Leviticus

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Leviticus \Le*vit"i*cus\ (-[i^]*k[u^]s), n. [See {Levitical}.]
     The third canonical book of the Old Testament, containing the
     laws and regulations relating to the priests and Levites
     among the Hebrews, or the body of the ceremonial law.
     [1913 Webster]



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Leviticus
       n : the third book of the Old Testament; contains Levitical law
           and ritual precedents [syn: {Book of Leviticus}]

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Leviticus
     the third book of the Pentateuch; so called in the Vulgate,
     after the LXX., because it treats chiefly of the Levitical
     service.
     
       In the first section of the book (1-17), which exhibits the
     worship itself, there is, (1.) A series of laws (1-7) regarding
     sacrifices, burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, and thank-offerings
     (1-3), sin-offerings and trespass-offerings (4; 5), followed by
     the law of the priestly duties in connection with the offering
     of sacrifices (6; 7). (2.) An historical section (8-10), giving
     an account of the consecration of Aaron and his sons (8);
     Aaron's first offering for himself and the people (9); Nadab and
     Abihu's presumption in offering "strange fire before Jehovah,"
     and their punishment (10). (3.) Laws concerning purity, and the
     sacrifices and ordinances for putting away impurity (11-16). An
     interesting fact may be noted here. Canon Tristram, speaking of
     the remarkable discoveries regarding the flora and fauna of the
     Holy Land by the Palestine Exploration officers, makes the
     following statement:, "Take these two catalogues of the clean
     and unclean animals in the books of Leviticus [11] and
     Deuteronomy [14]. There are eleven in Deuteronomy which do not
     occur in Leviticus, and these are nearly all animals and birds
     which are not found in Egypt or the Holy Land, but which are
     numerous in the Arabian desert. They are not named in Leviticus
     a few weeks after the departure from Egypt; but after the people
     were thirty-nine years in the desert they are named, a strong
     proof that the list in Deuteronomy was written at the end of the
     journey, and the list in Leviticus at the beginning. It fixes
     the writing of that catalogue to one time and period only, viz.,
     that when the children of Israel were familiar with the fauna
     and the flora of the desert" (Palest. Expl. Quart., Jan. 1887).
     (4.) Laws marking the separation between Israel and the heathen
     (17-20). (5.) Laws about the personal purity of the priests, and
     their eating of the holy things (20; 21); about the offerings of
     Israel, that they were to be without blemish (22:17-33); and
     about the due celebration of the great festivals (23; 25). (6.)
     Then follow promises and warnings to the people regarding
     obedience to these commandments, closing with a section on vows.
     
       The various ordinances contained in this book were all
     delivered in the space of a month (comp. Ex. 40:17; Num. 1:1),
     the first month of the second year after the Exodus. It is the
     third book of Moses.
     
       No book contains more of the very words of God. He is almost
     throughout the whole of it the direct speaker. This book is a
     prophecy of things to come, a shadow whereof the substance is
     Christ and his kingdom. The principles on which it is to be
     interpreted are laid down in the Epistle to the Hebrews. It
     contains in its complicated ceremonial the gospel of the grace
     of God.