42 Bible Verses about Atonement, in OT

And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the laws. And all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words which the LORD hath said, will we do."

Thou hast set up the LORD this day to be thy God and to walk in his ways and to keep his ordinances, his commandments and his laws, and to hearken unto his voice.

And the people answered Joshua, "The LORD our God we will serve and his voice we will obey."

And Moses said unto Aaron, "Go unto the altar and offer thy sin offering, and make an atonement for thee and for the people: and then offer the offering of the people and reconcile them also, as the LORD commanded Moses."

"'If the whole commonalty of the children of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from their eyes: so that they have committed any of these things which the LORD hath forbidden to be done in his commandments and have offended, and the sin which they have sinned be afterward known, then shall they offer an ox for a sin offering and shall bring him before the tabernacle of witness,

If ye oversee yourselves and observe not all these commandments which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses, and all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the first day forward that the LORD commanded among your generation: when ought is committed ignorantly before the eyes of the congregation, then all the multitude shall offer a calf for a burnt offering to be a sweet savour unto the LORD, and the meat offering and the drink offering thereto, according to the manner: and a he-goat for a sin offering.read more.
And the priest shall make an atonement for all the multitude of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them, for it was ignorance. And they shall bring their gifts unto the offering of the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD for their ignorance. And it shall be forgiven unto all the multitude of the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that dwelleth among you: for the ignorance pertaineth unto all the people.

"'When a man lieth with a woman and hath to do with her, which is a bondwoman and hath been meddled withal of another man; but not loosed out nor hath obtained freedom, it shall be punished: but they shall not suffer death, because she was not free. And he shall bring for his trespass offering unto the LORD, even unto the door of the tabernacle of witness: a ram for a trespass offering. And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD, for his sin which he hath done: and it shall be forgiven him, as concerning the sin which he hath done.

And the LORD talked with Moses, saying, "When a soul sinneth and trespasseth against the LORD, and denied unto his neighbour that which was taken him to keep, or that was put under his hand, or that which he hath violently taken away, or that which he hath deceived his neighbour of with subtlety, or hath found that which was lost and denieth it, and sweareth falsely, in whatsoever thing it be that a man doth and sinneth therein;read more.
Then when he hath sinned or trespassed, he shall restore again that he took violently away, or the wrong which he did, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, or whatsoever it be about which he hath sworn falsely, he shall restore it again in the whole sum, and shall add the fifth part more thereto and give it unto him to whom it pertaineth, the same day that he offereth for his trespass, and shall bring for his trespass offering unto the LORD: a ram without blemish out of the flock, that is esteemed worth a trespass offering unto the priest. And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD, and it shall be forgiven him in whatsoever thing it be that a man doth and trespasseth therein."

"'And the soul that doth ought presumptuously, whether he be an Israelite or a stranger, the same hath despised the LORD. And that soul shall be destroyed from among his people, because he hath despised the word of the LORD and hath broken his commandments, that soul therefore shall perish and his sin shall be upon him.'"

"'And see that ye pollute not the land which ye are in, for blood defileth the land. And the land can none otherwise be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of it that shed it.

And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the wickedness of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering, while the world standeth."

And this shall be an everlasting ordinance unto you to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year." And it was done even as the LORD commanded Moses.

And Aaron shall reconcile his horns once in a year, with the blood of the sin offering of reconciling: even once in the year shall he reconcile it through your generations. And so is it most holy unto the LORD."

And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they had offered before the LORD and died. And he said unto Moses, "Speak unto Aaron thy brother that he go not at all times into the holy place, that is within the veil that hangeth before the mercy seat which is upon the ark; that he die not. For I will appear in a cloud upon the mercy seat. But of this manner shall Aaron go in into the holy place: with a young ox for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.read more.
And he shall put the holy linen alb upon him, and shall have a linen breech upon his flesh, and shall gird him with a linen girdle, and put the linen mitre upon his head: for they are holy raiments. And he shall wash his flesh with water, and put them on. And he shall take of the multitude of the children of Israel two goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. "And Aaron shall offer the ox for his sin offering and make an atonement for him and for his house. And he shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD in the door of the tabernacle of witness. And Aaron cast lots over the two goats: one lot for the LORD, and another for a scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat on which the lot fell to scape, he shall set alive before the LORD; to reconcile with and to let him go free into the wilderness. And Aaron shall bring the ox of his sin offering, and reconcile for himself and for his household, and kill him. "And then he shall take a censer full of burning coals out of the altar that is before the LORD, and his handful of sweet cense beaten small, and bring them within the veil, and put the cense upon the fire before the LORD: that the cloud of the cense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the witness, that he die not. And he shall take of the blood of the ox and sprinkle it with his finger before the mercy seat eastward: even seven times. Then shall he kill the goat that is the people's sin offering, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with his blood as he did with the blood of the ox, and let him sprinkle it toward the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: and reconcile the holy place from the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and from their trespasses and all their sins. And so let him do also unto the tabernacle of witness that dwelleth with them, even among their uncleannesses. "And there shall be nobody in the tabernacle of witness, when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out again. And he shall make an atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the multitude of Israel. Then he shall go out unto the altar that standeth before the LORD, and reconcile it, and shall take of the blood of the ox and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about, and sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleannesses of the children of Israel. And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place and the tabernacle of witness and the altar, let him bring the live goat and let Aaron put both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the misdeeds of the children of Israel, and all their trespasses, and all their sins: and let him put them upon the head of the goat and send him away by the hands of one that is acquainted in the wilderness. And the goat shall bear upon him all their misdeeds unto the wilderness, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness. "And let Aaron go in to the tabernacle of witness and put off the linen clothes which he put on when he went in into the holy place, and leave them there. And let him wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his own raiment, and then come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself and for the people; and the fat of the sin offering let him burn upon the altar. And let him that carried forth the scapegoat wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water, and then come into the host again. "And the ox of the sin offering and the goat of the sin offering - whose blood was brought in to make an atonement in the holy place - let one carry out without the host and burn with fire: both their skins, their flesh and their dung. And let him that burneth them, wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water, and then come into the host again. "And it shall be an ordinance forever unto you. And even in the tenth day of the seventh month, ye shall humble your souls and shall do no work at all: whether it be one of yourselves or a stranger that sojourneth among you, for that day shall an atonement be made for you to cleanse you from all your sins before the LORD, and ye shall be clean. It shall be a Sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall humble your souls, and it shall be an ordinance forever. And the priest that is anointed and whose hand was filled to minister in his father's stead, shall make the atonement and shall put on the holy linen vestments, and reconcile the holy sanctuary and the tabernacle of witness and the altar, and shall make an atonement also for the priests and for all the people of the congregation.

But into the second went the high priest alone, once every year: and not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the ignorance of the people.

"And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold, two cubits and a half long and a cubit and a half broad. And make two cherubims of thick gold on the two ends of the mercy seat; and set the one cherub on the one end and the other on the other end of the mercy seat: so see that thou make them on the two ends thereof.read more.
And the cherubims shall stretch their wings abroad over on high, and cover the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another: even to the mercy seat ward, shall the faces of the cherubims be. And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark, and in the ark thou shalt put the witness which I will give thee. "There I will meet thee and will commune with thee from upon the mercy seat from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of witness, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

And thou shalt put it before the veil that hangeth before the ark of witness, and before the mercy seat that is before the witness, where I will meet thee.

And he said unto Moses, "Speak unto Aaron thy brother that he go not at all times into the holy place, that is within the veil that hangeth before the mercy seat which is upon the ark; that he die not. For I will appear in a cloud upon the mercy seat.

And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of witness to speak with him, he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of witness: even from between the two cherubims he spake unto him.

for the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it unto you upon the altar, to make an atonement for your souls, for blood shall make an atonement for the soul.

And almost all things are, by the law, purged with blood, and without shedding of blood, is no remission.

And I will sanctify the tabernacle of witness and the altar: and I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons to be my priests.

And he brought the other ram that was the full offering, and Aaron and his sons put their hands upon the head of the ram: And when it was slain, Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. Then were Aaron's sons brought, and Moses put of the blood on the tip of the right ear of them, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet, and sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.read more.
And he took the fat and the rump and all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat and their right shoulder. And out of the basket of sweet bread that was before the LORD, he took one sweet cake of oiled bread and one wafer, and put them on the fat and upon the right shoulder, and put altogether upon Aaron's hands and upon his sons' hands, and waved it a wave offering before the LORD. And then Moses took them from off their hands again, and burnt them upon the altar, even upon the burnt offering: These are the full offerings of a sweet savour and a sacrifice unto the LORD. And Moses took the breast and waved it a wave offering before the LORD, of the ram of the full offerings: and it was Moses' part, as the LORD commanded Moses. And Moses took of the anointing oil and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron and upon his vestments and upon his sons and on their vestments with him, and sanctified Aaron and his vestures and his sons and his sons' vestures also.

For every high priest that is taken from among men is ordained for men, in things pertaining to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins: which can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the high way, because that he himself also is compassed with infirmity: For the which infirmities sake, he is bound to offer for sins, as well for his own part, as for the peoples.

And Aaron went unto the altar, and slew the calf that was his sin offering. And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and put it upon the horns of the altar, and poured the blood unto the bottom of the altar. And the fat and the two kidneys with the caul of the liver of the sin offering, he burnt upon the altar, as the LORD commanded Moses:read more.
but the flesh and the hide, he burnt with fire without the host.

For every high priest that is taken from among men is ordained for men, in things pertaining to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins:

And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave thereon, as signets are graven, 'The holiness of the LORD,' and put it on a lace of Jacincth and tie it unto the mitre, upon the forefront of it, that it be upon Aaron's forehead: that Aaron bear the sin of the holy things which the children of Israel have hallowed in all their holy gifts. And it shall be always upon Aaron's forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

And Moses sought for the goat that was the sin offering, and see, it was burnt. And he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar the sons of Aaron, which were left alive, saying, "Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy: and forasmuch as it is given you to bear the sin of the people, and make agreement for them before the LORD?

which shall offer them before the LORD, and make an atonement for her, and so she shall be purged of her issue of blood. This is the law of her that hath borne a child, whether it be male or female. But and if she be not able to bring a sheep, then let her bring two turtles or two young pigeons: the one for the burnt offering, and the other for the sin offering. And the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.'"

And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest's hand, he shall pour upon the head of him that is cleansed: and so shall be priest make an atonement for him before the LORD. "Then let the priest offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is cleansed for his uncleanness. And then let the burnt offering be slain, and let the priest put both the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar; and make an atonement for him, and then he shall be clean.read more.
If he be poor and can not get so much, then let him bring one lamb for a trespass offering to wave it and to make an atonement for him, and a tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil, and two turtle doves or two young pigeons which he is able to get, and let the one be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering.

And the priest shall offer them: the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering: and make an atonement for him before the LORD, as concerning his issue.

and a he-goat for a sin offering to make an atonement for you.

And a he-goat for a sin offering to make an atonement for you,

The more they increased in multitude, the more they sinned against me, therefore will I change their honour into shame. They eat up the sins of my people, and courage them in their wickedness.

But the sons of Eli were unthrifty children, and knew not the LORD. For the manner of the priests with the people was: whensoever any man offered any offerings, the priest's lad came, while the flesh was in seething, and a flesh hook with three teeth in his hand; and thrust it into the pan, kettle, cauldron or pot. And all that the flesh hook brought up the priest took away. And so they did unto all Israel that came thither to Shiloh.read more.
Yea, and thereto before they had offered the fat, the priest's lad came and said to the man that offered, "Give flesh to roast for the priest, for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw." And if any man said unto him, "Let the fat be offered according to the day, and then take as much as thine heart desireth." The lad would answer him, "Thou shalt give it me now, or else I will take it with violence." And the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD. For they despised the people, and also the offering of the LORD.

"For from the least unto the most, they hang all upon covetousness: and from the prophet unto the priest, they go all about with falsity and lies. And beside that, they heal the hurt of my people with sweet words, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace at all.

Thy priests break my law, and defile my Sanctuary. They put no difference between the holy and unholy, neither discern between the clean and unclean: they turn their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am unhallowed among them.

"Should not a son honour his father, and a servant his master? If I be now a father, where is mine honour? If I be the LORD, where am I feared? sayeth the LORD of Hosts, now, to you priests that despise my name. And if ye say, 'Wherein have we despised thy name?' In this: that ye offer unclean bread upon mine altar. And if ye will say, 'Wherein have we offered any unclean thing unto thee?' In this that ye say: the altar of the LORD is not to be regarded. If ye offer the blind, is not that evil? And if ye offer the lame and sick, is not that evil? Yea offer it unto thy prince: shall he be content with thee, or accept thy person, sayeth the LORD of Hosts?

Ephraim hath made many altars to do wickedness, therefore shall the altars turn to his sin. Though I show them my law never so much, they count it but strange doctrine. Whereas they do sacrifice, offering the flesh and eating it, the LORD will have no pleasure therein: but will remember their wickedness, and punish their sins. Israel turneth again into Egypt:

Hear the word of the LORD, ye tyrants of Sodom, and hearken unto the law of our God, thou people of Gomorrah. Why offer ye so many sacrifices unto me, sayeth the LORD? I am full of the burnt offerings of weathers, and with the fatness of fed beasts. I have no pleasure in the blood of bullocks, lambs, and goats. When ye appear before me, who requireth this of you to tread within my porches?read more.
Offer me no more oblations, for it is but lost labour. I abhor your incense. I may not away with your new moons, your Sabbaths and solemn days. Your fastings are also in vain. I hate your new holidays and fastings, even from my very heart. I cannot away with such vanity and holding in of the people. They lay upon me as a burden, and I am weary of bearing them! When ye hold out your hands, I will turn my eyes from you. And though ye make many prayers, yet will I hear nothing at all; for your hands are full of blood. Thus saith the LORD God: Wash and be clean; put away the wickedness of your imaginations out of my sight. Cease to do evil and learn to do well. Study to do righteously, and help the oppressed. Avenge the fatherless and defend the cause of widows. Come, let us show each his grief to other and make an atonement, saith the LORD.

For whoso slayeth an ox for me, doth me so great dishonour, as he that killeth a man. He that killeth a sheep for me, choketh a dog. He that bringeth me meat offerings, offereth swine's blood. Who so maketh me a memorial of incense, praiseth the thing that is unright. Yet take they such ways in hand, and their soul delighteth in these abominations.

Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, "Yea, heap up your burnt offerings with your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. But when I brought your fathers out of Egypt, I spake no word unto them of burnt offerings and sacrifices: but this I commanded them, saying, 'Hearken and obey my voice, and I shall be your God, and ye shall be my people: so that ye walk in all the ways, which I have commanded you, that ye may prosper.'read more.
But they were not obedient. They inclined not their ears thereunto, but went after their own imaginations and after the motions of their own wicked heart: and so turned themselves away, and converted not unto me.