Leviticus 16:34

“And this shall be for you a statute forever, to make expiation for the sons of Israel for all their sins once in the year.” And Aaron did as YHWH had commanded Moses.”
Leviticus 16:34 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

And this shall beוְהָיְתָה זֹּאתfor youלָכֶםa statuteלְחֻקַּתforever,עוֹלָםto make expiationלְכַפֵּרforעַלthe sonsבְּנֵיof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלfor allמִכָּלtheir sinsחַטֹּאתָםonceאַחַתin the year.”בַּשָּׁנָהAnd Aaron didוַיַּעַשׂasכַּאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהhad commandedצִוָּהMoses.אֶת מֹשֶׁה

Explicit type · Hebrews 9:7

Go to Hebrews 9:7

Hebrews sums up the rite of Leviticus 16: the high priest alone, once a year, with blood. In 9:9 it calls all that worship “a symbol for the present time.”

The biblical author himself makes the connection, in these words:

ἅπαξ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ μόνος ὁ ἀρχιερεύς οὐ χωρὶς αἵματος “only the high priest, once a year, not without blood” (Hebrews 9:7)

שָּׁנָהshanaH8141ἐνιαυτοῦeniautouG1763“year”

Day of Expiation (Yom Kippur)יוֹם הַכִּפֻּרִיםyom hakkippurim

The tenth day of the seventh month: a day of rest and of “afflicting the soul,” on which the high priest went in behind the veil with blood to make expiation for the sanctuary, the priests and the people (Leviticus 16; 23:27-32).

See it in the glossary

Leviticus 16:34, word by word

And this shall beהָיְתָהhayta

To be: "I will be their Elohim".

Where else “hayta” appears

a statuteחֻקַּתchukat

statute

Statute: a fixed rule, laid down to be kept always.

Where else “chukat” appears

foreverעוֹלָםolam

forever

Time without end, beyond what a lifetime can see.

Where else “olam” appears

to make expiationכַפֵּרchaper

atone

To cover guilt so there is forgiveness.

Where else “chaper” appears

the sonsבְּנֵיbene

descendant

A descendant or member of a people: "sons of Israel".

Where else “bene” appears

of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael

Israel

Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.

Where else “yisrael” appears

their sinsחַטֹּאתָchatota

sin

Failing God, not doing what he asks.

Where else “chatota” appears

onceאַחַתachat

one

The number one; just one and no more.

Where else “achat” appears

in the yearשָּׁנָהshana

year

Each full turn of the seasons, by which time is counted.

Where else “shana” appears

And Aaron didיַּעַשׂyaas

carry out

To do what is commanded.

Where else “yaas” appears

YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears

had commandedצִוָּהtsiva

command

To give an order: "as YHWH had commanded".

Where else “tsiva” appears

Mosesמֹשֶׁהmoshe

Moses

Moses, the man God called to bring Israel out of Egypt and through whom he gave the Law. His name sounds like "draw out" (Exodus 2:10).

Where else “moshe” appears

The context

33He shall make expiation for the holy sanctuary, and for the tent of meeting and the altar he shall make expiation, and for the priests and for all the people of the assembly he shall make expiation.

34 · This verse (above)

Read all of Leviticus 16

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