Book of Leviticus

Leviticus
Abbreviation	Lev
Class.	Old Testament
Category	Pentateuch
Chapters	27 chapters
Record Related
Writer	Moses
Date (Approx.)	15th century BC
Location	Mount Sinai

Leviticus, the third book of the Old Testament, serves as a priestly manual that details the laws of offerings made in the tabernacle and the duties of the priests who perform them. It also provides guidance on how the people of Israel are to live holy lives in their daily routines so that they may serve God faithfully and receive His blessings. Leviticus is one of the Pentateuch—the Five Books of Moses—along with Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Writer and Date of Writing of Leviticus

Much of Leviticus focuses on the duties of the Levites and the priests from the tribe of Levi. The writer of Leviticus is Moses. The book opens with the words, “The LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting,” and twenty of its twenty-seven chapters begin with the phrase, “The LORD said to Moses.” Other books of the Bible also confirm Moses as the writer.

Leviticus was written after the completion of the Tabernacle, based on the instructions God gave to Moses at Mount Sinai. Therefore, it was likely written between the first day of the first month of the second year after the Exodus—when the Tabernacle was completed—and the twentieth day of the second month of that same year, when the Israelites set out from Mount Sinai.

Features

• Leviticus uses clear and direct language to instruct both priests and the general people on how to live holy and clean lives. The emphasis on holiness for Israel arises from the fact that the God they serve is holy. • The book strongly emphasizes that God dwells in the Tabernacle. The sacrifices offered at the altar in front of the Tabernacle are described as: rituals performed “before the LORD”, offerings “presented to the LORD”, and burnt offerings that become “a pleasing aroma to the LORD”.

Levites

The term Levites refers to the descendants of Levi, the third son of Jacob. Among them, Aaron—a descendant of Levi’s son Kohath—and his sons were appointed as priests. The remaining descendants of Levi assisted the priests by serving in the tabernacle (and later the temple) and performing various tasks related to atonement for the sins of the people before God. They were also responsible for instructing and guiding the people in the laws of God. Levites who assisted the priests served from the age of twenty-five to fifty.

Because the LORD Himself was their inheritance, the Levites did not receive a territorial allotment when the Israelites entered Canaan. Instead, they were given forty-eight towns—including six cities of refuge—along with surrounding pasturelands from the other tribes, and they received tithes from the people for their livelihood.

For details, refer to: Levites

Structure of Leviticus

Chapters	Content	Category
1–7	Offerings	Laws of Sacrifice
8–10	Duties of the Priests
11–15	Laws on Cleanliness and Purity
16	Regulations for the Day of Atonement
17–20	Rules for a Holy Life	Holiness Code and Festivals
21–22	Priests and Offerings
23–24	The Appointed Feasts of God
25	Sabbath Year and Year of Jubilee
26–27	Blessings for Obedience

Laws of Sacrifice (Chapters 1–16)

Sacrifices (Chapters 1–7)

Under the Law of Moses, several types of sacrifices (offerings) were instituted. With the exception of the grain offering—which used flour or grain—the burnt offering, fellowship offering, sin offering, and guilt offering all involved the sacrifice of animals. The people of Israel were required to prepare these offerings according to detailed instructions and present them to God.

For details, refer to: Sacrifices in the Old Testament

Duties of the Priests (Chapters 8–10)

A priest is one who offers sacrifices in the sanctuary on behalf of the people.

God appointed Aaron and his sons to serve as priests, mediating between Him and the Israelites. God accepted with pleasure the first offering that Aaron presented as priest. However, Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, brought unauthorized fire into the sanctuary—something God had not commanded—and were struck dead as a result, serving as a solemn warning about the sanctity of priestly service.

For details, refer to: Priest

Laws on Cleanliness and Purity (Chapters 11–15)

Unlike in the time of Noah, when all animals could be eaten, the Law of Moses distinguished between clean and unclean animals. Only clean animals were permitted for consumption, while unclean animals were strictly forbidden. Among land animals, those that both had split hooves and chewed the cud were considered clean. Among aquatic creatures, only those with fins and scales were regarded as clean.

Regulations for the Day of Atonement (Chapter 16)
The Day of Atonement was the sacred day when the sins of the Israelites from the entire year were forgiven. On this day, the high priest offered a bull as a sin offering for himself and his family, and a male goat as a sin offering for the people. The high priest alone was permitted to enter the Most Holy Place—and only once a year—to sprinkle the blood of the bull and the goat for atonement.

Additionally, a live goat, known as the scapegoat, was presented before the LORD. The high priest laid his hands on its head, symbolically transferring all the sins and iniquities of the people onto it. The goat was then sent away into the uninhabited wilderness, bearing the sins of Israel.

For details, refer to: Day of Atonement

Holiness Code and Festivals (Chapters 17–27)

Rules for a Holy Life (Chapters 17–20)
God regarded not only certain foods as unclean but also immoral behaviors such as sexual impurity and idolatry. He chose the people of Israel from among all nations and commanded them to follow His laws. God’s desire was for His people to distinguish between what is clean and unclean, to turn away from sin, and to live as a holy nation belonging to Him.

Priests and Offerings (Chapters 21–22)
These chapters expand on the priestly regulations introduced in Chapters 1–9. Priests were required to remain both physically and spiritually pure at all times. When offering sacrifices, they were to present only animals without blemish. After the sacrifices were made, the priests were permitted to eat the most holy portions, such as those from the burnt and grain offerings.

The Appointed Feasts of God (Chapters 23–24)
God established appointed festivals to be observed by His people. These included a weekly festival and annual festivals, which were celebrated once each year according to the sacred year.

• Sabbath: The seventh day of each week
  
• Passover: Evening of the fourteenth day of the first month by the sacred calendar
  
• The Feast of Unleavened Bread: The fifteenth day of the first month by the sacred calendar
  
• Feast of Firstfruits: The day after the Sabbath following the Feast of Unleavened Bread
  
• Feast of Weeks: The day after the seventh Sabbath from the Feast of Firstfruits (the 50th day from the Feast of Firstfruits)
  
• Feast of Trumpets: The first day of the seventh month by the sacred calendar
  
• Day of Atonement: The tenth day of the seventh month by the sacred calendar
  
• Feast of Tabernacles: The fifteenth day of the seventh month by the sacred calendar
  

For details, refer to: The Feasts of God

Sabbath Year and Year of Jubilee (Chapter 25)
The Sabbath Year, observed every seventh year, was a year of rest for the land—no farming, sowing, or harvesting was to be done. After seven cycles of Sabbath Years, the following year—the fiftieth year—was designated as the Year of Jubilee.

During the Year of Jubilee: The land was again given rest, just as in the Sabbath Year; slaves were set free and allowed to return to their families and homeland; those who had sold their ancestral land because of poverty were allowed to reclaim it.

Blessings for Obedience (Chapters 26–27)
God established statutes and commandments for His people and promised abundant blessings, peace, and protection to those who obeyed them. He also gave laws concerning vows and tithes.