Leviticus – Chapter 16

Old Testament34 Verses

Chapter Summary

Leviticus 16 opens with the words: "And the Lord spoke to Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron when they were slain upon their offering strange fire:" The chapter centers on Aaron and Moses. Across its 34 verses, two threads run through the text: prayer and holiness. Taken as a whole, the chapter forms one movement in the account, preparing what follows and completing what came before.

1And the Lord spoke to Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron when they were slain upon their offering strange fire:

2And 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),

3Unless he first do these things. He shall offer a calf for sin, and a ram for a holocaust.

4He shall be vested with a linen tunick: he shall cover his nakedness with linen breeches: he shall be girded with a linen girdle, and he shall put a linen mitre upon his head. For these are holy vestments: all which he shall put on, after he is washed.

5And he shall receive from the whole multitude of the children of Israel two buck goats for sin, and one ram for a holocaust.

6And when he hath offered the cattle and prayed for himself and for his own house:

7He shall make the two buck goats to stand before the Lord in the door of the tabernacle of the testimony.

8And casting lots upon them both, one to be offered to the Lord, and the other to be the emissary goat:

9That whose lot fell to be offered to the Lord, he shall offer for sin.

10But that whose lot was to be the emissary goat, he shall present before the Lord, that he may pour prayers upon him, and let him go into the wilderness.

11After these things are duly celebrated, he shall offer the calf: and praying for himself and for his own house, he shall immolate it.

12And taking the censer, which he hath filled with the burning coals of the altar, and taking up with his hands the compounded perfume for incense, he shall go in within the veil into the holy place:

13That when the perfumes are put upon the fire, the cloud and vapour thereof may cover the oracle, which is over the testimony, and he may not die.

14He shall take also of the blood of the calf, and sprinkle with his finger seven times towards the propitiatory to the east.

15And when he hath killed the buck goat for the sin of the people, he shall carry in the blood thereof within the veil, as he was commanded to do with the blood of the calf, that he may sprinkle it over against the oracle:

16And may expiate the sanctuary from the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and from their transgressions, and all their sins. According to this rite shall he do to the tabernacle of the testimony, which is fixed among them in the midst of the filth of their habitation.

17Let no man be in the tabernacle when the high priest goeth into the sanctuary, to pray for himself and his house, and for the whole congregation of Israel, until he come out.

18And 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.

19And sprinkling with his finger seven times, let him expiate, and sanctify it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.

20After he hath cleaned the sanctuary, and the tabernacle, and the altar, then let him offer the living goat.

21And putting both hands upon his head, let him confess all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their offences and sins. And praying that they may light on its head, he shall turn him out by a man ready for it, into the desert.

22And when the goat hath carried all their iniquities into an uninhabited land, and shall be let go into the desert:

23Aaron shall return into the tabernacle of the testimony, and putting off the vestments, which he had on him before when he entered into the sanctuary, and leaving them there,

24He shall wash his flesh in the holy place, and shall put on his own garments. And after that he is come out and hath offered his own holocaust, and that of the people, he shall pray both for himself, and for the people.

25And the fat that is offered for sins, he shall burn on the altar.

26But he that hath let go the emissary goat, shall wash his clothes, and his body with water, and so shall enter into the camp.

27But the calf and the buck goat, that were sacrificed for sin, and whose blood was carried into the sanctuary, to accomplish the atonement, they shall carry forth without the camp, and shall burn with fire: their skins and their flesh, and their dung.

28And whosoever burneth them shall wash his clothes, and flesh with water: and so shall enter into the camp.

29And this shall be to you an everlasting ordinance. The seventh month, the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and shall do no work, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you.

30Upon this day shall be the expiation for you, and the cleansing from all your sins. You shall be cleansed before the Lord.

31For it is a sabbath of rest: and you shall afflict your souls by a perpetual religion.

32And the priest that is anointed, and whose hands are consecrated to do the office of the priesthood in his father's stead, shall make atonement. And he shall be vested with the linen robe and the holy vestments.

33And he shall expiate the sanctuary and the tabernacle of the testimony and the altar: the priest also and all the people.

34And this shall be an ordinance for ever, that you pray for the children of Israel, and for all their sins once a year. He did therefore as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Important Verses in Leviticus 16

And the Lord spoke to Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron when they were slain upon their offering strange fire:

Leviticus 16:1

He shall make the two buck goats to stand before the Lord in the door of the tabernacle of the testimony.

Leviticus 16:7

But that whose lot was to be the emissary goat, he shall present before the Lord, that he may pour prayers upon him, and let him go into the wilderness.

Leviticus 16:10

And this shall be an ordinance for ever, that you pray for the children of Israel, and for all their sins once a year. He did therefore as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Leviticus 16:34

Historical Context

Leviticus addresses the priests (sons of Aaron) and the whole assembly of Israel within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 16 of 27 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a narrative passage recounting concrete events in salvation history with 34 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Historical attention falls on Aaron and Moses, the principal figures named in this chapter. The chapter begins: "And the Lord spoke to Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron when they were slain upon their offering strange…" The final verse reads: "And this shall be an ordinance for ever, that you pray for the children of Israel, and for all their sins once a year.…" Read against its original backdrop, Leviticus is the liturgical handbook of ancient Israel, given at Sinai to teach a newly freed people how to worship a holy God. The book's material reflects the era summarized as follows: Core traditions from the wilderness period; final form by the 5th century BC.

Who Wrote It

Traditionally attributed to Moses; contains priestly legislation preserved by the Levitical priesthood

When It Was Written

Core traditions from the wilderness period; final form by the 5th century BC

Catholic Commentary

In this 34-verse narrative, the sacred author records events that advance the story of holiness, sacrifice, and priestly worship. A pivotal line is verse 1: "And the Lord spoke to Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron when they were slain upon their offering strange fire:" The passage repeatedly touches on prayer and petition to God.

Catholic exegesis reads Leviticus 16 within the unity of Scripture and Tradition. Catholic theology sees these sacrifices fulfilled in Christ's one perfect sacrifice (CIC 1539-1545). St. Leo the Great and other Fathers of the Church saw in texts like this a preparation for or reflection of Christ, the center of revelation (CIC 1814).

Applied to the life of faith, the passage supports the Church's conviction that Be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. Whether read privately or heard in the liturgy, Leviticus 16 calls for a response of faith, repentance, and charity.

Main Teachings

  • God invites His people to approach Him confidently in prayer, trusting that He hears and answers.
  • 'Be holy, for I am holy': God calls His people to be set apart for Him in every area of life.
  • Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.

People in This Chapter

Aaron3 mentionsMoses2 mentions

Reflection for Today

When the Church proclaims Leviticus Chapter 16 at Mass or in the Liturgy of the Hours, she treats this text as the living voice of God.

In the four senses of Scripture—literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical—the Church finds rich meaning in Leviticus Chapter 16. At the moral level, stewardship of creation challenges us to examine conscience and amend our lives (CIC 2632).

Entrust your meditation to Mary, who pondered God's Word in her heart. Through her intercession, may the message of stewardship of creation bear fruit in humility, courage, and charity this day.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Leviticus Chapter 16 about?

Leviticus 16 contains 34 verses. It opens with "And the Lord spoke to Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron when they were slain upon their offering strange…" and closes with "And this shall be an ordinance for ever, that you pray for the children of Israel, and for all their sins once a year.…". The book as a whole is law and liturgical instruction.

What is a key verse in Leviticus 16?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "And the Lord spoke to Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron when they were slain upon their offering strange fire:" It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Leviticus Chapter 16?

This chapter mentions Aaron, Moses.

Who wrote Leviticus and when?

Traditionally attributed to Moses; contains priestly legislation preserved by the Levitical priesthood. Core traditions from the wilderness period; final form by the 5th century BC.

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