Albert Barnes Commentary Hebrews 9:7

"but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offereth for himself, and for the errors of the people:" — Hebrews 9:7 (ASV)

But into the second. The second compartment or room, called the Most Holy Place (Hebrews 9:3).

Went the High Priest alone once every year. This was on the great Day of Atonement (Exodus 30:10). On that day, he probably entered the Holy of Holies three or four times: first, to burn incense (Leviticus 16:12); then, to sprinkle the blood of the bullock on the Mercy Seat (Leviticus 16:14); then, he was to kill the goat of the sin offering, bring that blood within the veil, and sprinkle it also on the Mercy Seat; and then, perhaps, he entered again to bring out the golden censer.

The Jewish tradition is that he entered the Holy of Holies four times on that day. After all, however, the number of times is not certain, nor is it material. The only important point is that he entered it only on one day of the year, while the Holy Place was entered every day.

Not without blood. That is, he bore with him blood to sprinkle on the Mercy Seat. This was the blood of the bullock and of the goat, borne in at two different times.

Which he offered for himself. The blood of the bullock was offered for himself and for his house or family, thus keeping impressively before his own mind and the mind of the people the fact that the priests, even of the highest order, were sinners and needed expiation like others (Leviticus 16:11).

And for the errors of the people. The blood of the goat was offered for them (Leviticus 16:15).

The word rendered errors—agnohma—denotes, properly, ignorance, involuntary error; and then error or fault in general—the same as the Hebrew [term] from [root]—to err.

The object was to make expiation for all the error and sins of the people, and this occurred once in the year. The repetition of these sacrifices was a constant remembrance of sin; the design was that neither the priests nor the people should lose sight of the fact that they were violators of the law of God.