Leviticus 16:2

“And the Lord said unto Moses, speak unto Aaron thy brother, etc.] Who was the high priest; and what is here said to him was binding on all high priests in succession from him: that he come not at all times into the holy [place]; or “holiness” f540, which was holiness itself, or the most holy place, as distinguished from that which was sometimes called the holy place, where stood the incense altar, the showbread table, and the candlestick, into which Aaron went every day, morning and evening, to do the service there enjoined him; but into the holy of holies here described, as appears by the after description of it, he might not go at all times, or every day, or when he pleased, only once a…”

“Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, &c.--Common priests went every day into the part of the sanctuary without the veil to burn incense on the golden altar. But none except the high priest was allowed to enter within the veil, and that only once a year with the greatest care and solemnity. This arrangement was evidently designed to inspire a reverence for the most holy place, and the precaution was necessary at a time when the presence of God was indicated by sensible symbols, the impression of which might have been diminished or lost by daily and familiar observation. I will appear in the cloud--that is, the smoke of the incense…”

“The holy place within the vail - See Exodus 26:33-34; Hebrews 9:3. The cloud - Compare Exodus 16:10 note. The mercy seat - See Exodus 25:17 note. return to 'Top of Page'”

“At all times - Not whensoever he pleaseth, but only when I shall appoint him, namely, to take down the parts and furniture of it upon every removal, and to minister unto me once in the year. Lest he die - For his irreverence and presumption. In the cloud - In a bright and glorious cloud, over the mercy - seat, as a token when I would have him come. Leviticus 16:3”

“16:2 An inner curtain separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. Conceptually, the sanctuary was God’s palace, the Most Holy Place was his throne room, and the Ark was his throne (see 1:1). In the ancient Near East, entering the presence of a king without invitation meant risking death (Esth 4:11). The Most Holy Place, therefore, was not a place that Aaron could enter casually. It was off-limits even to the high priest, except when his presence was required by God as part of the ritual of the Day of Atonement.”

“he come not: Lev 23:27; Exo 26:33, Exo 26:34, Exo 30:10, Exo 40:20, Exo 40:21; Kg1 8:6; Heb 9:3, Heb 9:7, Heb 9:8; Heb 10:19, Heb 10:20 that he die not: Lev 16:13, Lev 8:35; Num 4:19, Num 17:10; Mat 27:51; Heb 4:14-16, Heb 10:19 in the cloud: Exo 40:34, Exo 40:35; Kg1 8:10-12; Ch2 5:14 the mercy seat: Exo 25:17-22 Leviticus 16:3”