Cleanse, consecrate, atone

Jay Sklar of Covenant Seminary carefully examined the uses of various terms for cleansing, consecrating, and atonement, particularly aiming to distinguish “atone” (Heb kpr) from the others. He took aim particularly at Milgrom’s claim that kipper “means purge and nothing else,” and is synonymous with other terms for purging.

Against Milgrom, Sklar examined passages that use these various verbs to determine their similarities and differences. Gramatically, Sklar noted that in both purification and consecration passages, kpr is never used in the reflexive hitpael aspect (no one is self-kippering) and very rarely takes a direct object. In terms of ritual, he noted that kpr always requires blood – it is never achieved by washing, anointing, laundering, or shaving, but only by sacrifice.

Why? “Atonement” is required, he says, in contexts of major impurities, which place Israel or the impure person in extreme danger. In these contexts, blood is required not only to cleanse but to rescue the sinner from the wrath of Yahweh. Thus, against Milgrom, he argues that krp means both “purge” and “ransom,” both expiation and propitiation.