16:3 “This is the procedure for Aaron when he enters the Holy Place: He will bring a young bull for an Absolution-Offering and a ram for a Whole-Burnt-Offering;4 he will put on the holy linen tunic and the linen underwear, tie the linen sash around him, and put on the linen turban. These are the sacred vestments so he must bathe himself with water before he puts them on.5 Then from the Israelite community he will bring two male goats for an Absolution-Offering and a Whole-Burnt-Offering.6 “Aaron will offer the bull for his own Absolution-Offering in order to make atonement for himself and his household.7 Then he will set the two goats before God at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting8 and cast lots over the two goats, one lot for God and the other lot for Azazel.9 He will offer the goat on which the lot to God falls as an Absolution-Offering.10 The goat on which the lot for Azazel falls will be sent out into the wilderness to Azazel to make atonement............ 29 “This is standard practice for you, a perpetual ordinance. On the tenth day of the seventh month, both the citizen and the foreigner living with you are to enter into a solemn fast and refrain from all work,30 because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. In the presence of God you will be made clean of all your sins.31 It is a Sabbath of all Sabbaths. You must fast. It is a perpetual ordinance.
17:10 “If any Israelite or foreigner living among them eats blood, I will disown that person and cut him off from his people,11 for the life of an animal is in the blood. I have provided the blood for you to make atonement for your lives on the Altar; it is the blood, the life, that makes atonement.12 That’s why I tell the People of Israel, ‘Don’t eat blood.’ The same goes for the foreigner who lives among you, ‘Don’t eat blood.’
Observations -This section caused me to do a little research into Azazel. I don't ever remember seeing this before, so I went to compare translations.
NKJV: 8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. NIV: 8 He is to cast lots for the two goats—one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat.t9 Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering.10 But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat. AMP: 8 Aaron shall cast lots on the two goats--one lot for the Lord, the other lot for Azazel or removal.9 And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord’s lot fell and offer him as a sin offering.10 But the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel or removal shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over him, that he may be let go into the wilderness for Azazel (for dismissal). ESV: 8 And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel.t9 And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord and use it as a sin offering,10 but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel.
And because I have to know more, I Googled it. Wikipedia says that traditionally, a "scapegoat" is released into the wilderness on Yom Kippur & at Jewish weddings. However, it went on to talk about the giants & Enoch & the Dead Sea Scrolls. I have had a fascination with these giants & the Nephelim since I found the passage in Genesis 6 several years ago. I need to know more!! So now, you get to know more, too. :)
Dead Sea Scrolls and 1 Enoch
In the Dead Sea Scrolls the name Azazel occurs in the line 6 of 4Q203, the Book of the Giants. This is a part of the Enochic literature about fallen angels found at Qumran.[17]
According to the Book of Enoch, which brings Azazel into connection with the Biblical story of the fall of the angels, located on Mount Hermon, a gathering-place of demons from of old (Enoch xiii.; compare Brandt, "Mandäische Theologie," 1889, p. 38). Azazel is represented in the Book of Enoch as one of the leaders of the rebellious Watchers in the time preceding the flood; he taught men the art of warfare, of making swords, knives, shields, and coats of mail, and women the art of deception by ornamenting the body, dying the hair, and painting the face and the eyebrows, and also revealed to the people the secrets of witchcraft and corrupted their manners, leading them into wickedness and impurity; until at last he was, at the Lord's command, bound hand and foot by the archangel Raphael and chained to the rough and jagged rocks of [Ha] Duduael (= Beth Ḥadudo), where he is to abide in utter darkness until the great Day of Judgment, when he will be cast into the fire to be consumed forever (Enoch viii. 1, ix. 6, x. 4-6, liv. 5, lxxxviii. 1; see Geiger, "Jüd. Zeit." 1864, pp. 196–204).
| “ | The whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azazel: to him ascribe all sin. | ” |
— 1 Enoch 10:8 |
According to 1 Enoch (a book of the Apocrypha), Azazel (here spelled ‘ăzā’zyēl) was one of the chief Grigori, a group of fallen angels who married women. This same story (without any mention of Azazel) is told in Genesis 6:2-4:
- That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. […] There were giants in the earth in those days; and also afterward, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
1 Enoch portrays Azazel as responsible for teaching people to make weapons and cosmetics, for which he was cast out of heaven. 1 Enoch 8:1-3a reads:
- And Azazel taught men to make swords and knives and shields and breastplates; and made known to them the metals [of the earth] and the art of working them; and bracelets and ornaments; and the use of antimony and the beautifying of the eyelids; and all kinds of costly stones and all colouring tinctures. And there arose much godlessness, and they committed fornication, and they were led astray and became corrupt in all their ways.
The corruption brought on by Azazel and the Grigori degrades the human race, and the four archangels (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel) “saw much blood being shed upon the earth and all lawlessness being wrought upon the earth […] The souls of men [made] their suit, saying, "Bring our cause before the Most High; […] Thou seest what Azazel hath done, who hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were in heaven, which men were striving to learn."
God sees the sin brought about by Azazel and has Raphael “bind Azazel hand and foot and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert — which is in Dudael — and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there forever, and cover his face that he may not see light.”
Several scholars have previously discerned that some details of Azazel's punishment are reminiscent of the scapegoat ritual. Thus, Lester Grabbe points to a number of parallels between the Azazel narrative in 1 Enoch and the wording of Leviticus 16, including “the similarity of the names Asael and Azazel; the punishment in the desert; the placing of sin on Asael/Azazel; the resultant healing of the land.” [18] Daniel Stökl also observes that “the punishment of the demon resembles the treatment of the goat in aspects of geography, action, time and purpose.” .”[19] Thus, the place of Asael’s punishment designated in 1 Enoch as Dudael is reminiscent of the rabbinic terminology used for the designation of the ravine of the scapegoat in later rabbinic interpretations of the Yom Kippur ritual. Stökl remarks that “the name of place of judgment (Dudael) is conspicuously similar in both traditions and can likely be traced to a common origin.”[20]
Azazel's fate is foretold near the end of 1 Enoch 2:8, where God says, “On the day of the great judgement he shall be cast into the fire. […] The whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azazel: to him ascribe all sin."
Azazel in Rabbinic sources
The story of Azazel as the seducer of men and women was also familiar to some rabbis, as may be learned from Tanna d. b. R. Yishma'el: "The Azazel goat was to atone for the wicked deeds of 'Uzza and 'Azzael, the leaders of the rebellious hosts in the time of Enoch" (Yoma 67b)
Origen ("Contra Celsum," vi. 43) identifies Azazel with Satan. Origen was an early African Christian scholar AD 185-254
Applications - What I got from this passage was again, everything requires a sacrifice. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, but we have to make sacrifices every day. We sacrifice of ourselves for others, of our time for God, of our paychecks for our tithe to Him. It's not for my glory or recognition that I do these things, but to bring glory & honor to God Almighty. His is the source of life. Without His grace, I would be an empty vessel.
Prayer - Fill me, Lord! Fill me with Your Spirit that I might bring You glory every day. Amen.
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