# The book of Leviticus

> Leviticus is God’s instruction for how a holy God can live among an unholy people. It covers offerings, priests, clean and unclean, the Day of Atonement, and how to love your neighbor. Most of it is spoken at Mount Sinai.

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/read/leviticus/about
Section: Law · 27 chapters

## Who wrote Leviticus?

Jewish and Christian tradition names Moses as the author of the first five books, and the books themselves say Moses wrote down laws and songs. Many scholars think the five books were gathered from older written and spoken sources and reached their final form later, around the time of the exile in Babylon or after it. Some Christians hold to Mosaic authorship; others accept a longer process of writing and editing.

## When was it written?

Set at Sinai in the year after the exodus. Many scholars date the priestly material in its final form to the exile or after; traditional views place it in Moses’ time.

## Main themes

- **Holiness.** “Be holy, for I am holy” runs through the whole book.
- **Atonement.** Sacrifice and the Day of Atonement show how sin is covered and the people made clean.
- **Holiness in daily life.** Chapter 19 turns holiness into fair wages, honest scales, and love for neighbor and stranger.

## Outline

- Chapters 1–7: [Offerings](https://www.lumin.faith/read/leviticus/1)
- Chapters 8–10: [Priests ordained](https://www.lumin.faith/read/leviticus/8)
- Chapters 11–15: [Clean and unclean](https://www.lumin.faith/read/leviticus/11)
- Chapter 16: [The Day of Atonement](https://www.lumin.faith/read/leviticus/16)
- Chapters 17–27: [Living as a holy people](https://www.lumin.faith/read/leviticus/17)

## Key verses

Quoted from the Lumin Translation.

> For I am Yahweh your God. Consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am holy. You must not make yourselves unclean by any swarming creature that creeps on the ground.
> — [Leviticus 11:44](https://www.lumin.faith/read/leviticus/11#44)

> For the life of the body is in the blood. I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your lives, because it is by the life that the blood makes atonement.
> — [Leviticus 17:11](https://www.lumin.faith/read/leviticus/17#11)

> Do not take revenge on your own people or nurse a grudge against them; love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh.
> — [Leviticus 19:18](https://www.lumin.faith/read/leviticus/19#18)

## Where to start

Chapter 19 shows what holiness looks like in ordinary life. Then read chapter 16. [Read Leviticus 19](https://www.lumin.faith/read/leviticus/19.md)

Read the whole book: https://www.lumin.faith/read/leviticus/1.md
Ask about it: https://www.lumin.faith/ask.md