Leviticus 16:27
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The bodies of these sin offerings, which had their blood presented inside the sanctuary, were completely burned outside the camp, with even their skins and dung consumed. This wasn't just disposal; it was a radical demonstration that the sin itself, and everything associated with it, must be utterly removed from God's presence and His people.
And the bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried outside the camp. Their skin and their flesh and their dung shall be burned up with fire.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In the intense ritual of the Day of Atonement, after the high priest has made atonement within the Most Holy Place with the blood of the bull and goat, the carcasses of these sin offerings are not treated with reverence. Instead, they are unceremoniously hauled out of the camp and completely consumed by fire, signifying that sin, even after atonement, is utterly abhorrent to God. This dramatic disposal underscores the thoroughness of the cleansing process, leaving no trace of the sin offering behind outside the sacred space.
Have you ever wondered what happens to the sin offerings after atonement is made? It's not just about sprinkling blood; the entire offering is dealt with in a dramatic way.
The text in Leviticus 16:27 describes a crucial final step for the sin offerings whose blood was used to make atonement in the Holy Place. The bull and the goat, after their blood has served its purpose, are not just discarded; they are carried outside the camp. This complete removal signifies more than just disposal; it's a dramatic picture of sin being utterly expelled from the presence of God and His people.
This act highlights that atonement isn't just a temporary covering but a definitive removal. The sin, along with the animal that bore it, is sent away to a place of impurity and destruction, emphasizing the seriousness of sin and the thoroughness of God's provision for its removal.
The finality of sin's removal is underscored by a destructive element. What does this consuming fire represent?
Leviticus 16:27 continues by stating that the skins, flesh, and dung of these sin offerings 'shall be burned up with fire.' This isn't a sacrificial burning, as the blood was already used for atonement. Instead, it represents the full judgment and purification that sin deserves.
The fire here signifies God's righteous judgment against sin. It consumes not just the outward parts but the entirety of the offering, leaving nothing behind. This destruction ensures that no trace of the sin, represented by the animal, remains within the community or God's presence. It speaks to the complete and utter eradication of sin's penalty through divine judgment.
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Understand the original words
kippur / kaphar · Hebrew Noun/Verb
A ritual sacrifice offered to God to satisfy His justice, provide propitiation, and effect reconciliation between God and His people by covering or removing the guilt of sin.
hattat · Hebrew Noun
A ritual act, typically involving animal sacrifice, designed to deal specifically with the guilt and impurity resulting from sin, restoring the covenant relationship between the sinner and God.
This passage directly references the carrying out and burning of the sin offerings outside the camp, connecting it to Christ's suffering outside the city walls for our sins.
Hebrews 9:12The text describes Christ entering the heavenly 'holy place' once with His own blood, echoing the high priest's atonement in the earthly sanctuary and the subsequent removal of the sin offerings.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8This passage uses the imagery of unleavened bread and the Passover lamb to speak about purity and Christ as the sacrifice, paralleling the idea of removing impurity by burning the sin offerings.
John 1:29John the Baptist declares Jesus as the 'Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,' a concept powerfully symbolized by the sin offerings being taken away and destroyed because they bore the sin of the people.
Romans 8:3Paul explains that God condemned sin in the flesh through Christ, a profound spiritual truth that resonates with the physical removal and destruction of the sin offerings, representing sin's ultimate defeat.
gillLeviticus 16:27: "And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung."
And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering,.... The one for Aaron and his family, the other for the people of Israel, of which see Leviticus 16:5 , whose blood was brought in to make an atonement…
calvinLeviticus 16:1-34: "And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;"
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.
Dixitque Jellova ad Mosen, Loquere ad Aharon fratrem tuum, ut ne ingrediatnr omni tempore sanctuarium intra velum…
The bodies of these sin offerings, which had their blood presented inside the sanctuary, were completely burned outside the camp, with even their skins and dung consumed. This wasn't just disposal; it was a radical demonstration that the sin itself, and everything associated with it, must be utterly removed from God's presence and His people.
In the intense ritual of the Day of Atonement, after the high priest has made atonement within the Most Holy Place with the blood of the bull and goat, the carcasses of these sin offerings are not treated with reverence. Instead, they are unceremoniously hauled out of the camp and completely consumed by fire, signifying that sin, even after atonement, is utterly abhorrent to God. This dramatic disposal underscores the thoroughness of the cleansing process, leaving no trace of the sin offering behind outside the sacred space.
In the intense ritual of the Day of Atonement, after the high priest has made atonement within the Most Holy Place with the blood of the bull and goat, the carcasses of these sin offerings are not treated with reverence. Instead, they are unceremoniously hauled out of the camp and completely consumed by fire, signifying that sin, even after atonement, is utterly abhorrent to God. This dramatic disposal underscores the thoroughness of the cleansing process, leaving no trace of the sin offering behind outside the sacred space.
"And the bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried outside the camp. Their skin and their flesh and their dung shall be burned up with fire." — The bodies of these sin offerings, which had their blood presented inside the sanctuary, were completely burned outside the camp, with even their skins and dung consumed. This wasn't just disposal; i…
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Last reviewed October 2026
