The Book of Leviticus
Leviticus lays out the laws of worship, sacrifice and holiness for Israel — how a sinful people may draw near to a holy God. Its themes of atonement and purity point forward to Christ.
- Testament
- Old (27 chapters)
- Type
- Law
- Author
- Traditionally Moses, transcribing the laws given at Sinai. Compiled into final form by priestly editors during or after the exile.
- Date
- The wilderness period after the exodus (traditionally 13th c. BC); the priestly material was edited and assembled in stages.
Holiness
The book's refrain is 'Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy' (19:2). Holiness here is not abstract — it touches food, clothing, sexuality, business, agriculture. The vision: a whole people, in every corner of life, set apart for God.
Atonement
The sacrificial system Leviticus describes — sin offering, guilt offering, burnt offering, peace offering, and the Day of Atonement (chapter 16) — gave Israel a way to deal with sin. The New Testament reads all this as fulfilled in Christ, 'who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice' (Hebrews 7:27).
Key verses (KJV)
“Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.” — Leviticus 19:2 (KJV)
“Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.” — Leviticus 19:18 (KJV)
“For it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” — Leviticus 17:11 (KJV)
How to read Leviticus
Don't try to read straight through on a first pass — Leviticus is the book most New Testament readers stall in. Try chapter 16 (Day of Atonement), 19 (the holiness code), and 25 (Jubilee year) as standalone reads. Hebrews 8-10 makes Leviticus come alive in Christian context.
Read Leviticus on your iPhone
Read the full book of Leviticus in Quiethaven — choose your translation, read offline, and pick up where you left off. Pair it with a daily verse and a prayer timer.
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