Leviticus

Leviticus, the third book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament, derives its name from the Latin Leviticus, from Greek Leuitikon; in Hebrew it is called Vayikra, “And He Called.” Traditionally attributed to Moses, modern scholarship views most of its content as the work of priestly editors from the post-Exilic period, dating roughly to the 6th–5th centuries BCE, with older priestly traditions incorporated. It continues the regulations given at Sinai for the Israelites and their sanctuary.

It is organized around offerings, the priesthood, and rules for ritual purity. Core material describes the various sacrifices—burnt, grain, peace, sin, and guilt offerings—and the procedures for the ordination and service of the Aaronic priesthood in the tabernacle. It also lays out laws on cleanliness, ritual defilement, and the maintenance of the sanctuary.

Holy living is a central concern. The Holiness Code (chapters 17–26) extends ceremonial commands into ethical and social instruction, including sexual conduct, dietary restrictions on clean and unclean foods, and rules about contact with the dead. It also introduces atonement practices and emphasizes that obedience to the laws expresses the community’s holiness before God, with Yom Kippur as the yearly Day of Atonement.

Leviticus also discusses calendar and land matters, such as the Sabbatical year and the Jubilee, and gives guidance for festivals and offerings to be observed at the sanctuary.

In reception, Leviticus remains foundational for Jewish ritual law and priestly duties; in Christianity it is part of the Old Testament and is studied for theological themes rather than as a prescriptive code for daily life.