And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
Aaron must draw lots to decide what happens to the two goats, one lot will choose the goat for the LORD, and the other lot will choose the goat to be sent away as the scapegoat.
This verse describes how the high priest would randomly choose which goat would be sacrificed to God and which would carry away the people's sins.
📚 Historical Context
In the context of ancient Israel, Leviticus 16 describes the procedures for the Day of Atonement, a solemn annual ritual where the high priest atoned for the sins of the entire nation. Aaron, as the first high priest, was commanded to cast lots over two goats to determine which one would be sacrificed to the Lord as a sin offering and which would be sent into the wilderness as the scapegoat, symbolizing the removal of the people's sins. This practice underscored God's holiness and the need for ritual purification to maintain the covenant relationship between Israel and the Lord.
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