LEVIT'ICUS (Lest. Leritieus, etk. Acutrix6v, Leritikon, pertaining, to the Levites, from Acidrns.
Lc rites, LCVIIC), BOOK oe. The name of the third book of the Pentateuch, derived from the title given to it in the Greek translation, 'the Levitical book,' as treating chiefly of the fune tions of the Levites, the term Levit lea I being used as synonymous with sacerdotal. Like Exodus and Numbers, however, it contains also historical material and is viewed by critics as part of a great historical compilation in which the legal codes have been inserted at the point. at which, according to the historical theory underlying the Pentateuch (q.v.). they were promulgated. The historical sources in Leviticus are considered the same as are found in the other books of the Pentateuch and in Joshua—namely, the compila tion known as JE (see Er.onIsT xxn VAILWIST: BEXATELTH), and the Priestly narrative, together with additions and interpolations by the group of editors who welded the narratives together with the Pentateuchal codes. In Leviticus itself two codes are embodied: the so-called 'Law of Holi ness' (Lev. and the Priestly Code, which, besides embracing the rest of the book, extends through the Book of Numbers. of these the former, compiled during the Exile. has been made to conform in the editing process to the Priestly Code, though not entirely so, while the latter is the law book that was presented to the Jewish community of Jerusalem through Ezra and Nehemiah (qq.v.) and finally adopted as a binding ordinance in mt•. 444. The 'Law of Holiness.' which is so called because of the promi nence attached therein to the 'holy' character of the Hebrew nation. deals with the following topics: domestic animals, slaughtered for offer ings to Yahweh, and prohibithm against. the eat ing of blood (chi. xvii.) ; laws against incest set forth in detail (xviii.) ; miscellaneous com mandments of a moral and soda! (diameter (six.) prohibition of the Moloch cult and an other law of incest (xx.) : regulations for priests, restrictions in regard to mourning and marriage, priests; to he without physical blemish. ordinances
with regard to the eating of sacrificed animals, which must also be without blemish (xxi-xxii.) ; order and nature of festivals ( xxiii.) : ordinances regarding oil for lamps in the tabernacle, shew bread. bl a sphemy. manslaughter. and ( XXIV. ) Sabbatical year and .Inbilee I xxv.): closing remarks of a. hortatory character (xxvi.l. Many of the ordinances in this code, particularly those in reference to the slaughter of animals. the lamps, and the shewbread. are based on older ell. tonic or decisions which have been elaborated and revised.
The Priestly Code in Leviticus may he sub divided into three sections as follows: (11 chap ters (21 chapters xi.•xv.: 13) chapter xvi. Of these the first section contains the sacrificial laws systematically arranged with reference to (a) burnt offerings. (b) nice] offerings. (e) peace offerings, (d) sin offerings. (e) trespass offerings. To these are added a series of rules. (•Melly for the guidance of the priests. and some further specifications with regard to the vurions kinds of offerings. The second section (xi.-xv.) deals with cleanness and uncleanness in general. The beginning is made with clean and unclean animals. which are enumerated in detail. with their distinguishing signs leh. xi.). and the eonsequences of defilement by contact with un clean animals :did the carcasses of ;lean animal,.
birth and regulations for purification are given. Chapter xiii. treat. of skin diseases as cause. of examination of sign, pointing to leprosy, and dist-rill:illation between innocent eruptions and genuinely `unclean' symptoms. Chapter xiv. makes application of the method to stuffs, cloth, leather, to spots on the walls of houses, and methods of purification, Chapter XV. treats of uncleannes,. resulting from sexual secre tions and discharges in men and women. Chapter xvi. contains the ritual for the Day of Atonement.