Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version The LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover. New Living Translation The LORD said to Moses, “Warn your brother, Aaron, not to enter the Most Holy Place behind the inner curtain whenever he chooses; if he does, he will die. For the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—is there, and I myself am present in the cloud above the atonement cover. English Standard Version and the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. Berean Standard Bible And 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. King James Bible 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. New King James Version and the LORD said to Moses: “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat. New American Standard Bible The LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the atoning cover which is on the ark, or he will die; for I will appear in the cloud over the atoning cover. NASB 1995 The LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, or he will die; for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. NASB 1977 And the LORD said to Moses, “Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. Legacy Standard Bible And Yahweh said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, so that he will not die; for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. Amplified Bible The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother that he must not enter at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil (the Holy of Holies), before the mercy seat which is on the ark, or he will die, for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. Christian Standard Bible The LORD said to Moses, “Tell your brother Aaron that he may not come whenever he wants into the holy place behind the curtain in front of the mercy seat on the ark or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat. Holman Christian Standard Bible The LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he may not come whenever he wants into the 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.” American Standard Version and Jehovah said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat. English Revised Version and the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat. GOD'S WORD® Translation The LORD said, "Tell your brother Aaron that he cannot go into the holy place whenever he wants to. If he goes up to the canopy and stands in front of the throne of mercy on the ark, he will die, because I appear in the smoke above the throne of mercy. Good News Translation He said, "Tell your brother Aaron that only at the proper time is he to go behind the curtain into the Most Holy Place, because that is where I appear in a cloud above the lid on the Covenant Box. If he disobeys, he will be killed. International Standard Version The LORD told Moses, "Remind your brother Aaron that at no time is he to enter the sacred place from the room that contains the curtain into the presence of the Mercy Seat on top of the ark. Otherwise, he'll die, because I will appear in a cloud at the Mercy Seat. Majority Standard Bible And 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. NET Bible and the LORD said to Moses: "Tell Aaron your brother that he must not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil-canopy in front of the atonement plate that is on the ark so that he may not die, for I will appear in the cloud over the atonement plate. New Heart English Bible and the LORD 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. Webster's Bible Translation And the LORD said to Moses, Speak to 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 may not die: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat. World English Bible and Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time 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. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionindeed, YHWH says to Moses, “Speak to your brother Aaron, and he does not come in at all times to the holy place within the veil, to the front of the propitiatory covering, which [is] on the Ark, and he does not die, for I am seen in a cloud on the propitiatory covering. Young's Literal Translation yea, Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Speak unto Aaron thy brother, and he cometh not in at all times unto the sanctuary within the vail, unto the front of the mercy-seat, which is upon the ark, and he dieth not, for in a cloud I am seen upon the mercy-seat. Smith's Literal Translation And Jehovah will say to Moses, Speak to Aaron thy brother, and he shall not come in every time into the holy place within the vail at the face of the cover which is upon the ark; and he shall not die for I will be seen in the cloud upon the cover. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd he commanded him, saying, Speak to Aaron thy brother, that he enter not at all into the sanctuary, which is within the veil before the propitiatory, with which the ark is covered, lest he die, (for I will appear in a cloud over the oracle,) Catholic Public Domain Version And he instructed him, saying: Speak to your brother Aaron, so that he may not, at any time, enter into the Sanctuary, which is within the veil, before the propitiatory by which the ark is covered, so that he may not die, (for I will appear in a cloud above the oracle) New American Bible and said to him: Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he pleases into the inner sanctuary, inside the veil, in front of the cover on the ark, lest he die, for I reveal myself in a cloud above the ark’s cover. New Revised Standard Version The LORD said to Moses: Tell your brother Aaron not to come just at any time into the sanctuary inside the curtain before the mercy seat that is upon the ark, or he will die; for I appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd 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 upon the ark, that he die not; for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And LORD JEHOVAH said to Moshe: “Speak with Ahron your brother that he shall not be always entering holiness within the face of the door before the mercy seat of the Ark, that he would not die because I appear in the cloud on the mercy seat. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917and the LORD said unto Moses: 'Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the ark-cover which is upon the ark; that he die not; for I appear in the cloud upon the ark-cover. Brenton Septuagint Translation And the Lord said to Moses, Speak to Aaron thy brother, and let him not come in at all times into the holy place within the veil before the propitiatory, which is upon the ark of the testimony, and he shall not die; for I will appear in a cloud on the propitiatory. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Law of Atonement1Now the LORD spoke to Moses after the death of two of Aaron’s sons when they approached the presence of the LORD. 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. 3This is how Aaron is to enter the Holy Place: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.… Cross References Hebrews 9:7 But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. Exodus 30:10 Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he shall make atonement on it annually with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. The altar is most holy to the LORD.” Hebrews 9:25 Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Hebrews 10:19-20 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, / by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body, Exodus 25:22 And I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony; I will speak with you about all that I command you regarding the Israelites. Numbers 7:89 When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony. Thus the LORD spoke to him. Hebrews 4:14-16 Therefore, 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. / For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. / Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Exodus 40:34-35 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. / Moses was unable to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 1 Kings 8:10-11 And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD / so that the priests could not stand there to minister because of the cloud. For the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. Hebrews 9:3-5 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, / containing the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. / Above the ark were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. Exodus 26:33-34 And hang the veil from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the veil. So the veil will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. / Put the mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place. Matthew 27:51 At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, and the rocks were split. 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the LORD with one voice. They lifted up their voices, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and musical instruments, in praise to the LORD: “For He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.” And the temple, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud / so that the priests could not stand there to minister because of the cloud. For the glory of the LORD filled the house of God. Hebrews 6:19-20 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, / where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. 1 Samuel 6:19-20 But God struck down some of the people of Beth-shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the LORD. He struck down seventy men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck them with a great slaughter. / The men of Beth-shemesh asked, “Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God? To whom should the ark go up from here?” Treasury of Scripture 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. he come not Leviticus 23:27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. Exodus 26:33,34 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 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. that he die not 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: 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. 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: in the cloud Exodus 40:34,35 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle… 1 Kings 8:10-12 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. the mercy seat Exodus 25:17-22 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… Jump to Previous Aaron Appear Ark Cloud Die Enter Holy Mercy Mercy-Seat Moses Seat Speak Time Times Vail Veil WithinJump to Next Aaron Appear Ark Cloud Die Enter Holy Mercy Mercy-Seat Moses Seat Speak Time Times Vail Veil WithinLeviticus 16 1. how the high priest must enter into the holy place11. The sin offering for himself 15. The sin offering for the people 20. The scapegoat 29. The yearly feast of the expiations The LORD said to Moses This phrase establishes the divine authority and origin of the instructions that follow. The Hebrew word for "LORD" is "YHWH," the sacred and personal name of God, emphasizing His covenant relationship with Israel. The communication to Moses, the chosen leader and prophet, underscores the importance of divine revelation and guidance in the life of the Israelites. It reminds us of the necessity of seeking God's will and direction in our lives. Tell your brother Aaron that he may not come whenever he chooses 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 He read, in the silent hours of darkness, the Books of Job, Daniel, Ezra, and Chronicles; and if he was no scholar, and could not read, the elders read them to him. As it was deemed important that he should not fall asleep, the priests who surrounded him alternately snapped their fingers, and made him walk on the cold pavement of the court. When the chief of the thirteen priests who were appointed to perform the ordinary duties in connection with the service in the sanctuary had ascertained that the morning had dawned, that the ashes had been removed from the brazen altar, and that the time of the early sacrifice had arrived, the high priest was conducted to the baptistery, where he immersed his whole body in water. Into the holy place.--This is here more minutely defined by "within the vail," thus showing that the Holy of Holies is meant. In the succeeding portions of this chapter, however, the expression "holy" is used for "Holy of Holies" without this adjunct. (See Leviticus 16:3; Leviticus 16:16-17; Leviticus 16:20; Leviticus 16:27.) Before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark.--Or, according to the accents of the received text, nor come to the mercy seat, which, &c. The present text exhibits the view of the Pharisees--that the high priest, though at some distance from the ark, is yet hid through the frankincense on the burning coals in the Holy of Holies itself (see Leviticus 16:12-13); whilst the Sadducees maintained that he must put it on the coals already in the court, because they deemed it improper to work in the presence of the Lord, and because the pontiff would otherwise see the ark. The Authorised Version, therefore, here, as elsewhere, follows the view of the Sadducees, and departs from the received accents, which are an essential part of the traditional text. . . . Verse 2. - 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. Nadab and Abihu having died for their rash presumption in venturing unbidden into the tabernacle, it was natural that Aaron, who had as yet but once penetrated into the holy of holies, should be struck with fear, and that he should desire Divine instruction as to the times and manner in which he was to appear before the Lord, lest he should be struck dead like his sons. If the attempt to enter the outer chamber of the tabernacle had been so fatal to them, what might not be the result to him of entering within the vail which hung before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark? The mercy-seat - capporeth, ἱλαστήριον, propitiatorium - formed the top of the ark, and was the place where God specially exhibited his Presence, on the occasions of his manifestation, by the bright cloud which then rested upon it between the cherubim. It was this Presence which made it perilous for Aaron to appear within the vail unbidden or without the becoming ritual; for man might not meet God unless he were sanctified for the purpose (Exodus 19:14, 21-24; 1 Samuel 6:19). The words, for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat, refer to the Divine Presence thus visibly manifested (see 1 Kings 8:10-12), and not, as they have strangely been misinterpreted, to the cloud of smoke raised by the incense burnt by the high priest on his entrance. They do not, however, prove that the manifestation was constantly there, still less that it was continued, according to Jewish tradition, in later times. "The reason for the prohibition of Aaron's entrance at his own pleasure, or without the expiatory blood of sacrifice, is to be found in the fact that the holiness communicated to the priest did not cancel the sin of his nature, but only covered it over for the performance of his official duties; and so long as the Law, which produced only the knowledge of sin, and not its forgiveness and removal, was not abolished by the complete atonement, the holy God was and remained to mortal and sinful man a consuming fire, before which no one could stand" (Keil).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew And the LORDיְהוָ֜ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel said וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say to אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to Moses: מֹשֶׁ֗ה (mō·šeh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver “Tell דַּבֵּר֮ (dab·bêr) Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue your brother אָחִיךָ֒ (’ā·ḥî·ḵā) Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 251: A brother, ) Aaron אַהֲרֹ֣ן (’a·hă·rōn) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 175: Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses not וְאַל־ (wə·’al-) Conjunctive waw | Adverb Strong's 408: Not to enter יָבֹ֤א (yā·ḇō) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go freely בְכָל־ (ḇə·ḵāl-) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every into אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to the Most Holy Place הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ (haq·qō·ḏeš) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6944: A sacred place, thing, sanctity behind מִבֵּ֖ית (mib·bêṯ) Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 1004: A house the veil לַפָּרֹ֑כֶת (lap·pā·rō·ḵeṯ) Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 6532: A separatrix, screen in אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to front פְּנֵ֨י (pə·nê) Noun - common plural construct Strong's 6440: The face of the mercy seat הַכַּפֹּ֜רֶת (hak·kap·pō·reṯ) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 3727: Propitiatory on עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against the ark, הָאָרֹן֙ (hā·’ā·rōn) Article | Noun - common singular Strong's 727: A chest, ark or else וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō) Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no he will die, יָמ֔וּת (yā·mūṯ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 4191: To die, to kill because כִּ֚י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction I appear אֵרָאֶ֖ה (’ê·rā·’eh) Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - first person common singular Strong's 7200: To see in the cloud בֶּֽעָנָ֔ן (be·‘ā·nān) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6051: A cloud, the nimbus, thunder-cloud above עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against the mercy seat. הַכַּפֹּֽרֶת׃ (hak·kap·pō·reṯ) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 3727: Propitiatory Links Leviticus 16:2 NIVLeviticus 16:2 NLT Leviticus 16:2 ESV Leviticus 16:2 NASB Leviticus 16:2 KJV Leviticus 16:2 BibleApps.com Leviticus 16:2 Biblia Paralela Leviticus 16:2 Chinese Bible Leviticus 16:2 French Bible Leviticus 16:2 Catholic Bible OT Law: Leviticus 16:2 And Yahweh said to Moses Tell Aaron (Le Lv Lev.) |