The Scapegoat

Illustration of The Scapegoat

On the Day of Atonement, two goats were chosen: one was sacrificed, and over the other - the scapegoat - the high priest confessed all Israel's sins before sending it away into the wilderness, bearing their iniquities to a land not inhabited. The vivid ritual pictured sin being both paid for and carried entirely away, foreshadowing Christ who both died for sin and removed it 'as far as the east is from the west.'

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Strongest connections in Scripture
Leviticus 16

Key Passages

The Goat Sent Away

Leviticus 16:20-22

The high priest lays Israel's sins on the scapegoat, which carries them away into the wilderness.

A20nd when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:

21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

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Characters

Aaron Aaron, the brother of Moses, played a pivotal role in the Exodus narrative as Moses' spokesman beforeโ€ฆ Moses Moses was a prophet chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt during the Exodus. Throughโ€ฆ

Did You Know?

1

On the Day of Atonement, two goats were used: one sacrificed, one sent away.

2

The high priest confessed Israel's sins over the scapegoat's head.

3

It carried the sins 'into a land not inhabited' - sin removed entirely.

4

Our English word 'scapegoat' comes straight from this ritual.