Leviticus
The book of Leviticus contains instructions from the Lord to Moses on various rituals, sacrifices, and laws for the Israelites. It begins with instructions on how to offer sacrifices, including burnt offerings, peace offerings, and sin offerings, and specifies the procedures for each type of offering. The book also covers laws on cleanliness and uncleanness, including dietary restrictions and purification rituals for individuals and objects. Additionally, it addresses moral laws, such as those related to incest, adultery, and bestiality, and provides instructions on how to handle cases of leprosy and other diseases. The book also sets forth rules for priests, including their duties, responsibilities, and restrictions, and provides instructions on how to observe holy feasts and Sabbaths. Finally, the book concludes with a covenant between the Lord and Israel, promising blessings for obedience and punishments for disobedience.
Chapter 1
The Lord instructs Moses to tell the Israelites that when offering a sacrifice from cattle, it must be an immaculate male, and the person must place their hand on the head of the sacrifice for it to be acceptable. The priests will then slaughter the animal, pour its blood around the altar, and burn its parts as a holocaust. Similar instructions are given for offerings from the flocks, such as sheep or goats, and for birds, such as turtledoves or young pigeons, with specific procedures for each type of offering.
Chapter 2
When offering an oblation to the Lord, it must be made of fine wheat flour, with oil and frankincense, and a portion of it must be burned on the altar as a memorial. The remainder of the sacrifice belongs to the priests. Oblations can be baked in the oven, fried in a pan, or made from parched grain, but they must be made without leaven and seasoned with salt. A portion of each oblation must be burned on the altar as a memorial, and the rest belongs to the priests.
Chapter 3
The Lord instructs that peace offerings from oxen, sheep, or goats must be immaculate and offered at the entrance of the tabernacle. The person offering the sacrifice must place their hand on the head of the animal before it is killed, and the priests will pour the blood around the altar. The fat and certain internal organs are to be burned on the altar as an offering to the Lord, while the rest of the animal can be eaten. A perpetual law is established that neither blood nor fat shall be eaten.
Chapter 4
The Lord instructs Moses on the procedures for atoning for unintentional sins committed by the priest, the entire community, a leader, or an individual. The priest must offer a calf as a sin offering, while the community must offer a calf, and a leader or individual must offer a goat or a female sheep. In each case, the animal is to be slaughtered, its blood is to be sprinkled on the altar, and its fat is to be burned as an offering to the Lord. The priest then prays for forgiveness, and the Lord forgives the sin.
Chapter 5
Those who fail to testify under oath or touch something unclean and forget to purify themselves, or make an oath and forget to fulfill it, must offer a sacrifice to atone for their sin. The sacrifice can be a female lamb or goat, or if they cannot afford that, two turtledoves or pigeons, or a tenth of an ephah of fine wheat flour. If someone transgresses the ceremonies of the Lord's sanctified things, they must offer an immaculate ram and make restitution for the damage, adding a fifth part more. Those who sin through ignorance must also offer a sacrifice, an immaculate ram, to be released from their sin.
Chapter 6
The Lord instructs Moses on the laws for restitution and atonement for various sins, including withholding a deposit, extortion, and false accusations, requiring the offender to restore what was taken and offer a ram as a sin offering. The Lord also gives instructions for the priests on the law of the holocaust, including the perpetual fire on the altar and the proper disposal of ashes. Additionally, the Lord provides laws for the sacrifice of flour and libations, as well as the oblation of Aaron and his sons, and the law of the victim for sin, including the proper handling and consumption of the sin offering.
Chapter 7
The law for the sacrifice of transgression is given, stating that the victim must be slain where the holocaust is immolated, and its blood poured out around the altar. The priest who offers the sacrifice shall burn the rump, fat, kidneys, and liver on the altar, and the flesh shall be eaten by male priests in a holy place. The law also states that the priest who offers the victim of holocaust shall have its skin, and that every sacrifice of fine wheat flour shall be divided equally among the sons of Aaron.
Chapter 8
Moses gathered the assembly at the tabernacle and followed the Lord's instructions to consecrate Aaron and his sons as priests. He washed, vested, and anointed them with oil, then offered a calf for sin and two rams as a holocaust and a consecration of priests. Moses also offered the fat and other parts of the rams on the altar and sprinkled the blood and oil over Aaron and his sons to sanctify them. After completing the consecration, Aaron and his sons were instructed to remain in the tabernacle for seven days to complete their consecration.
Chapter 9
Moses instructed Aaron and the Israelites to offer various sacrifices to the Lord, including a calf for sin, a ram as a holocaust, and a he-goat for sin, as well as peace offerings. Aaron followed Moses' instructions, immolating the calf for his own sin and the he-goat for the people's sin, and then offering the holocaust and peace offerings. After completing the sacrifices, Aaron blessed the people, and Moses and Aaron entered the tabernacle and then came out to bless the people again. The glory of the Lord appeared to the multitude, and a fire from the Lord consumed the holocaust and fat on the altar.
Chapter 10
Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, offered unauthorized fire to the Lord and were consumed by divine fire as a result. Moses instructed Aaron and his remaining sons not to mourn or leave the tabernacle, and also warned them against drinking wine before entering the tabernacle. Moses then instructed Aaron and his sons to eat the remaining sacrifice, but discovered that the sin offering had been burned instead of eaten, prompting him to rebuke Eleazar and Ithamar. However, Aaron explained that he was too grief-stricken to eat the offering, and Moses accepted his explanation.
Chapter 11
The Lord instructs Moses and Aaron to inform the Israelites about the animals they can and cannot eat. Animals that have a divided hoof and chew their cud, such as cattle, are considered clean and can be eaten. However, animals that do not meet these criteria, such as camels, rabbits, hares, and pigs, are considered unclean and should not be eaten. Similar guidelines are given for fish, birds, and insects, with certain species being considered clean or unclean. The Israelites are also instructed on how to handle the carcasses of unclean animals and how to purify themselves if they come into contact with them. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between clean and unclean animals and the need for the Israelites to be holy, just as God is holy.
Chapter 12
A woman who gives birth to a male is unclean for seven days and must remain in purification for 33 days, while a woman who gives birth to a female is unclean for 14 days and must remain in purification for 66 days. After the purification period, she must bring a lamb and a pigeon or turtledove to the priest as an offering for sin and a holocaust. The priest will offer the sacrifices and pray for her, cleansing her from the issue of her blood. If she cannot afford a lamb, she may offer two turtledoves or pigeons instead.
Chapter 13
The Lord provides instructions to Moses and Aaron on how to diagnose and handle leprosy in people and garments. Priests are to examine individuals with skin discolorations or lesions, and if the condition is deemed leprosy, the person is to be isolated and declared unclean. The priest is to re-examine the individual after a period of time, and if the condition has not improved, the person remains unclean. If the condition has improved, the person is declared clean and must wash their clothes. Leprosy in garments is also addressed, with instructions on how to diagnose and handle infected items, including washing, isolating, and potentially burning them.
Chapter 14
The Lord provides instructions for the purification of a leper, which involves a series of rituals including the sacrifice of two sparrows, the shaving of the leper's body, and the application of blood and oil to the leper's ear, thumb, and foot. The rituals are performed over a period of eight days, and the leper is required to remain outside his tent for seven days before being fully restored to the community. The Lord also provides instructions for the purification of a house that has been infected with leprosy, which involves the removal of infected stones, the scraping and replastering of the walls, and the sacrifice of two sparrows to purify the house.
Chapter 15
A man who has a discharge of semen is considered unclean and must wash his clothes and body with water, and anyone who touches him or his belongings must also wash and be unclean until evening. A woman who is menstruating or has a prolonged flow of blood is also considered unclean, and anyone who touches her or her belongings must wash and be unclean until evening. Both the man and woman must offer sacrifices to be cleansed after their period of uncleanness has ended.
Chapter 16
The Lord instructs Moses to tell Aaron that he can only enter the Sanctuary on certain conditions, including offering a calf and ram as sacrifices, wearing specific holy vestments, and following a ritual of atonement for himself and the people. Aaron must also present two he-goats, one to be offered to the Lord and the other to be sent away as an emissary goat, carrying the people's sins into the wilderness. After completing these rituals, Aaron must cleanse the Sanctuary, tabernacle, and altar, and then offer a living goat as a final sacrifice. This ritual of atonement is to be performed once a year, on the tenth day of the seventh month, as a perpetual observance for the cleansing of the people's sins.
Chapter 17
The Lord commands the Israelites to bring all animal sacrifices to the door of the tabernacle to be offered to Him, and to not eat the blood of any animal, as the life of the flesh is in the blood. Those who fail to follow this command will be cut off from their people. The Israelites are also instructed to pour out the blood of any animal they hunt or catch, and to not eat the flesh of an animal that has died on its own or been caught by a beast. Those who eat such flesh must wash themselves and their clothes to be clean.
Chapter 18
The Lord commands the Israelites to follow His laws and judgments, and not to imitate the customs of the Egyptians or the Canaanites. He lists various forms of incest and other immoral acts that are forbidden, including sexual relations with close relatives, neighbors' wives, and animals. The Lord warns that those who commit these abominations will be punished and that the land will vomit out those who defile it. He commands the Israelites to keep His commandments and avoid the pollutions of the previous inhabitants of the land.
Chapter 19
The Lord commands the Israelites to be holy, to fear their parents, and to observe the Sabbath. They are also instructed to not make idols, to eat peace offerings on the same day or the next, and to leave some of their harvest for the poor. The Israelites are commanded to not steal, lie, or deceive their neighbors, and to judge justly, without considering the reputation of the poor or the powerful. They are also instructed to love their neighbors as themselves, to not seek revenge, and to observe the Lord's laws, including those regarding marriage, clothing, and the treatment of newcomers.
Chapter 20
The Lord commands the Israelites to put to death anyone who sacrifices their children to Moloch or engages in various forms of incest, adultery, or bestiality. Those who practice divination or soothsaying will also be cut off from the people. The Israelites are instructed to observe God's laws and judgments, and to separate themselves from the practices of the nations they will displace. They are to be holy, as God is holy, and to distinguish between clean and unclean animals. Anyone who claims to have a spirit of divination or prophecy will be put to death.
Chapter 21
Priests were not to defile themselves by contact with the dead, except for close relatives, and were not to shave their heads or beards, or make incisions in their flesh. They were to be holy and not marry promiscuous women or prostitutes. The high priest was to be especially holy, not exposing his head or rending his vestments, and was to marry a virgin from his own people. Any priest with a physical blemish was not to offer sacrifices or approach the altar, but could still eat from the loaves offered in the Sanctuary.
Chapter 22
The Lord instructs Moses to tell Aaron and his sons to be careful with the consecrated things of the Israelites, and to not contaminate them, lest they perish before the Lord. Those who are unclean, including lepers and those who have touched unclean things, are not to eat of the consecrated things until they are purified. The Lord also sets rules for who can eat of the consecrated things, including that no foreigners or hired servants can eat of them, and that the priests' daughters who marry outside the priesthood can no longer eat of them. The Lord also gives instructions for the kinds of animals that can be offered as sacrifices, stating that they must be immaculate and without blemish.
Chapter 23
The Lord instructs Moses to tell the Israelites about the holy feasts, including the Sabbath, Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of First Fruits, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. Each feast has specific rituals and offerings, and the Israelites are commanded to observe these feasts and rest on the designated days. The feasts are to be observed in all generations and dwelling places, and are a reminder of the Lord's deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt.
Chapter 24
The Lord instructs Moses to have the Israelites bring clear oil for the lamps in the tabernacle and fine wheat flour for 12 loaves of bread to be placed on a table before the Lord, to be changed every Sabbath. A man who blasphemed the Lord's name was brought to Moses, and the Lord instructed that the man be stoned to death by the entire people. The Lord also gave instructions on punishments for various crimes, including murder, injuring animals, and inflicting blemishes on others, emphasizing equal judgment for citizens and sojourners. The Israelites carried out the Lord's instructions, stoning the blasphemer and following the Lord's commands.
Chapter 25
The Lord instructs Moses to tell the Israelites that when they enter the land, they must observe a Sabbath of rest every seventh year, during which they must not sow or harvest their fields. Every 49 years, they must also observe a Jubilee year, during which all debts are forgiven, slaves are freed, and land is returned to its original owners. The Israelites are also instructed not to sell land in perpetuity, but rather to allow it to be redeemed by the original owner or their relatives. Additionally, they are forbidden from charging usury to their fellow Israelites and from oppressing their servants, who must be treated as hired hands and freed in the Jubilee year.
Chapter 26
The Lord sets forth the terms of His covenant with Israel, promising blessings and prosperity if they obey His commandments and observe His Sabbaths, but threatening severe punishments, including war, famine, and exile, if they disobey and reject His laws. The punishments will escalate in severity if Israel continues to rebel against God, ultimately leading to their defeat and dispersion among the Gentiles. However, even in exile, God will remember His covenant with Israel and will not cast them off entirely, and He will ultimately restore them to their land.
Chapter 27
The Lord sets the prices for vows made to Him, with different values assigned to people based on age and sex, and to animals and fields based on their worth. If someone is too poor to pay the set price, the priest will determine a fair amount. Vowed items cannot be exchanged or redeemed, except in certain cases where a fifth of the value must be added. The Lord also claims ownership of firstborn animals and all tithes, which can be redeemed by adding a fifth of their value.
Share this book