Sapate Me 23, 2021
the scapegoat
ko e kosi ‘o e fakalelei
(v. 9-10) 9 And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord and use it as a sin offering, 10 but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel.
(v. 9-10) 9
Pea ko e kosi kuo tō ma‘a Sihova ‘e ‘atu ia ‘e ‘Ēlone ke fai‘aki ha
feilaulau-angahala. 10 Ka ko e kosi kuo tō kia ‘Asaseli ‘e fokotu‘u mo‘ui ‘i he
‘ao ‘o Sihova ke feia ‘i hono funga ha fakalelei, kae ‘ave kia ‘Asaseli ki he
fonua mamate.
* G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible*
The great Day of Atonement was perhaps the most important of the whole year in the Hebrew economy. On that day provision was made for dealing with the whole question of sin as known and unknown. When considering the sin and trespass offerings, we saw that in each case, in greater or less degree, the element of accountability was conditioned in knowledge. Sin, however, in the sight of God is still sin, even though committed in ignorance. All such must be dealt with.
Careful
instructions were given for the observance of the day. It was the one day in
the year on which the high priest entered into the Holy of Holies. Every
arrangement was intended to impress the mind with the solemnity of approach to
God and to emphasize the fact that man as a sinner has no right of access save
as he approaches through sacrifice. It is significant that when the priest
entered the Holiest of all he did not wear his gorgeous apparel, but was clothed
in a garment of simple and pure white linen. Careful instructions, moreover,
were given as to the attitude of the people on that day. They were to rest and
afflict their souls, which means that the day must be observed as one of solemn
fasting and humiliation in which they would remind themselves of the fact of
their sin or the provision made for their cleansing and of the consequent right
of approach to God in worship.
*Commentary: David Guzik – Study Guide to Leviticus*
Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the LORD and the other lot for the scapegoat: One goat was for the LORD and would be sacrificed as a sin offering and one goat would be the scapegoat and would be released to the wilderness. Each goat had an important role on the Day of Atonement.
The scapegoat was literally the "escape goat." It escaped death and went into the wilderness. Scapegoat translates the Hebrew word azazel. "The meaning of this word is far from certain … The word may perhaps signify 'removal' or 'dismissal' … Probably the best explanation is that the word was a rare technical term describing 'complete removal.'" (Harrison)
There were elaborate Jewish traditions
about Azazel, saying he was a demonic being that the Messiah would defeat. More
likely, azazel simply refered to this goat's function of symbolically removing
sin from Israel.
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