Leviticus 16:2

¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;

And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

³ Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.

⁴ He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: And the LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron not to enter freely into the Most Holy Place behind the veil in front of the mercy seat on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.
KJV: And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
WEB: and the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Most Holy Place within the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark; lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat.
ASV: and Jehovah said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat.
DARBY: and Jehovah said to Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the sanctuary inside the veil before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark, that he die not; for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat.
BLB: And YHWH said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron your brother, and he shall not come in at any time to the Holy Place inside the veil before the face of the mercy seat that [is] on the ark, and he will not die. For in the cloud I appear above the mercy seat.

ÅB: Og Herren sa til Moses: Tal til Aron, din bror, og si at han ikke til enhver tid må gå inn i helligdommen innenfor forhenget, fram til nådestolen som er over arken, for at han ikke skal dø; for jeg vil åpenbare meg i skyen over nådestolen.
OTB: Herren sa til Moses: «Si til din bror Aron at han ikke må gå inn i helligdommen innenfor forhenget, foran soningslokket på arken, når som helst han vil, for da vil han dø; for jeg vil vise meg i skyen over soningslokket.
B1930: Og Herren sa til Moses: Tal til Aron, din bror, og si at han ikke til enhver tid må gå inn i helligdommen innenfor forhenget, frem til nådestolen som er over arken, forat han ikke skal dø; for jeg vil åpenbare mig i skyen over nådestolen.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Exodus 30:10
And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.
Read in context
1 Kings 8:10–12
And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
Read in context
Hebrews 10:19–20
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Read in context
Hebrews 9:25
Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
Read in context
Hebrews 9:7–8
But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
Read in context
1 Kings 8:6
And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.
Read in context
2 Chronicles 5:14
So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
Read in context
Matthew 27:51
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Read in context