

HENRY_FULL · Leviticus 16:2
er In this chapter we have the institution of the annual solemnity of the day of atonement, or expiation, which had as much gospel in it as perhaps any of the appointments of the ceremonial law, as appears by the reference the apostle makes to it, Heb. ix. 7 , &c. We had before divers laws concerning sin-offerings for particular persons, and to be offered upon particular occasions; but this is concerning the stated sacrifice, in which the whole nation was interested. The whole service of the day is committed to the high priest. I. He must never come into the most holy place but upon this day, ver. 1, 2 . II. He must come dressed in linen garments, ver. 4 . III. He must bring a sin-offering and a burnt-offering for himself ( ver. 3 ), offer his sin-offering ( ver. 6-11 ), then go within the veil with some of the blood of his sin-offering, burn incense, and sprinkle the blood before the mercy-seat, ver. 12-14 . IV. Two goats must be provided for the people, lots cast upon them, and, 1. One of them must be a sin-offering for the people ( ver. 5 , 7-9 ), and the blood of it must be sprinkled before the mercy-seat ( ver. 15-17 ), and then some of the blood of both the sin-offerings must be sprinkled upon the altar, ver. 18, 19 . 2. The other must be a scape-goat ( ver. 10 ), the sins of Israel must be confessed over him, and then he must be sent away into the wilderness ( ver. 20-22 ), and he that brought him away must be ceremonially unclean, ver. 26 . V. The burnt-offerings were then to be offered, the fat of the sin-offerings burnt on the altar, and their flesh burnt without the camp, ver. 23-25 , 27 , 28 . VI. The people were to observe the day religiously by a holy rest and holy mourning for sin; and this was to be a statute for ever, ver. 29 , &c.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Exodus 25:17

And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

Exodus 26:33

And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.

Exodus 26:34

And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.

Exodus 30:10

And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.

Exodus 40:20

And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark:

Exodus 40:21

And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses.

Exodus 40:34

Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Exodus 40:35

And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Leviticus 8:35

Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD, that ye die not: for so I am commanded.

Leviticus 16:13

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:

Numbers 4:19

But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden:

Numbers 17:10

And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. rebels: Heb. children of rebellion

1 Kings 8:6

And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.

1 Kings 8:10

And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,

2 Chronicles 5:14

So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

Matthew 27:51

And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

Hebrews 4:14

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Hebrews 9:3

And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

Hebrews 9:7

But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

Hebrews 9:8

The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

Hebrews 10:19

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, boldness: or, liberty

Hebrews 10:20

By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; consecrated: or, new made

Topics

High Priest, theMercy SeatShekinahVail, the Sacred

People & places in this verse

People

Things

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Leviticus 16:2.

Exodus 25:1

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Exodus 4:14

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

Exodus 4:27

And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.

Exodus 4:28

And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.

Exodus 4:29

And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:

Exodus 4:30

And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.

Exodus 5:1

And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

Exodus 5:20

And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:

Frequently asked questions

What does Leviticus 16:2 say?

Leviticus 16:2 (King James Version) reads: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat."

Is Leviticus 16:2 in the Old or New Testament?

Leviticus 16:2 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Leviticus.

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As you read Leviticus 16:2, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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