Leviticus 16:14

And he is to take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the east side of the mercy seat; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the mercy seat.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God instructs Aaron to perform a specific ritual action inside the Most Holy Place during the Day of Atonement. The priest executes this step immediately after placing incense on the fire to form a cloud over the atonement cover.

The words — The verb וְ/הִזָּ֧ה (ve./hi.Zah) means to spatter or sprinkle in a deliberate motion. It acts upon מִ/דַּ֣ם (mi./Dam) the blood of the bull, which is directed toward the face of the atonement cover.

The thread — This handling of bull blood appears earlier in Leviticus 4:5 when the anointed priest prepares for a sin offering. The New Testament later references this same ritual pattern in Hebrews 9:13 and 9:25 to describe ceremonial sprinkling and heavenly service.

Why it lands — The text commands the priest to take bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the east side of the mercy seat, then repeat the action seven times before it. It requires the reader to recognize that sacred procedure demands exact repetition and physical precision rather than symbolic improvisation.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְלָקַח֙ve./la.Kachand/ he will take מִדַּ֣םmi./Damsome of/ [the] blood of הַפָּ֔רha./Parthe/ bull וְהִזָּ֧הve./hi.Zahand/ he will spatter [it]בְאֶצְבָּע֛וֹve./'etz.ba.'/Owith/ finger/ his עַל־'al-on פְּנֵ֥יpe.Nei[the] face of הַכַּפֹּ֖רֶתha./ka.Po.retthe/ atonement cover קֵ֑דְמָהKe.de.ma/heast/ -ward וְלִפְנֵ֣יve./li/f.Neiand/ <to>/ before הַכַּפֹּ֗רֶתha./ka.Po.retthe/ atonement cover יַזֶּ֧הya.Zehhe will spatter שֶֽׁבַע־she.va'-seven פְּעָמִ֛יםpe.'a.Mimtimes מִן־min-some of הַדָּ֖םha./Damthe/ blood בְּאֶצְבָּעֽוֹ׃be./'etz.ba.'/Owith/ finger/ his

King James Version

And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

Cross-references

Leviticus 4:5 Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood and bring it into the Tent of Meeting.
Hebrews 9:25 Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
Hebrews 9:13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean,
Leviticus 4:17 and he is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the veil.
Leviticus 8:11 He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them.
Hebrews 9:7 But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
Hebrews 10:4 because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Romans 3:24 and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 10:10 And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,