Who Was Azazel in the Bible?

Who Was Azazel in the Bible?

Azazel appears in the ritual of the Day of Atonement as the symbolic recipient of Israel’s sins carried by the scapegoat.

Leviticus 16:8-10 describes the High Priest Aaron casting lots for two goats: one sacrificed to the Lord, and the other, designated for Azazel, sent alive into the wilderness. This act signified the transfer of the people’s confessed sins to the goat, which bore them away as a means of purification. The text emphasizes that this goat was not sacrificed but released, symbolically carrying sin out of the community.

The name Azazel may imply a place of departure or a symbolic entity representing the removal of sin. This ritual underscores the biblical theme of atonement through separation from sin, though its precise theological interpretation remains a subject of scholarly discussion.

The Scapegoat Ritual and Azazel

The ritual of the scapegoat, central to the Day of Atonement, involved a dual-goat ceremony to symbolically atone for Israel’s sins.

Leviticus 16:8-10 describes the High Priest casting lots to determine one goat for the Lord (sacrificed) and another for Azazel. The priest then confessed Israel’s sins over the Azazel goat, transferring their guilt to the animal before sending it into the wilderness. This act emphasized sin’s removal from the community through symbolic delegation.

The two-goat system distinguished between sacrifice and purification: one goat atoned through death, while the other carried sins away alive. Though the precise meaning of 'Azazel' remains debated, the ritual underscored the biblical principle of separating sin from the people to restore holiness.

Was Azazel a Place or a Being?

Scholars debate whether Azazel in Leviticus 16:8-10 represents a symbolic name, a demonic entity, or a geographic location beyond the Israelite settlement.

The Hebrew term may mean 'rocky place' or 'complete removal,' suggesting a symbolic role in the scapegoat ritual rather than a literal being. While some ancient texts later linked Azazel to a fallen angel, the biblical text itself remains neutral, focusing on the ritual's function to carry sin away from the community.

What We Can Learn From Azazel

Leviticus 16's scapegoat ritual foreshadows Christ's redemptive work, showing how sin is transferred and removed.

In Leviticus 16:8-10, the High Priest symbolically transferred Israel’s confessed sins to the Azazel goat, which bore them away into the wilderness - a foreshadowing of how Jesus, through His sacrifice, permanently carries humanity’s sins. The ritual required a substitutionary death (the first goat) and a sin-bearing exile (the second), and Christ's crucifixion fulfilled both roles by dying for our sins and removing their power. The text emphasizes that sin cannot coexist with God’s holiness, a truth made complete in Christ’s atonement. By examining this ritual, we see how Scripture progressively reveals a Savior who not only absorbs guilt but eradicates it, offering lasting redemption.