The story of the scapegoat — once a year the high priest laid the sins of an entire nation on a goat and sent it far away into the wilderness.
This is the account of the Day of Atonement, found in Leviticus 16, the most solemn day on Israel’s calendar.
The Story of the Scapegoat
God gave Moses and his brother Aaron, the high priest, careful instructions for one day each year. On this day, called the Day of Atonement, the whole nation would be made clean before God.
Aaron could not simply walk into the holiest part of the tabernacle. He washed, dressed in plain linen, and first brought an offering for his own sins. Only then could he act on behalf of the people.
Two goats were chosen, and lots were cast over them. One goat was for the LORD and was offered as a sacrifice. The other was the scapegoat, kept alive for a different purpose.
Aaron laid both his hands on the head of the living goat and confessed over it all the sins of the people. In that moment the guilt of the nation was pictured as passing onto the goat.
The goat was then led away into the wilderness, carrying those sins to a place cut off from the camp. The people watched their wrongdoing be carried out of sight, and the day ended with them clean before God.
Key Verses
“And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel.” Leviticus 16:21
“And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited.” Leviticus 16:22
“For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.” Leviticus 16:30
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), a public-domain translation.
What the Story of the Scapegoat Teaches Us
The scapegoat gave people a picture they could see: sin carried away, far from where they lived. It taught that guilt is real, but it does not have to stay.
The day also called for honesty. Before anyone could be made clean, they had to admit what was wrong. Many Christians read this story as a shadow of the forgiveness offered later through Jesus, who is described as the one who carries sin away for good.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a scapegoat in the Bible?
In Leviticus 16, the scapegoat was a living goat that the high priest laid the people’s sins upon and then sent into the wilderness. It carried their guilt away from the camp.
What was the Day of Atonement?
It was the one day each year when the high priest made things right between the people and God. It is described in Leviticus 16 and was the most solemn day on Israel’s calendar.
Why were there two goats?
One goat was offered as a sacrifice for sin, and the other, the scapegoat, was sent away alive carrying the people’s sins. Together they showed both the cost of sin and its removal.
What does the word scapegoat mean today?
Today a scapegoat means someone who is blamed for the faults of others. The word comes straight from this passage in Leviticus.
Where is the story of the scapegoat in the Bible?
The story is found in Leviticus 16, which lays out the instructions for the Day of Atonement.