Imputed Sin

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Chapter 16 deals with "imputed sin". Back in chapter 10, Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, offered "unholy fire" unto the Lord and they died. Here the Lord tells Moses to tell Aaron that the priests had to observe certain rituals and statutes as commanded otherwise they to would end up like Nadab and Abihu; however, they were not to be afraid of the Lord. The sins of the two sons would not be "imputed" upon the others, but they must follow the procedure commanded by the Lord, for atonement for himself and his family. This is described as follows:

Aaron was to bath his body, dress in his holy garments, offer a bull for a Sin Offering and a ram for a Burnt Offering.
Then he was to take 2 male goats and 1 ram for the congregation. Only one of the goats would be sacrificed. To determine which one, lots would be cast. Thus one would be sacrificed unto the Lord and one would be "Azazel". Azazel was a character in ancient folklore. He was the "scapegoat" that took upon himself the sins of the people. Here the goat took upon himself the sins of the congregation and was usually taken out into the wilderness to a cliff and tossed over. Its death-symbolized atonement for the people. (Death by proxy). Here its death rid all responsibility from the Priests for the sins of Aaron's two sons and brought atonement to the sanctuary and the people.

This observance later became known as the Day of Atonement or "Yon Kippurim", the 10^th of Tishri or the 14^th of September. It became the only day that the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies.
So Aaron was to sacrifice the bull as a Sin Offering for himself, sacrifice one goat as a Sin Offering for the people and put upon the second goat the sins of the people and send it away into the wilderness to die. Thus the Day of Atonement was established. On that day no work was to be done and the people were to examine themselves and accept the atonement offered by the Lord.

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