Leviticus 16:26
New International Version
“The man who releases the goat as a scapegoat must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp.

New Living Translation
“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.

English Standard Version
And he who lets the goat go to Azazel shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.

Berean Standard Bible
The man who released the goat as the scapegoat must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may reenter the camp.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
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.

NASB 1995
“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.

NASB 1977
“And 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.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the one who sent the goat out as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body with water; then afterward he shall come into the camp.

Amplified Bible
The man who released the goat as the [sin-bearing] scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.

Christian Standard Bible
The man who released the goat for an uninhabitable place is to wash his clothes and bathe his body with water; afterward he may reenter the camp.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The man who released the goat for azazel is to wash his clothes and bathe his body with water; afterward he may reenter the camp.

American Standard Version
And he that letteth go the goat for Azazel shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

Contemporary English Version
The one who led the goat into the desert and sent it off to the demon Azazel must take a bath and wash his clothes before coming back into camp.

English Revised Version
And he that letteth go the goat for Azazel shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"The man who released the goat to Azazel must wash his clothes and his body. Then he may return to the camp.

Good News Translation
The man who drove the goat into the desert to Azazel must wash his clothes and take a bath before he comes back into camp.

International Standard Version
The one who sent away the male goat as a scapegoat is to wash his clothes and bathe his body with water. After doing so, he may enter the camp.

Majority Standard Bible
The man who released the goat as the scapegoat must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may reenter the camp.

NET Bible
and the one who sent the goat away to Azazel must wash his clothes, bathe his body in water, and afterward he may reenter the camp.

New Heart English Bible
"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.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he that let go the goat for the scape-goat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.

World English Bible
“He who lets the goat go as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he who is sending the goat away for a goat of departure washes his garments, and has bathed his flesh with water, and afterward he comes into the camp.

Young's Literal Translation
'And he who is sending away the goat for a goat of departure doth wash his garments, and hath bathed his flesh with water, and afterwards he cometh in unto the camp.

Smith's Literal Translation
And he sending away the goat set apart, shall wash his garments and wash his flesh in water, and after this he shall go in to the camp.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But he that hath let go the emissary goat, shall wash his clothes, and his body with water, and so shall enter into the camp.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Yet truly, he who has sent away the emissary goat shall wash his clothes and his body with water, and so he shall enter into the camp.

New American Bible
The man who led away the goat for Azazel shall wash his garments and bathe his body in water; only then may he enter the camp.

New Revised Standard Version
The one who sets the goat free for Azazel shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward may come into the camp.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he who let go the goat for Azazael shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water and afterward shall come into the camp.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he who sends the kid to Azazayel shall wash his garments and shall bathe in water and after that shall enter the encampment.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he that letteth go the goat for Azazel shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he that sends forth the goat that has been set apart to be let go, shall wash his garments, and bathe his body in water, and afterwards shall enter into the camp.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Scapegoat
25He is also to burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar. 26The man who released the goat as the scapegoat must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may reenter the camp. 27The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, must be taken outside the camp; and their hides, flesh, and dung must be burned up.…

Cross References
Hebrews 13:11-13
Although the high priest brings the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, the bodies are burned outside the camp. / And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate, to sanctify the people by His own blood. / Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore.

Numbers 19:7-8
Then the priest must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may enter the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean until evening. / The one who burned the heifer must also wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and he too will be ceremonially unclean until evening.

Numbers 19:21-22
This is a permanent statute for the people: The one who sprinkles the water of purification must wash his clothes, and whoever touches the water of purification will be unclean until evening. / Anything the unclean person touches will become unclean, and anyone who touches it will be unclean until evening.”

Exodus 29:14
But burn the flesh of the bull and its hide and dung outside the camp; it is a sin offering.

Leviticus 4:11-12
But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, with its head and legs and its entrails and dung— / all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place where the ashes are poured out, and there he must burn it on a wood fire on the ash heap.

Leviticus 6:11
Then he must take off his garments, put on other clothes, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place.

Leviticus 14:8
The one being cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. Afterward, he may enter the camp, but he must remain outside his tent for seven days.

Leviticus 14:9
On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair—his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean.

Leviticus 8:17
But the bull with its hide, flesh, and dung he burned outside the camp, as the LORD had commanded him.

Leviticus 9:11
But he burned up the flesh and the hide outside the camp.

Numbers 19:9
Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to gather up the ashes of the heifer and store them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They must be kept by the congregation of Israel for preparing the water of purification; this is for purification from sin.

Numbers 19:10
The man who has gathered up the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he will be ceremonially unclean until evening. This is a permanent statute for the Israelites and for the foreigner residing among them.

Numbers 19:17-19
For the purification of the unclean person, take some of the ashes of the burnt sin offering, put them in a jar, and pour fresh water over them. / Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle the tent, all the furnishings, and the people who were there. He is also to sprinkle the one who touched a bone, a grave, or a person who has died or been slain. / The man who is ceremonially clean is to sprinkle the unclean person on the third day and on the seventh day. After he purifies the unclean person on the seventh day, the one being cleansed must wash his clothes and bathe in water, and that evening he will be clean.

2 Corinthians 6:17
“Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

Matthew 27:31-32
After they had mocked Him, they removed the robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him away to crucify Him. / Along the way they found a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.


Treasury of Scripture

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.

he that

Leviticus 16:10,21,22
But 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…

wash

Leviticus 16:28
And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

Leviticus 14:8
And 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.

Leviticus 15:5-11,27
And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even…

Jump to Previous
Afterward Afterwards Azazel Aza'zel Bathe Bathed Body Camp Clothes Clothing Departure Flesh Garments Goat Lets Released Scapegoat Scape-Goat Sending Wash Washed Water
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Afterward Afterwards Azazel Aza'zel Bathe Bathed Body Camp Clothes Clothing Departure Flesh Garments Goat Lets Released Scapegoat Scape-Goat Sending Wash Washed Water
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














The man who released the goat
This phrase refers to the individual tasked with leading the scapegoat into the wilderness. In Hebrew, the term for "released" is "שִׁלַּח" (shillach), which implies sending away or letting go. This act symbolizes the removal of the people's sins, as the goat carries them into a desolate place. Historically, this role was significant, as it required a person of integrity to ensure the ritual was performed correctly, emphasizing the seriousness of atonement.

as the scapegoat
The term "scapegoat" is derived from the Hebrew "עֲזָאזֵל" (Azazel), which has been interpreted in various ways, including a reference to a rugged place or a demonic entity. Theologically, the scapegoat represents the complete removal of sin from the community, a precursor to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, who bore the sins of humanity.

must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water
This requirement underscores the importance of ritual purity. The Hebrew word for "wash" is "כִּבֵּס" (kibbes), and "bathe" is "רָחַץ" (rachatz). These actions symbolize purification and cleansing from the defilement associated with sin. In a broader spiritual context, it reflects the need for personal holiness and the cleansing power of God’s forgiveness.

afterward he may reenter the camp
The phrase indicates a return to the community after purification. The camp represents the dwelling place of God's people, and reentry signifies restoration and acceptance. This mirrors the Christian belief in reconciliation with God and the community after repentance and cleansing through Christ’s sacrifice.

(26) And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat.--Better, And he that leadeth away the goat to ?zazel (see Leviticus 16:10). As the messenger who conducted the sin-laden animal to the author of sin contracted defilement by the impurity which the victim carried away, he had both to wash his clothes and immerse his whole body in water before he was admitted into the camp. During the second Temple he remained in the last booth, which was a mile from Jerusalem, till sundown, when he was re-admitted into the camp.

Verse 26. - The man that let go the goat which served for a remover of sins is to wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh before he comes into the camp. This is not ordered on account of any special defilement attaching to the scapegoat, but only because it had been the symbolical sin-bearer, and therefore conveyed legal uncleanness by its touch. The man who bore the flesh of the ether goat to be burnt had to do exactly the same thing (verse 25).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The man who released
וְהַֽמְשַׁלֵּ֤חַ (wə·ham·šal·lê·aḥ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

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

as the scapegoat
לַֽעֲזָאזֵ֔ל (la·‘ă·zā·zêl)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5799: Goat of departure, the scapegoat

must wash
יְכַבֵּ֣ס (yə·ḵab·bês)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3526: To trample, to wash

his clothes
בְּגָדָ֔יו (bə·ḡā·ḏāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 899: A covering, clothing, treachery, pillage

and bathe
וְרָחַ֥ץ (wə·rā·ḥaṣ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7364: To wash, wash off or away, bathe

himself
בְּשָׂר֖וֹ (bə·śā·rōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1320: Flesh, body, person, the pudenda of a, man

with water;
בַּמָּ֑יִם (bam·mā·yim)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

afterward
וְאַחֲרֵי־ (wə·’a·ḥă·rê-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

he may reenter
יָב֥וֹא (yā·ḇō·w)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

the camp.
הַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ (ham·ma·ḥă·neh)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 4264: An encampment, an army


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OT Law: Leviticus 16:26 He who lets the goat go (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 16:25
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