The Book of Leviticus

Leviticus lays out the laws of worship, sacrifice and holiness for Israel — how a sinful people may draw near to a holy God. Its themes of atonement and purity point forward to Christ.

Testament

Old (27 chapters)

Type

Law

Date

The wilderness period after the exodus (traditionally 13th c. BC); the priestly material was edited and assembled in stages.

Holiness

The book's refrain is 'Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy' (19:2). Holiness here is not abstract — it touches food, clothing, sexuality, business, agriculture. The vision: a whole people, in every corner of life, set apart for God.

Atonement

The sacrificial system Leviticus describes — sin offering, guilt offering, burnt offering, peace offering, and the Day of Atonement (chapter 16) — gave Israel a way to deal with sin. The New Testament reads all this as fulfilled in Christ, 'who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice' (Hebrews 7:27).

Key verses (KJV)

“Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.” — Leviticus 19:2 (KJV)

“Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.” — Leviticus 19:18 (KJV)

“For it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” — Leviticus 17:11 (KJV)

How to read Leviticus

Don't try to read straight through on a first pass — Leviticus is the book most New Testament readers stall in. Try chapter 16 (Day of Atonement), 19 (the holiness code), and 25 (Jubilee year) as standalone reads. Hebrews 8-10 makes Leviticus come alive in Christian context.

Read Leviticus on your iPhone

Read the full book of Leviticus in Quiethaven — choose your translation, read offline, and pick up where you left off. Pair it with a daily verse and a prayer timer.

More Old Testament books

• The Book of Numbers
• The Book of Deuteronomy
• The Book of Joshua
• The Book of Judges
• The Book of Ruth

From the blog

Frequently asked questions

What is the Book of Leviticus about?

Leviticus is a book of Law, running to 27 chapters. Its main threads: Holiness; Atonement.

Who wrote the Book of Leviticus?

Traditionally Moses, transcribing the laws given at Sinai. Compiled into final form by priestly editors during or after the exile.

Where does Leviticus come in the Bible?

Leviticus is one of the 39 books of the Old Testament in the Protestant canon, grouped with the Law books. You can walk the canon in order using the previous and next links on this page.