“Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Leviticus 16:6
What does Leviticus 16:6 mean?
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Leviticus 16:6
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What's easy to miss here is that the bull wasn't just for Aaron's personal sins, but for his entire priestly "house"—all the descendants who would serve as priests. This highlights that even those set apart for God's service had inherent uncleanness that needed addressing before they could minister for others. It underscores the profound depth of sin's reach, affecting even those closest to God’s presence.
“Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage describes the Day of Atonement, a highly sacred ritual initiated after the tragic deaths of Aaron's sons. Aaron, as the high priest, must first make atonement for his own sins and those of his priestly household before he can perform the sacrifices for the entire nation of Israel. This personal purification is essential, as it sets the stage for the more extensive atonement that follows, ensuring the mediator is clean before approaching God on behalf of the people.
Before Aaron could minister for Israel, he had to deal with his own sin. Why was this a necessary first step?
In the intricate rituals of the Day of Atonement, the high priest, Aaron, was first required to offer a bull for his own sin.
A Necessary Purification
This wasn't just a formality; it was crucial. Aaron, like all humanity, was a sinner. His role as mediator meant he had to be ritually clean before approaching God on behalf of the people. His own uncleanness would prevent him from ministering effectively and would render any atonement invalid.
The Priestly Household
The atonement covered not just Aaron himself but 'his house,' which included his family and all the priests. This highlights that even those set apart for sacred service were not exempt from sin's reach and the need for reconciliation.
The sin offering for Aaron was more than just a sacrifice; it represented a profound spiritual reality. What was being transferred?
The sin offering for Aaron, and indeed for the people, wasn't about the animal magically becoming pure. It was about a transfer.
Confession and Imposition
While Leviticus 16:6 doesn't detail the confession as later passages do, the context of sin offerings implies it. Aaron would have laid his hands on the bull, symbolically transferring his sins and those of his house onto the animal.
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The Weight of Sin
This act signified that the guilt and penalty for sin were being laid upon an innocent substitute. The bull was, in essence, becoming the carrier of Aaron's sin, making atonement through its sacrificial death. This prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, who 'bore our sins in his body on the tree' (1 Peter 2:24).
Understand the original words
Aharon · Hebrew Noun
The high priest of Israel, the brother of Moses, who was consecrated to represent the people before God and perform the sacrificial duties, foreshadowing the priesthood of Christ.
chattath · Hebrew Noun
A sacrifice offered to God to obtain forgiveness for sin, restoring the covenant relationship between God and humanity; in the OT, it often involved the shedding of blood to cover transgression.
kaphar · Hebrew Verb
The act of covering over or reconciling sin, by which a price is paid or a sacrifice is made to satisfy God's justice and restore communion with Him; it is the central theme of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).
This passage highlights the unique and limited access the high priest had to the Most Holy Place, underscoring the solemnity and singular nature of the atonement rituals described in Leviticus 16, including Aaron's need for personal atonement.
1 Peter 2:5This verse speaks of believers being built up into a spiritual house and offering spiritual sacrifices, which resonates with the concept of 'his house' in Leviticus 16:6, showing how the priestly role and atonement have expanded to all believers in Christ.
Hebrews 7:27This verse contrasts the Old Testament priests who had to offer sacrifices for their own sins first with Jesus, the perfect High Priest who offered Himself once for all, directly paralleling and fulfilling the need for Aaron's personal atonement.
Exodus 28:1This passage establishes Aaron and his sons as the chosen priests, setting the stage for the specific atonement rituals required for them, including the sin offering for Aaron's household mentioned in Leviticus 16:6.
Leviticus 4:3This verse outlines the sin offering for a consecrated priest who sins, directly reflecting the principle behind Aaron needing a bullock for his own sin offering, as stated in Leviticus 16:6.
gillLeviticus 16:6: "And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house."
And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself,.... That is, bring it into the court, and present it before the Lord in order to its being slain and sacrificed; for as yet it was not killed, and so could not be offered on the altar, see Leviticus 16:11 ; the place where the bullock was set was between the porch and the…
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…
What's easy to miss here is that the bull wasn't just for Aaron's personal sins, but for his entire priestly "house"—all the descendants who would serve as priests. This highlights that even those set apart for God's service had inherent uncleanness that needed addressing before they could minister for others. It underscores the profound depth of sin's reach, affecting even those closest to God’s presence.
This passage describes the Day of Atonement, a highly sacred ritual initiated after the tragic deaths of Aaron's sons. Aaron, as the high priest, must first make atonement for his own sins and those of his priestly household before he can perform the sacrifices for the entire nation of Israel. This personal purification is essential, as it sets the stage for the more extensive atonement that follows, ensuring the mediator is clean before approaching God on behalf of the people.
This passage describes the Day of Atonement, a highly sacred ritual initiated after the tragic deaths of Aaron's sons. Aaron, as the high priest, must first make atonement for his own sins and those of his priestly household before he can perform the sacrifices for the entire nation of Israel. This personal purification is essential, as it sets the stage for the more extensive atonement that follows, ensuring the mediator is clean before approaching God on behalf of the people.
"“Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house." — What's easy to miss here is that the bull wasn't just for Aaron's personal sins, but for his entire priestly "house"—all the descendants who would serve as priests. This highlights that even those…
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Last reviewed October 2026