Leviticus 16:2

He said to him/me, “Warn your older brother Aaron that he must not enter the Very Holy Place inside the curtain that is in the Sacred Tent whenever he wants to, because the cover of the sacred chest is there. That is the place where the priest ◄makes atonement for/requests me to forgive► sins. I am present in the cloud that is over the cover of the sacred chest. If Aaron goes in that room when it is not the proper time, he will die!

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

In Context

1After the two sons of Aaron died because they burned incense to Yahweh in a manner that was contrary to what Yahweh commanded, Yahweh spoke to Moses/me.

3“When Aaron enters the Sacred Tent area, he must bring a bull that will be killed to become an offering/sacrifice for sins, and a ram to be killed to be an offering that will be completely burned on the altar.

Read all of Leviticus 16

Cross References

Exodus 25:17Tell them to make a lid for the chest from pure gold. It will be the place where I will forgive people’s sins. It also is to be ◄45 in./110 cm.► long and ◄27 in./66 cm.► wide.

Exodus 26:33They must suspend/hang the top of the curtain by hooks that are fastened to the roof of the Sacred Tent. Behind the curtain, in the room called the Very Holy Place, they must put the chest containing the two stone slabs on which I have written my commandments. That curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Very Holy Place.

Exodus 40:20Then he/I took the two stone slabs on which the commandments were written and put them in the sacred chest. He/I put the carrying poles in the rings on the chest and put the lid on top of the chest.

Leviticus 8:35You must stay at the entrance of the Sacred Tent for seven days and seven nights and do what Yahweh requires, in order that you will not die because of disobeying him. I am telling you that because that is what Yahweh has commanded me to tell you.”

Leviticus 16:34This will be a permanent command/law for you to obey once every year, to enable me to forgive you Israeli people for the sins that you have committed.” Moses/I obeyed all those instructions/commands that Yahweh had given to him/me.

Matthew Henry on Leviticus 16:2-5

The Great Day of Atonement. ( b. c. 1490.) 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the Lord , and died; 2 And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. 3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place : with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt… Read the whole commentary →

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