Azazel, Not “Scapegoat”: What Leviticus 16 Really Says and Why It Matters. Words shape theology. Call the live goat in Leviticus 16 a “scapegoat,” and you’ll imagine a patsy punished for everyone else’s crimes. But the Bible’s Hebrew points another direction: Azazel (עֲזָאזֵל). This isn’t about blaming an innocent animal; it’s about God removing defilement from His people and banishing it from His camp.

The Day of Atonement: Scapegoat, Azazel, and the Blood that Covers Sin. After the shocking deaths of Nadab and Abihu, God gave Israel a way to live with His holiness without dying. Leviticus 16 introduces the Day of Atonement—Yom Kippur—a once-a-year reset for the nation’s sin. Far from an obscure ritual, it foreshadows Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice and the final removal of sin.