¹³ The high priest is in the courtyard of the tabernacle. Having washed himself at the basin of water, he slaughters a bull for sacrifice. The bull’s blood is poured into a bowl; it will be used in a special way to atone for the sins of the priestly tribe of Levi. (Leviticus 16:4, 6, 11) But before going any further with the sacrifice, there is something the high priest must do. He takes perfumed incense (likely putting it in a ladle) and burning coals from the altar in a fire holder. He now enters the Holy and walks toward the curtain of the Most Holy. He slowly passes around the curtain and stands before the ark of the covenant. Next, out of the view of any other human, he pours incense onto the fiery coals, and the Most Holy is filled with a sweet-smelling cloud.—Leviticus 16:12, 13.

The high priest goes out of the Holy of Holies, takes the bull’s blood, and enters the Most Holy again. As commanded in the Law, he dips his finger into the blood and spatters it seven times before the cover of the Ark. (Leviticus 16:14) Next he goes back to the courtyard and slaughters a goat, which is a sin offering “for the people.” He brings some of the goat’s blood into the Most Holy and does with it the same as he did with the bull’s blood. (Leviticus 16:15) Other important services also took place on the Day of Atonement. For example, the high priest had to lay his hands on the head of a second goat and confess over it “the errors of the sons of Israel.”