Leviticus 16:18
New International Version
“Then he shall come out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He shall take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar.

New Living Translation
“Then Aaron will come out to purify the altar that stands before the LORD. He will do this by taking some of the blood from the bull and the goat and putting it on each of the horns of the altar.

English Standard Version
Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around.

Berean Standard Bible
Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar.

King James Bible
And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.

New King James Version
And he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD, and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around.

New American Standard Bible
Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it; he shall take some of the blood from the bull and some of the blood from the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar on all sides.

NASB 1995
“Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat and put it on the horns of the altar on all sides.

NASB 1977
“Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar on all sides.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then he shall go out to the altar that is before Yahweh and make atonement for it. And he shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar on all sides.

Amplified Bible
Then he shall go out to the altar [of burnt offering in the court] which is before the LORD and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the goat and put it on the horns of the altar on all sides.

Christian Standard Bible
Then he will go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on the horns on all sides of the altar.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then he will go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on the horns on all sides of the altar.

American Standard Version
And he shall go out unto the altar that is before Jehovah, and make atonement for it, and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.

Contemporary English Version
After leaving the tent, you will purify the bronze altar by smearing each of its four corners with some of the blood from the bull and from the goat.

English Revised Version
And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then he will go out to the altar that is in the LORD's presence and make peace with the LORD there for the sins committed. He will take some of the blood from the bull and some of the goat's blood and put it all around the horns of the altar.

Good News Translation
he must then go out to the altar for burnt offerings and purify it. He must take some of the bull's blood and some of the goat's blood and put it all over the projections at the corners of the altar.

International Standard Version
When he goes to the altar in the LORD's presence to make atonement for himself, he is to take some of the blood from the bull and the male goat, place it around the horns of the altar,

Majority Standard Bible
Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar.

NET Bible
"Then he is to go out to the altar which is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it all around on the horns of the altar.

New Heart English Bible
"He shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the bull's blood, and some of the goat's blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.

World English Bible
“He shall go out to the altar that is before Yahweh and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the bull’s blood, and some of the goat’s blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he has gone out to the altar which [is] before YHWH, and has made atonement for it; and he has taken of the blood of the bullock and of the blood of the goat, and has put [it] around the horns of the altar;

Young's Literal Translation
And he hath gone out unto the altar which is before Jehovah, and hath made atonement for it; and he hath taken of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and hath put on the horns of the altar round about;

Smith's Literal Translation
And he went forth to the altar which is before Jehovah and expiated upon it; and he took from the blood of the bullock, and from the blood of the he goat, and gave upon the horns of the altar round about.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when he is come out to the altar that is before the Lord, let him pray for himself, and taking the blood of the calf, and of the buck goat, let him pour it upon the horns thereof round about:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And when he has exited to the altar which is before the Lord, let him pray for himself, and taking the blood of the calf, and of the he-goat, let him pour it upon its horns all around.

New American Bible
he shall come out to the altar before the LORD and purge it also. Taking some of the bull’s and the goat’s blood, he shall put it on the horns around the altar,

New Revised Standard Version
Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement on its behalf, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat, and put it on each of the horns of the altar.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make an atonement for it; and shall take some of the blood of the bullock and some of the blood of the goat, and sprinkle it upon the horns of the altar round about.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he shall go out to the altar that is before LORD JEHOVAH and shall atone for it and he shall take from the blood of the ox and from the blood of the kid and shall sprinkle it on the horns of the altar as a circle.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he shall come forth to the altar that is before the Lord, and he shall make atonement upon it; and he shall take of the blood of the calf, and of the blood of the goat, and shall put it on the horns of the altar round about.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Sin Offering for the People
17No one may be in the Tent of Meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he leaves, after he has made atonement for himself, his household, and the whole assembly of Israel. 18Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar. 19He is to sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.…

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.

Hebrews 9:22
According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Hebrews 9:12
He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.

Hebrews 10:4
because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

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,

Hebrews 9:11-14
But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands and is not a part of this creation. / He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption. / For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean, ...

Hebrews 10:1-2
For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. / If it could, would not the offerings have ceased? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt the guilt of their sins.

Hebrews 9:24
For 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.

Hebrews 10:10
And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 9:25-26
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. / Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

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.”

Exodus 29:36-37
Sacrifice a bull as a sin offering each day for atonement. Purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it. / For seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. Then the altar will become most holy; whatever touches the altar will be holy.

Exodus 30:6-10
Place 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. / And Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he tends the lamps. / When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn the incense perpetually before the LORD for the generations to come. ...

Exodus 40:9-10
Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it along with all its furnishings, and it shall be holy. / Anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it shall be most holy.

Numbers 19:20
But if a person who is unclean does not purify himself, he will be cut off from the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean.


Treasury of Scripture

And he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar round about.

Leviticus 16:16
And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

Leviticus 4:7,18
And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation…

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.

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Leviticus 16
1. how the high priest must enter into the holy place
11. The sin offering for himself
15. The sin offering for the people
20. The scapegoat
29. The yearly feast of the expiations














Then he is to go out
This phrase indicates a transition in the ritual process. The Hebrew root for "go out" is יָצָא (yatsa), which often signifies a movement from one place to another with purpose. In the context of the Day of Atonement, this movement symbolizes the priest's role as a mediator, moving between the holy and the common to bring reconciliation.

to the altar that is before the LORD
The altar mentioned here is the altar of burnt offering, located in the courtyard of the Tabernacle. The phrase "before the LORD" emphasizes the sacredness of the altar's position, directly in the presence of God. Historically, the altar was central to Israelite worship, serving as the place where sacrifices were offered to God, symbolizing the people's devotion and need for atonement.

and make atonement for it
The Hebrew word for "atonement" is כָּפַר (kaphar), meaning to cover or to cleanse. This act of atonement is not just for the people but for the altar itself, signifying the need for purification of all that is involved in the sacrificial system. It underscores the pervasive nature of sin and the comprehensive scope of God's redemptive plan.

He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood
Blood, in the Hebrew context, is synonymous with life (Leviticus 17:11). The use of both the bull’s and the goat’s blood highlights the completeness of the atonement process. The bull's blood, offered for the priest and his household, and the goat's blood, offered for the people, together represent the totality of the community's need for cleansing.

and put it on all the horns of the altar
The horns of the altar were projections at each corner, symbolizing strength and power. Applying blood to the horns signifies the altar's purification and the power of the atoning blood to cleanse and sanctify. This act is a vivid reminder of the necessity of blood for atonement, pointing forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, whose blood cleanses believers from all sin.

(18) And he shall go out unto the altar.--The authorities during the second Temple took this to denote the golden altar, or the altar of incense which stood in the Holy place over against the Holy of Holies, as this was the altar for which expiation was made once a year on this day (see Exodus 30:10); hence it was cleansed next. Beginning at the north-eastern corner, the high priest then went to the north-western, then the south-western, and last round to the south-eastern corner.

Verses 18, 19. - The holy of holies and the outer chamber of the tabernacle having been reconciled, the high priest shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord - that is, the altar of burnt sacrifice in the court, standing in front of the tabernacle, not the altar of incense, as has been supposed by some - and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times. This completes the ceremony of "making an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and making an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar" (verse 33.)

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then he shall go out
וְיָצָ֗א (wə·yā·ṣā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the altar
הַמִּזְבֵּ֛חַ (ham·miz·bê·aḥ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4196: An altar

that
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

is before
לִפְנֵֽי־ (lip̄·nê-)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH

and make atonement
וְכִפֶּ֣ר (wə·ḵip·per)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3722: To cover, to expiate, condone, to placate, cancel

for it.
עָלָ֑יו (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

He is to take
וְלָקַ֞ח (wə·lā·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

some of the bull’s
הַפָּר֙ (hap·pār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6499: Young bull, steer

blood
מִדַּ֤ם (mid·dam)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

and some of the goat’s
הַשָּׂעִ֔יר (haś·śā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8163: Shaggy, a he-goat, a faun

blood
וּמִדַּ֣ם (ū·mid·dam)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

and put it
וְנָתַ֛ן (wə·nā·ṯan)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

all
סָבִֽיב׃ (sā·ḇîḇ)
Adverb
Strong's 5439: A circle, neighbour, environs, around

the horns
קַרְנ֥וֹת (qar·nō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 7161: A horn, a flask, cornet, an elephant's tooth, a corner, a peak, a ray, power

of the altar.
הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ (ham·miz·bê·aḥ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4196: An altar


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OT Law: Leviticus 16:18 He shall go out to the altar (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 16:17
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