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Atonement, Day of


Heb. Yom Kippur

A festival observed in Israel ten days after the fall new year (Lev 16:29; Lev 23:27) to purify the sanctuary and altar and atone for the sins and impurities of the high priest and Israel for the past year (Lev 16:1-34; Lev 23:26-32; Num 29:7-11). On this day only, the high priest entered the innermost room of the tabernacle and later the Temple, the Holy of Holies, to sprinkle blood from the bull and goat on the top and front of the “cover” (or mercy seat) and to offer incense. In a related ritual, the priest symbolically placed the sins of the people upon another goat (the so-called scapegoat), which was then driven into the wilderness, taking the sins and impurities away. (Heb 8:1-9:28) draws heavily on the ritual and symbolism of the Day of Atonement to explain Christ’s sacrifice.

  • Powell, Mark Allan, ed. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary. Abridged Edition. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2009.