Bible Book Summaries

Law · Old Testament

Leviticus

c. 1445 BC

Section
Law · Old Testament
Events span
c. 1445 BC
Written
c. 1446–1406 BC
Author
Moses

Leviticus gives Israel the laws for approaching a holy God: the system of sacrifices, the ordination of the priesthood, the Day of Atonement, and a code of clean and holy living. Its refrain is “Be holy, for I am holy.”

Historical setting: Encamped at Mount Sinai, newly freed from Egypt, learning to worship around the tabernacle, centuries before any temple.

Key themes

  • Holiness
  • Atonement and sacrifice
  • Clean and unclean
  • The priesthood
  • God dwelling among his people

Structure & key laws

  • Laws for the five offerings: burnt, grain, peace, sin, and trespass Lev 1–7c. 1445 BC
  • Aaron and his sons are ordained as priests and begin their ministry Lev 8–9c. 1445 BC
  • Nadab and Abihu offer unauthorized fire before the LORD and are struck dead Lev 10c. 1445 BC
  • Laws of clean and unclean foods Lev 11c. 1445 BC
  • Laws for purification, childbirth, skin diseases, and mildew Lev 12–14c. 1445 BC
  • The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur): the high priest and the scapegoat cleanse the nation Lev 16c. 1445 BC
  • The Holiness Code: laws on blood, sexual morality, and "love thy neighbour as thyself" Lev 17–19c. 1445 BC
  • Penalties, priestly regulations, and the appointed feasts of the LORD Lev 20–23c. 1445 BC
  • The sabbatical year, the Jubilee, and blessings and curses; laws on vows and tithes Lev 25–27c. 1445 BC

Key lessons

  • God is holy, and approaching him is never casual; worship is done his way, not ours, as Nadab and Abihu learned at the cost of their lives. Lev 10:1–3
  • Sin brings death, but God provides a substitute: the sacrifices and the scapegoat let a guilty people be cleansed and go free. Lev 16
  • Holiness reaches beyond the altar into everyday life, including how you treat your neighbor: “love thy neighbour as thyself.” Lev 19:18
  • God set Israel apart to be his own and to reflect his character; holiness is less about ritual for its own sake than about belonging wholly to God. Lev 20:26
“Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.”
Leviticus 19:2 KJV
Critical scholarship view

Where mainstream critical scholarship dates or attributes this book differently from the traditional view above.

Written
The Priestly (P) source, compiled after the exile
Author
The Priestly (P) writers, compiled after 586 BC