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.
The goat will carry all their sins away to an empty, uninhabited land, and he will release the goat into the wilderness.
This verse describes how the scapegoat symbolically carries away all the people's sins to a desolate place, removing their guilt completely.
📚 Historical Context
In the Old Testament, Leviticus 16 outlines the Day of Atonement, an annual ritual in ancient Israel where the high priest made atonement for the sins of the people through sacrifices and ceremonies. One goat, known as the scapegoat, had the sins of the nation confessed over it by the priest, symbolizing the transfer of guilt, and was then sent into the wilderness to represent the removal of those sins from the community. This practice highlighted God's provision for forgiveness and purity among His people in a culture deeply concerned with ritual cleanliness and separation from impurity.
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