Common misinterpretations of this verse include dismissing the scapegoat ritual as primitive superstition or animal cruelty without recognizing its symbolic role in expelling sin from the community, or allegorizing it loosely as a direct reference to Jesus while ignoring the precise sequence of atonement for sanctuary before people; others erroneously apply it legalistically to modern worship practices, overlooking that these temporary ordinances foreshadowed Christ's once-for-all sacrifice that perfectly accomplishes what the shadows anticipated.
Leviticus 16:20
King James Version (1769)
20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:
Leviticus 16:20 marks the transition in the Day of Atonement ritual after the high priest has purified the holy place, tabernacle, and altar with sacrificial blood, restoring their sanctity from defilement by Israel's sins; the core truth is God's methodical provision for holiness, first cleansing the sacred spaces where He dwells among His people, then preparing to address communal guilt through the live goat, symbolizing the complete removal of sin and reconciliation between a holy God and His sinful nation.