What does Azazel mean in Leviticus 16:21–22?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-08

In Leviticus 16:21–22, the Rite of Atonement reaches its climax as the High Priest transfers the sins of the people onto the second goat:

“Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.”

The True Meaning of "Azazel"

The term Azazel (found in the Hebrew text for the "scapegoat") has been the subject of much debate, but within the Coptic Orthodox perspective, we maintain the following:

1. Etymological Meaning: The word is understood by the Septuagint (LXX) translators and the Church Fathers as apopompaios, meaning "the one to be sent away." It is not a reference to a person or a demon to be worshipped or appeased.
2. Against Heretical Views: Various heretics and Jewish apocryphal texts (like the Book of Enoch) suggest Azazel is a fallen angel or a desert demon. The Coptic Orthodox Church rejects any notion that God commanded a sacrifice to be offered to a demon. Such a thought is blasphemous and contradicts the First Commandment. If the goat were for a demon, it would imply a dualistic struggle between God and Satan, whereas we know that God is the Almighty (ⲡⲓⲡⲁⲛⲧⲟⲕⲣⲁⲧⲱⲣ).
3. Typology of the Two Goats: The two goats represent the single mystery of ⲓⲏⲥⲟⲩⲥ ⲡⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ.

• The first goat is slain, representing Christ’s death in the flesh.
• The second goat (the scapegoat) remains alive and is sent away, representing the impassibility of His Divinity and His Resurrection.
• St. Cyril of Alexandria explains that Christ is both the sacrifice and the one who remains alive. The sins are placed on Him, and He carries them away into "the wilderness"—signifying that our sins are removed to a place where they no longer exist and cannot be found.

The Confession (Verse 21)

The laying of hands and the confession of sins over the head of the goat are a direct type of the Sacrament of Confession. In the Coptic Church, the priest lays his hand on the head of the repentant person, but it is Christ who ultimately bears the weight of those sins.

• Contrast with Protestants: While Protestants often claim that the "scapegoat" means Christ took away sin so that we have no further need for liturgical confession or priesthood, the Coptic Orthodox faith sees this as the foundation for the authority given to the Apostles to "bind and loose" sins (John 20:23).

Bearing Iniquity (Verse 22)

The text says the goat shall bear the iniquities to an "uninhabited land" (ⲡⲓⲙⲁ ⲛⲉⲣⲏⲙⲟⲥ—the desert/wilderness). This is a prophetic image of the words of Isaiah: "The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).

The "suitable man" who leads the goat away is seen by some Fathers as a type of the Roman soldiers or those who led Christ to His crucifixion outside the gates of Jerusalem.

Summary

In the Coptic Orthodox faith, Azazel is not a person, a demon, or a fallen angel. It is a term describing the scapegoat, which serves as a powerful symbol of Christ our Savior, who took our sins upon Himself, died in His humanity, remained alive in His Divinity, and completely removed the curse of sin from the human race.