LEVITICUS

What I learned from reading Leviticus 1:1-17

Jehovah called out to Moses from the tent of meeting, telling him to say to the Israelites that when they presented an offering for atonement, it should be of their own free will. The animal for the burnt offering should be a sound young male from their flock of sheep or goats or their herd of cattle.

If it was a young bull, the man would lay his hand on the animal's head while it was slaughtered. The priest would sprinkle its blood around the alter. Then the skin would be removed and the rest would be cut into pieces. The head and the suet-the fat around the kidneys-as well as the washed intestines would then be placed on the wood and allowed to smoke. The priests were to keep the wood fire on the alter burning at all times and never allow it to go out.

When the burnt offering was a ram or male goat, It would be slaughtered on the north side of the alter, it's blood splattered around the alter, and then it would be presented the same way as the bull.

A turtledove or a pigeon could also be used as a burnt offering to Jehovah. The priest should nip off its head and the blood drained to the side of the alter. Its crop and feathers should be thrown to the east of the alter where the ashes were placed. It too, would smoke on the alter.

A burnt offering, one made by fire, was pleasing to Jehovah.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 2:1-16

Several types of grain offerings could be made by the Israelites, but all of them had to contain salt. The offering could be made of fine flour, usually wheat or barley. Oil, usually olive oil, would be poured on it and a little frankincense would be placed in the center. The priest would take a handful of the flour that contained the oil and frankincense and place it on the alter to make it smoke. What was left then belonged to the priests.

A grain offering could also be one baked in an oven with fine flour, salt and oil. It must be left unleavened, shaped into a ring or made into wafers that were spread with oil.

It could also be prepared on a griddle or in a pan. It too would contain salt and oil and must be unleavened. Neither could it contain any sweetener like honey. Some of it would be made to smoke on the alter and the remaining belonged to the priests. Since the priests received no salary and had no land of their own to raise any food, what they had to eat was the meat, bread and other foods that remained from those offered as sacrifices

When the grain offering was from the first ripe fruits of the Israelite's crops, it was to be roasted first then crushed. Again it would be salted, oiled and frankincense added before the part with the frankincense was placed on the alter.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 3:1-17

When an Israelite wanted to present an animal from his herd of cattle as a communion sacrifice, it could be a sound male or female. He should take it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, lay his hand on its head and it would be slaughtered there by a priest. Its blood would be sprinkled around the alter, while the fat surrounding its intestines, kidneys and liver would be made to smoke on the wood of the alter.

If the offering was a sheep from his flock presented as a communion sacrifice, it could also be a sound male of female. It's blood would be sprinkled all around the alter while the fat around its intestines, kidneys and liver would be made to smoke on the wood of the alter. They would also remove the entire fat tail near the backbone and make it smoke as well. It would be an offering of food made by fire to Jehovah.

When the offering was a goat, the Israelite would lay his hand on its head and then it would be slaughtered. Its blood would be sprinkled around all sides of the alter, while the fat around the intestines, kidneys and liver would be removed and made to smoke on the wood of the alter. All the waxy internal fat of the animal belonged to Jehovah. In modern times, this part of the animal is known in English as the suet.

This way of slaughtering an animal was to be a lasting statute for all their generations no matter where they lived and is still practiced the same way in many places today. The Israelites were told they must not eat any of the blood or the waxy intestinal fat at all.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 4:1-35

Jehovah explained what the Israelites must do if they unintentionally sinned. If it was an anointed priest who sinned, he must present a sound young bull before the tent of meeting, lay his hand on its head and slaughter it. Then he must take some of its blood into the tent and spatter it seven times in front of the curtain of the holy place. He must also place some blood on the horns of the incense alter, then pour the rest at the base of the alter of burnt offering.

The fat around the intestines, kidneys and liver would be made to smoke on the alter. It's skin, flesh, head, shanks intestines and dung must be all taken to the outskirts of the camp where the ashes are discarded and it must be burned completely there.

If the entire assembly of Israelites commits a sin unintentionally then the must present a sound young bull to the entrance of the tent of meeting. The elders of the assembly would lay their hands upon its head and it would be slaughtered. Then the anointed priest would do the same as with the other sin offering and make atonement for all the people and they would be forgiven.

If it's a chieftain that should sin unintentionally, then he must bring a sound male goat, lay his hand on its head and it would be slaughtered. The sin offering of the goat would be treated just the same as that of the bull.

If one of the people of the Israelites should sin unintentionally, he should bring a female goat and it would be treated the same way. He could also bring a young, sound female sheep to be slaughtered, and the priest would make atonement for the sin so that he would be forgiven.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 5:1-19

If an Israelite was a witness and didn't report about it, especially if he's called to testify, it was a sin and he would have to answer for it.

Touching anything unclean, whether a dead human, animal or swarming creature, would make a person unclean and guilty of sin.

Anyone swearing to do something and then realizing he'd sworn rashly, became guilty of sin.

If an Israelite became guilty of a sin, then he needed to confess and bring a guilt offering to Jehovah, either a female sheep or goat. If he couldn't afford a sheep, he could bring two turtledoves instead. The priest would take one for the sin offering by nipping off it's head without severing it, splattering some of its blood on the side of the alter, and then pouring the rest of the blood at the base of the alter.

The other turtledove would be treated as a burnt offering, and then his sin would be forgiven.

If the person couldn't afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, he must bring instead, a tenth of an ephah of fine flour without any oil or frankincense. The priest would take a handful and make it smoke upon the alter. Then the remainder of the flour became the priests.

If someone unintentionally sinned against the holy things of Jehovah, we was to bring a sound ram from his flock as a guilt offering. He must also add a fifth of its value in silver shekels to make compensation for his sin.

Anyone sinning by disobeying any of Jehovah's commandments, must bring a sound ram as a guilt offering. Even if he has done so unintentionally or unknowingly, he is still guilty of sinning against Jehovah.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 6:1-30

Other sins that required atonement were deceiving someone, robbing someone, finding something lost then being deceptive about it and swearing falsely about any such sin.

If an Israelite was guilty of any of these, he was to return what he stole, extorted, took by fraud, what was entrusted to him, the lost thing he found or anything which he swore falsely about. He was to make full compensation for it plus add to the amount a fifth of its value. He must bring it to the priest along with a sound ram from the flock and the priest would make atonement for him so he would be forgiven.

Moses was to tell Aaron that the burnt offering must remain on the hearth of the altar all night. Every morning the priest was to put on his full dress clothing and remove all the ashes that had been consumed on the alter over night and place them on the ground next to it. Then he was to change from his priestly garments again before taking the ashes to a clean place outside the camp. The fire, however, was never to be allowed to go out.

When a grain offering was presented, the priest must take a handful of the fine flour with some of its oil and all of the frankincense and make it smoke on the alter. The remaining unleavened flour was to be eaten in the courtyard of the tent of meeting by the priests as their permanent allowance throughout their generations.

On the day of a priest's anointing, he was to present a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a offering. Half of it was to be presented in the morning and half in the evening. It should be made on a griddle with oil and presented as a baked product of grain offering. All of it must be presented and none of it could be eaten by the priest.

After a sin offering is slaughtered, the priest who slaughtered it was to eat it in the courtyard of the tent of meeting. If some of the blood spattered on his garment, it must be washed there in the holy place.

Any earthenware vessel which contained blood needed to be shattered, but a copper vessel could be scoured and washed with water. While a sin offering could be eaten, if some of it was for atonement it needed to all be burned with fire.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 7:1-38

The guilt offering was to be slaughtered in the same place as the burnt offering was slaughtered and its blood sprinkled on all the sides of the altar. All of its fat including it's tail was to be made to smoke upon the altar. Then all the male priests were to share in eating it there. The skin of the offering belonged to the priest who did the slaughtering.

A grain offering that was baked in an oven, prepared in a pan or on a griddle belonged to the priest who presented it. If it was a grain offering of flour, then it should be shared equally among all the priests.

The communion sacrifice that was presented as an expression of thanksgiving was to be presented as an unleavened ring-shaped loaf mixed with oil, unleavened wafers spread with oil or ring-shaped loaves made with fine flour and oil. The sacrifice was to be presented with the bread and it will belong to the priest who sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice. The flesh of the thanksgiving sacrifice must all be eaten that day and none may be saved for the morning.

If the communion sacrifice was a vow or a voluntary offering, it may be eaten that day and the next day. But none of it could be eaten on the third day for that would be unclean and offensive to Jehovah. No one who had been declared unclean could eat of the flesh of the communion sacrifice. If they tried, they were to be cut off.

Jehovah told Moses to tell the Israelites they mustn't eat the fat of any of the animal nor any of its blood. The fat of a dead animal or one who was killed by another animal must not be eaten, but it could be used for another purpose, usually as tallow for their lamps. The blood of all animals and birds was sacred and could not be eaten. If anyone did, they would be cut off.

The person who presented his communion sacrifice was to bring it with his own hands. He was to wave it back and forth as a wave offering before the priest made it smoke upon the alter. Then the breast would belong to the Priest. The priest would also take the right leg as his portion.

This was the law of the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the installation sacrifice, and the communion sacrifice.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 8:1-36

Jehovah told Moses to have the whole assembly of Israelites gather at the entrance of the tent of meeting. When they'd done so, Moses started the priestly anointing process for Aaron and his sons.

Moses brought the men before him, washed and then clothed them with the garments that had been made for them. He took the special anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all its contents. He splattered some of the oil seven times on the altar, its utensils, the basin and its stand, then poured some on Aaron's head. He did the same with Aaron's sons.

He then brought in the bull for the sin offering, had the men lay their hands on its head and slaughtered it. He took some of it's blood on his finger and placed it on each of the four horns of the altar, then poured the rest at the base. Next he removed the intestinal fat and made it smoke on the altar. The rest of the animal was taken outside the camp and burned.

Moses then brought in the ram of burnt offering, had Aaron and his sons lay their hands on its head and slaughtered it. He took its blood and sprinkled it on all sides of the altar. After cutting it into pieces and washing its intestines and shanks, he placed all of it including its suet and its head on the altar to smoke.

Next Moses brought in the second ram. After slaughtering it, he placed some of its blood on Aaron and his sons right earlobe, right thumb and right big toe. The rest of the blood was sprinkled on all sides of the altar. The tail, the inner fat and the right hind leg were placed on Aaron and his sons palms. On top of that he placed an unleavened ring-shaped loaf, one ring-shaped loaf of oiled bread and one wafer. Then they waved them altogether as a wave offering to Jehovah. After Moses took them from their hands, he made the bread and pieces of meat and fat smoke upon the altar as an installation sacrifice made by fire.

The breast Moses took and waved as a wave offering. It became his portion. Afterward he took more of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and spattered it on the garments of Aaron and his sons.

The men were then told to boil the rest of the animal's flesh at the entrance of the tent of meeting and eat it there with the remaining bread in the basket. Anything they didn't finish eating that night had to be burned in the fire. For seven days they were to remain there in the tent of meeting, for it would take that long to have Jehovah make atonement for them. Otherwise they might die. So they did exactly as they were commanded.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 9:1-24

On the eighth day Moses spoke to Aaron, his sons and the elders of Israel. Aaron was told to take a young calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering The elders of the Israelites were told to take a male goat for a sin offering, a young calf and a young ram for a burnt offering and a bull and a ram for communion sacrifices, as well as a grain offering mixed with oil.

When the whole assembly gathered before the tent of meeting, Moses told them to do everything Jehovah told them to do and He would appear to them. Then he told Aaron to present his sin offering and burnt offering.

After Aaron had finished with his own offerings, he presented the goat for the people's sin offering, their burnt offering, the grain offering and the bull and ram of the communion sacrifice.

Afterward Aaron came out and raised his hands and blessed the people. Then Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting and when they came out they both blessed the people.

Just as they finished, Jehovah's glory appeared as a fire that came out from the holy of the tent and consumed the burnt offering and all the pieces of fat on the altar. When the people saw what happened, they shouted and fell forward with their faces to the ground.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 10:1-20

Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron's sons, took their fire holders, placed incense on them and offered unauthorized fire before Jehovah. Immediately, a fire came out from the curtain, consumed and killed them. Moses told Aaron that Jehovah said, "I will be made holy among those near to me, and I will be glorified before all the people.’” After that, Aaron remained silent.

Moses then told Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel, to carry what was left of the men outside the camp. He told Aaron and his other two sons, Eleazar and Ithamar not to mourn the men, but to stay within the tent so that Jehovah's anger wouldn't strike them dead as well.

Jehovah then told Aaron not to drink wine or any other alcoholic beverage when he and his sons come into the tent of meeting so they wouldn't die. 

Moses told Aaron and his sons to take what was left of the grain offering and eat it as unleavened bread near the altar. It was holy and their permanent allowance from Jehovah's offerings. They were to also eat the breast of the wave offering and the leg of the sacred portion, for it was given to them and their daughters to eat in the holy place.

When Moses searched for the goat of the sin offering, he discovered it had all been burned up and grew indignant. But Aaron replied that with all that went on, would it have been pleasing to Jehovah for them to eat the sin offering? So Moses was satisfied.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 11:1-47

Next Jehovah told Moses and Aaron about the living creatures that the Israelites were allowed to eat or to not eat. They could eat any animal that had a split hoof, a cleft in its hooves and chewed the cud. That would include the cow, the sheep and the goat, but not the camel, the rock badger, the hare or the pig.

They could eat anything in the waters that had fins and scales, but everything else in the rivers or seas should be loathsome to them.

As for the flying creatures, they could eat those that were seed eaters like doves, pigeons and sparrows, but not the carrion eaters like the eagle, osprey, vulture, kite, raven, ostrich owl, gull, falcon, swan, pelican, stork, heron, hoopoe or bat.

As for winged swarming creatures, those who go on all fours were to be loathsome. The only insects they could eat were locusts, crickets and grasshoppers.

Animals who walked on paws were unclean. The unclean swarming animals were the mole rat, the mouse, the lizard and chameleon.

Touching any unclean dead animal or insect would make a person unclean. Any food that came in contact with a dead animal would be unclean. If it was a wooden utensil, a garment, the skin or a piece of sackcloth, it must be washed to make it clean again. If it was a clay pot or vessel, it needed to be smashed for it couldn't be used again to hold food or it would make the food unclean to eat.

If one of the animals from their flock or herd should die it was unclean. and the person who touched it would be unclean until the evening.

They and their garments must be washed to make them clean again.

They couldn't eat any creature that crawled on it's belly, goes on all fours or has more then four legs. They were loathsome and they shouldn't even touch them.

They were to be a holy people before Jehovah, for he was their God and he was holy.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 12:1-8

Jehovah told Moses to tell the Israelites that when a pregnant woman gives birth to a male child, she will be unclean for 7 days. The boy is to then have the flesh of his foreskin circumcised on the eighth day. He was usually given a name on that day as well. She would then keep cleansing herself for another 33 days.

If she gave birth to a female child, she would be unclean for 14 days. She would continue to cleanse herself for another 66 days.

When her days of purification ended, then she was to bring a young ram to the tent of meeting for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering. The priest would present it before Jehovah to make atonement for her and she would be declared clean.

If she couldn't afford a ram, then she was to present two turtledoves or two young pigeons.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 12:1-59

Jehovah next spoke to Moses and Aaron about Leprosy, a serious, contagious skin condition.

Anyone who developed a swelling, a scab or a blotch on their skin had to go to the priest to have it examined. If the infection was deep and the hair had turned white, it would be declared as leprosy. If it was just a surface blemish, then the person would be quarantined for 7 days and then it would be examined again. He couldn't be declared clean until the infection had completely cleared up, so it was possible they would be quarantined another seven day before being declared clean. If at the end of those days the area was clean and the scab gone, then he must wash himself and his garments to be clean.

If the scab had spread, though, or the wound on the skin was still an open sore, he would be declared as unclean. Once the disease covered all his body from head to foot he could then be declared clean as long as there was no open sore.

It would be the same if a person developed a boil or an infection on the head or the scalp and it became a white swelling or a reddish-white blotch. He would be quarantined for seven days then re-examined. If it was just a white blotch on the skin it was harmless.

A man who went bald from a loss of his hair was clean. But if a reddish-white sore breaks out upon his head, it was leprosy and he would be declared unclean.

When a person was declared unclean, they were to tear their garments, cover the lower part of their face and call out unclean to warn others. They were also to live outside the camp in isolation until they healed. Their clothing, too, was clean unless some of the disease spread to it. When it was clean, it could be washed, but when it became unclean from being contaminated with the disease, it needed to be burned in a fire.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 14:1-57

After the priest went outside the camp to examine a leper and the person was found to be clean from the infection, usually bacterial or a type of fungus, they were to provide two live clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet material and hyssop for the cleansing ceremony. One bird would be killed in an earthenware vessel over running water, then the second bird along with the cedar wood, scarlet material and hyssop would be dipped in the blood and splattered seven times on the person.

The still living bird would then be set free in an open field, while the person would go and wash his garments, shave off all his body hair and bathe himself in water. Eight days later he was to take two sound rams, a sound female lamb less than a year of age, 3/10 of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, plus one log measure of oil to the priest who had declared him clean. Then the priest would present him and his offering at the entrance of the tent of meeting.

One ram would be a guilt offering along with the oil and it would be waved back and forth as a wave offering. The second ram was for a sin offering and a guilt offering and it would belong to the priest. Some of the animal's blood would be put on the person's right earlobe, the right thumb and big toe of the right foot. The priest would then take some of the oil on his finger and spatter it seven times before Jehovah. Some of the rest of the oil would be placed on the person's right earlobe, right thumb and right big toe, while the remaining would be placed on the person's head to make atonement for him before Jehovah.

The last thing the priest would do would be to slaughter the lamb for the burnt offering and offer up the grain offering to make atonement for him and then he'd be declared clean.

If the person was too poor to afford all that, he could take one young ram as a guilt and wave offering along with a 10th of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, a log measure of oil, and two turtledoves or pigeons

A house too, could become infected by leprosy (mold). If that should happen, the priest would ask that all the home's contents be removed and he'd examine the house's inner walls. If they were contaminated with yellowish-green or reddish depressions that were deeper than the walls surface, the priest would quarantine the house for seven days.

At the end of that time, the priest would return and if the contamination had spread, it had to be removed and taken outside the city. The owner would then have to place clean stones within the house with fresh mortar and then the house would be plastered. If the contamination returned again it became a malignant leprosy and then the house had to be torn down and it's stones, timbers, plaster and mortar would be carried outside the city.

If the contamination hadn't spread, then to purify the house, the owner would take two birds, cedar wood, scarlet material and hyssop and treat the house the same as the person who had been declared clean from leprosy.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 15:1-33

Jehovah spoke further to Moses and Aaron about cleanliness. If a man had a discharge from his genital organ he would be unclean until it healed. His bed, his garments and anything he sat on would be unclean. He must wash them in water, but still be considered unclean until the evening.

Anyone else sitting where he sat or touching him or his bed or garments would also be unclean. If he should fail to wash his hands and touch anyone or spit on anyone, they would also be unclean and need to bathe in water. If he used an earthenware vessel to wash in, it would need to be smashed, but a wooden vessel could be washed with clean water.

When the discharge stopped, he would bathe himself thoroughly, then count seven days of purification. On the eighth day, he was to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the tent of meeting. One was for a sin offering and the other a burnt offering.

When a man had an emission of semen, he should bathe his body and be unclean until the evening. Any garment that had any emission on it should also be washed. When he had an emission of semen with a woman, she too needed to bathe and be unclean until the evening.

For a woman who had a discharge of blood, she was to continue in her menstrual impurity for seven days. Anything she lay down on would need to be washed. Anyone else touching her bed or garments should wash himself and his garments as well. If a man got any of her menstrual impurity on him, he would also be unclean for 7 days.

If a woman had a discharge of blood that flowed for many days, she would continue to be unclean until it stopped. Her bed and clothing would be unclean and anyone touching them would be unclean. When her discharge stopped, she would count 7 days. On the eighth day she would take two turtledoves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the tent of meeting. One would be for a sin offering while the other would be for a burnt offering.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 16:1-34

After the death of Aaron's two sons for approaching Jehovah with unauthorized fire, Jehovah told Moses that Aaron couldn't come inside the holy place behind the curtain at just any time.

Now Aaron was to bring a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, then bathe himself and put on the holy garments. He was also to take from the assembly of the Israelites, two young male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

The bull was to be presented first for him and his house. The two goats were to be stood before the entrance of the tent of meeting and Aaron was to draw lots over them. The goat designated for Jehovah was for a sin offering, while the other was for Azazel.(Possibly meant, “Goat That Disappears.”)

To present the bull for him and his house, Aaron was to go into the tent of meeting alone and slaughter it, then take a fire holder full of burning coals from the alter and two handfuls of fine perfumed incense and bring them inside the curtain. The incense would be placed on the fire so that the cloud of it would envelop the Ark cover so he wouldn't die.

Then he was to take some of the bull's blood on his finger and first spatter it in front of the cover on the east side, and then seven times before the cover. Next he was to slaughter the goat of the sin offering for the people and do the same with it. Returning to the alter he was to take some of the bull's blood and some of the goat's blood and put them on all four horns of the altar. He would also spatter some of it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and sanctify it from the acts of uncleanness of the Israelites.

Next he was to present the live goat by laying both his hands on it's head and confessing over it all the errors and transgressions of the Israelites. It was then to be taken out into the wilderness so their errors would be taken away with it. The person who took it away needed to bathe and wash his garments before returning to the camp.

Afterward, Aaron was to change his garments, bathe, then put on his garments and offer up the burnt offering. Then the remains of the bull and the goat were to be taken outside the camp and burned. The one who burned them needed to bathe and wash his garments before returning to the camp.

This Day of Atonement was to become a lasting statute for the Israelites in the seventh month on the tenth day of the month of every year.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 17:1-16

Jehovah now told Moses and Aaron to command that the people must not slaughter a bull, young ram or goat in the camp or outside of it. They must bring the animal to the entrance of the tent of meeting to present it as an offering to Jehovah. Otherwise bloodguilt would be upon them and they must be cut off from their people.

The priest must sprinkle the animal's blood around the altar and make the fat from the intestinal cavity smoke. This was not only to keep the camp clean, but to prevent the people from sacrificing to false gods---goat-like demons---and was to be a lasting statute throughout their generations. This law would also apply to any foreigner within their midst.

No one could eat any of the blood of an animal for it was the life of the flesh. If they or any foreigner in their midst went hunting and caught a wild animal or bird that was allowed to be eaten, they must pour out its blood and cover it with dust. Its life was its blood. Anyone who ate the blood must be cut off from the people.

If they found an animal that had died or had been torn by a wild animal and ate it, they would be unclean and must bathe and wash their garments. Then they would remain unclean until the evening, which to the Israelites meant the following day.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 18:1-30

Once again Jehovah spoke to Moses, telling him to speak to the Israelites. They were not to do as the Egyptians did. Neither were they to do what those in the land of Canaan did. They were instead to keep Jehovah's statutes, to live by them.

They must not have sexual relations with any close relative. This would include their father, their mother, their father's wife or their father's daughter, granddaughter or sister. Neither were they to have sexual relations with any of their mother's sisters, daughters or granddaughters.

They must not have sexual relations with the wife of their brother or their son. Neither should they have relations with a woman and her daughter and/or her granddaughter. Two sisters shouldn't be taken as wives while either is living.

They must not have sexual relations with any woman during her menstrual impurity.

They were not to have sexual relations with any woman who was already married to someone else, or with another male or an animal.

They must not profane the name of their God, Jehovah, by allowing any of their offspring to be offered to Molech.

The other nations were being driven out of their land because of their unclean practices. These practices were to be detestable to the Israelites and for any foreigner who was in their midst.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 19:1-37

Jehovah told Moses the Israelites should be holy because he was holy. They were to respect their mother and father, to keep the sabbath and not make any images of gods out of metal.

A communion sacrifice should be eaten on that day and the next, but if there was anything left over it must be burned in the fire.

They were to leave the edges of their fields unharvested and the leftovers from their vineyards ungathered to feed the poor and the foreign resident.

They were not to steal, deceive or deal falsely with another. They must not swear to a lie using God's name. They must not defraud, rob or withhold wages of a hired worker.

They were not to curse a man for being deaf or put an obstacle before anyone who was blind.

They must not be unjust in judgement, show partiality to the poor or preference to the rich. They must not spread slander, but stand up for their fellow man. They must not hate their brother, but should reprove him when necessary. They must not take vengeance or hold a grudge against their brother but love them as themselves.

They were not to try to interbreed two sorts of domestic animals, sow their field with two sorts of seed or wear a garment with two sorts of thread mixed together.

A man should be punished if he lies down with a woman servant who has been designated for another man. If she hadn't yet been set free, he needn't be put to death, but he must bring a ram for a guilt offering to Jehovah to the entrance of the tent of meeting.

When they planted a tree it was to be allowed to grow freely for the first three years. In the fourth year its fruit belonged to Jehovah, but in the fifth year they could eat from its fruit.

They must not eat anything containing blood.

They mustn't look for omens or practice magic. Neither were they to go to spirit mediums or consult fortune-tellers. They were not to shave the hair of the side of their head or beard, make cuts on their flesh for a dead person or put tattoo markings on themselves.

They were not to dishonor their daughter by making her a prostitute.

They must keep the sabbath and show reverence for God's sanctuary.

They were to respect and show honor to older men and fear their God, Jehovah. They were to treat foreigners who resided among them like a native and love them as themselves.

They mustn't use dishonest standards in measuring. They must use accurate scales, weights and measures. They must follow all of Jehovah's statutes and judicial decisions.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 20:1-27

Jehovah told Moses that if Israelite or any foreigner living among them gave their child to the false god Molech, they would be put to death.

Anyone going to a spirit medium or fortune teller would be cut off from the people. Jehovah's people were to remain holy for he sanctified them..

If a person cursed their mother or father they would be put to death, for their own blood was upon them.

If a man committed adultery with another man’s wife, both should be put to death. This would include any wife of his father or brother as well, for they have violated what is natural.

Lying down with a male was a detestable thing and they should both be put to death without fail.

Taking both a woman and her mother was an obscene act and they were to all be burnt in the fire.

Anyone having intercourse with a beast, whether male or female, should be put to death along with the animal.

Any man who had sexual relations with any daughter of his mother or father was to be cut off from among his people.

Having sexual relations with a menstruating woman would be a cause for both to be cut off from among their people.

Any man who had sexual relations with any sister of his mother or his father must be cut off from among his people. Taking the wife of one's brother while he was still living was abhorrent.

Doing these things was the reason Jehovah was driving out the Canaanites and giving their land to the Israelites.

They were to make a distinction between the clean animal or bird and the unclean animal or bird They must remain holy for God was setting them apart from the nations to become his.

Anyone acting as a spirit medium or fortune-teller should be stoned to death without fail.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 21:1-24

Jehovah told Moses to tell the priests, Aaron's sons, that they weren't to defile themselves for a dead person. An exception would be for a father, mother, son, daughter, brother and sister if she was still a virgin and unmarried. They were not to shave their head or beard or make cut marks on themselves in grief. They must remain holy.

The son of a priest must not marry a prostitute, a woman who was defiled or one who had been divorced. A daughter of a priest who became a prostitute must be burned in the fire.

The high priest, the one who had been installed to wear the priestly garments, must not let his head go ungroomed or tear his garments even if it was his mother or father who died. Neither should he approach or touch them, for he wasn't allowed to defile himself or profane the sanctuary.

A priest must take only a virgin as a wife. He couldn't marry a widow, a divorced woman or one who had been defiled, for doing so would profane any offspring born to him.

No offspring of Aaron or his sons who had a defect could become a priest. A priest couldn't be blind, lame, have a disfigured face, one limb too long, a fractured foot or hand, be a hunchback or a dwarf, have an eye defect, eczema, ringworm or damaged testicles. He could still eat the bread of the presentation, but he couldn't present any offering.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 22:1-33

Speaking further to Moses, Jehovah told him to tell Aaron and his sons that they must be careful when they handle the holy things so as not to profane his holy name. They must be clean when they come near the holy things. They must not have leprosy, a discharge or be unclean from touching someone who has touched a dead person or do anything else that would make him unclean.

If they did any of those unclean things, they must bathe at sundown and then they could be clean and eat of the holy foods. They must never eat anything that had died on its own or was torn by animals.

Only the priests and their families could eat of the holy food. No foreign guest or hired worker could, but a person purchased by the priest could and so could their child if born in the household. Once a daughter of a priest married, she could no longer eat of the food, but if she became divorced or widowed and returned to her father, then she could.

If a man ate what was holy by mistake, he was to pay a fifth of its value as a holy offering to the priest.

When a person presented an animal for an offering, it must be a sound one. Anything with a defect wouldn't be accepted with approval.

Any sacrificial animal must have been with its mother at least 7 days. It would be acceptable when it was at least eight days of age. They were not to offer an animal and its young on the same day.

A thanksgiving sacrifice must all be eaten that same day.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 23:1-44

Jehovah spoke to Moses and told him of the seasonal festivals the Israelites were to celebrate.

They'd work hard for 6 days, but the seventh day was a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convention. No work could be done.

On the 14th day of the first month, called Abib or Nisan, they were to celebrate the Passover to Jehovah after sundown. The following day, the 15th, began the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days, until the 21st, they were to eat their bread unleavened. The first day was a holy convention. No hard work was to be done, but they were to present an offering made by fire to Jehovah.

When they came into their land and had reaped its harvest, they were to celebrate the Festival of Harvest or Weeks, later called Pentecost. It fell seven sabbaths or 50 days after Nissan 16, or on Sivan 6. They were to bring a sheaf of the first fruits of the harvest to the priest and he would wave it back and forth before Jehovah so they could seek approval from him. On that same day they were to offer a sound young ram as a burnt offering, a grain offering of two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for an offering of fire and a drink offering of a fourth of a hin of wine. They were not to eat or drink anything from their harvest until they'd done this.

They were to present a new grain offering of loaves of bread as a wave offering. The loaves would be made with two tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with leaven as first ripe fruits. Seven sound male lambs, each a year old, one young bull and two rams were to serve as burnt offerings. A young goat would serve as a sin offering and two male lambs as a communion sacrifice. They would be waved back and forth by the priest and would serve as something holy for the priest.

When they reaped the harvest of their land they were to leave the edges of their fields for the poor and the foreign resident.

On the first day of the seventh month, called Ethanim or Tishri, horns were to blown and all the people were to observe a complete day of rest. Then on the tenth day they were to have another day of complete rest as they observed the Day of Atonement. This was the day where the high priest was to do the yearly sin offering and all the Israelites were to afflict themselves by fasting.

On the fifteenth day of that month they were to celebrate the Festival of Booths, also known as the Festival of Ingathering or Tabernacles. It was to be celebrated for 7 days and the first day was to be one of complete rest and the eighth day was to be one of complete rest. For seven days they were to present offerings made by fire to Jehovah.

They were also to take the fruit of majestic trees, the fronds of palm trees, the branches of leafy trees and poplars and build booths or temporary shelters from them and dwell in them so that future generations would see how the Israelites dwelt when they came out of Egypt.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 24:1-23

Jehovah told Moses to tell the Israelites to provide pure, beaten olive oil for the lights in the tabernacle so the priests could keep the lamps constantly lit. They must never be allowed to go out.

The priests were to take fine flour and bake it into 12 ring-shaped loaves using two tenths of an ephah of flour for each. They were to be placed in two layers of six on the table of gold and frankincense should be placed on each set. It was to serve as a token offering made by fire to Jehovah, and it would become the priests to eat it on the sabbath in the holy place.

At that time a fight broke out between the son of the Israelite woman Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan, and an Egyptian man. The Israelite boy abused God's name and cursed it. When he was brought to Moses, he told them to take him outside the camp where the people who had heard him were to place their hands on his head, and then the entire assembly was to stone him. Anyone abusing Jehovah's name, whether Israelite or foreigner, should be put to death without fail.

Jehovah then told Moses that anyone who took a human life should be put to death. If they struck and killed a domestic animal they were to make compensation. If they struck a blow and injured another man, the same injury should be done to them, but if they killed him, they should also be put to death. That would apply equally to the Israelites or to any foreign resident among them.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 25:1-55

Speaking further to Moses on Mt. Sinai, Jehovah said to tell the Israelites that when they came into their land, they were to sow their fields and prune their vines for six years, but the seventh year was to be a sabbath for the land. They were not to sow seed or prune their vineyards, but they, their families and domestic animals were to eat from the food of the land that grew naturally

On the Day of Atonement in the seventh year of seven years, the 49th year, on the tenth day of the seventh month, they were to blow their horns loudly. 

The 50th year was to be a year of Jubilee where they were to proclaim liberty in the land with all its inhabitants. No seed could be sewn, neither could they reap what grew naturally. Anything sold could be repurchased in that year as well.

They were not to exploit their fellow Israelites. If they became poor and had to sell their land or even themselves as hired laborers, they would receive back their land as well as be freed from their slavery. They were to figure how many years there were until the Jubilee year in their calculations for the price of the sale.

Jehovah would see to it that they would have plenty of food for the seventh year by blessing the land so it would produce enough for the three years until the next crop would be ready to eat.

They were to never sell their land on a permanent basis. The land belonged to Jehovah and they were merely foreign residents and settlers.

While a person could repurchase himself or his land at any time, in the Jubilee year it was to revert back to him. However if it was a house in a walled city this wouldn't apply. While he could still repurchase the house within one full year, if he didn't by the end of that time it would belong to the one who bought it. The law only applied to a house that was considered part of the field surrounding it.

Again it would be different if the person was a Levite, for they weren't given any land of their own. So if they needed to sell their house in the city, it would be returned to them in the Jubilee year.

If a person became poor and needed to sell themselves for sustenance, they were not to make a profit from him. He was to be treated as a hired laborer, and be released in the Jubilee year. While they could buy a slave from one of the nations around them and the slave could be passed on as an inheritance, they were to always treat them well.

If one of the Israelites sold himself to a foreigner, then one of his family members should buy him back or he should make arrangements to buy himself back when he was able. When he sold himself, he should calculate the years until the Jubilee year and work as a hired worker until the Jubilee year began when he and his family would be set free.

The Israelites were to consider themselves slaves of Jehovah, for he brought them out of the land of Egypt.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 26:1-46

The Israelites were told they must not carve any image, sacred pillar or stone figure and bow down to it in their worship of Jehovah. They were to keep his sabbaths and show reverence for his sanctuary.

Jehovah told them that if they obeyed his commandments, he would make sure their crops were watered at the proper time, that their trees would produce fruit and the land would yield its produce. Their lives would be peaceful, for their enemies would flee from before them. The people would become fruitful and multiply. His tabernacle would remain in their midst and he would walk among them and be their God.

It would be different though, if they didn't listen and disobeyed his commandments. They would become sick and diseased and their lives would waste away. They would sow seed, but their enemies would eat its produce. The land wouldn't produce its fruit, Their children and domestic animals would be eaten by wild animals. Their cities would be taken by the sword and their land would become a desolate wasteland while they would be scattered among the nations.

During that time the land would pay off its sabbaths and lie desolate. The people who survived then would confess their errors and that of their fathers. Their hearts would be humbled and they would pay off their error. Then God would remember the covenant he made with Jacob and Isaac and Abraham. He would never reject them completely, though, or allow them to be exterminated, for he is Jehovah.

What I learned from reading Leviticus 27:1-34

An Israelite could make a special vow to Jehovah for a specific purpose. He could offer himself, his child, his land, house or an animal or other possession to be set apart for use in the sanctuary.

An example was when Hannah vowed that if she had a male child, she'd give him to Jehovah. Then once he was weaned, she took Samuel to the temple and he served there the rest of his life. (1 Samuel 1:1-28)

Another was Jephthah's vow that if the Ammonites were delivered into his hand, then whoever came out to meet him when he returned, he'd give them to Jehovah. It was his daughter, though, who ran out to meet him, and when she heard of his vow, insisted upon fulfilling it. (Judges 11:30-40) In many instances of sanctifying a person or an item for use in or for the tabernacle or temple, it could be bought back for its value plus another fifth of its value.

In speaking to Moses, Jehovah told him the value of a male between the ages of 20 to 60 years of age was 50 shekels of silver. A female was 30 shekels. A male from 5 to 20 was 20 shekels and 10 for a female. A child under the age of five was 5 shekels for a male and 3 for a female. If a male was over 6o years old his value would be 15 shekels and a female over 60 was valued at 10 shekels. A person who was too poor to pay even that amount could go to the priest and the priest would set a value on him.

If the vow involved a clean animal it would become holy. If it was an unclean animal, the priest would set it's value. If it was ever bought back, then he must pay an extra fifth in addition to its value. The same would be for a house. If it was a field, then its value would be the amount of seed needed to sow it. They would also have to take into consideration the Jubilee year and how far off that was, as the land would then be returned to the person who had inherited it. If it wasn't hereditary property, but was bought from the person who inherited it, then the priest would set its value and in the Jubilee year it would be returned to the person who'd inherited it.

A firstborn animal could not be sanctified for it already belonged to Jehovah. Anything that was devoted unconditionally to Jehovah couldn't be bought back. A condemned person couldn't be redeemed but must be put to death.

Every tenth part of the land belonged to Jehovah. Every tenth part of the herd and flock became holy and belonged to Jehovah and it may not be bought back.