Leviticus

Contains the following: (1) The sacrificial ordinances (Lev. 1–7): (a) the burnt offering (1:1–17); (b) the meat offering (2:1–16); (c) the peace offering (3:1–17); (d) the sin offering (4:1–5:13); (e) the guilt-offering (5:14–6:7); and (f) various sacrifices for the priests (6:8–7:38). (2) The ritual observed in the consecration of priests, together with an account of the deaths of Nadab and Abihu because they offered strange fire (Lev. 8–10). (3) Laws relating to ceremonial uncleanness (Lev. 13–15). (4) The ritual of the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16). (5) The law of holiness (Lev. 17–26), containing a systematic code of laws dealing with religious and social observances. Lev. 27 is supplementary, dealing with vows and the redemption of “devoted” things.

The book of Leviticus represents the priestly religious life of Israel. Its dominant thought is the presence of a holy God in the midst of a holy people dwelling in a holy land. Its object is to teach religious truth to the minds of men through the medium of a stately ritual, sacrifices representing the need of atonement and communion, the consecration of the priesthood teaching the need of the consecration of the life of every worshipper who would draw nigh to God, and the law of clean and unclean teaching that God requires the sanctification of the whole man, body as well as spirit.