Festivals & practices
Scapegoat
The live goat sent into the wilderness during the Day of Atonement rite.
Also called · goat for Azazel
What it means
Lots distinguish two goats on the Day of Atonement, and one is sacrificed as a sin offering. After making atonement for the Holy Place, tent, and altar, Aaron places both hands on the live goat and confesses Israel’s sins. A designated man leads it into the wilderness and releases it in a solitary place.
How it appears in the Bible
The World English Bible uses scapegoat in Leviticus 16:8–10. The Hebrew word behind this rendering is Azazel, whose precise meaning is debated. It should not be presented as a certainly identified place or being.