Leviticus 16:29-34
God ordains a recurring day of complete atonement in which His people are cleansed and called to humble dependence before Him.
29 “It shall be a statute to you forever: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and shall do no kind of work, whether native-born or a stranger who lives as a foreigner among you;
30 for on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you. You shall be clean from all your sins before Yahweh.
31 It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever.
32 The priest, who is anointed and who is consecrated to be priest in his father’s place, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen garments, even the holy garments.
33 Then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary; and he shall make atonement for the Tent of Meeting and for the altar; and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly.
34 “This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel once in the year because of all their sins.” It was done as Yahweh commanded Moses.
God ordains a recurring day of complete atonement in which His people are cleansed and called to humble dependence before Him.
This passage establishes the Day of Atonement as an annual, perpetual observance, prescribing affliction, rest, and priestly atonement for the cleansing of the people from all their sins before the LORD.
This passage functions as the concluding statute after the detailed ritual sequence in Leviticus 16:1-28. The chapter began with restricted access after the death of Aaron’s sons, then described the high priest’s entrance, sacrifices, blood application, confession over the live goat, and disposal/washing procedures. Verses 29-34 turn those once-described actions into an annual ordinance for Israel and its resident foreigners.
Israel at Sinai receiving priestly legislation for life with the holy God dwelling among them.
The Day of Atonement: Cleansing the Sanctuary and Bearing Away Israel's Sins
The holy LORD provides annual atonement through His appointed high priest, blood, substitution, confession, cleansing, and removal so that He may continue dwelling among His sinful and unclean people.