Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy

Leviticus

• Leviticus is a “diverse collection of laws regulating such things as diet, sexual relations, sacred festivals, and private and public morality” ~ Harris, 143.

• Two classifications of laws:• Clean vs. Unclean• Holy vs. Unholy

• Organization of laws in Leviticus:• Lev. 1- 7 – Sacrificial laws – deals with sacrificial system ,

including laws on burnt offerings• Lev. 8-10 – Consecration of Priests• There are two camps of priests in the Hebrew Bible• Sons of Aaron – Aaronide priests• Levites – descendants of Levi, son of Jacob• The relationship between the Aaronide and Levite priests

was not healthy for most of the Hebrew Bible

• Leviticus 10 -15 – Impurity Laws / Laws that make one unclean • Unclean does not mean that one is “sinful.” A

woman going through her menstrual cycle is considered unclean or a man and woman after sexual relations because it deals with the secretion of discharge (such as semen)• Also involves kosher laws – the impurity laws

are extremely difficult to pinpoint why they are considered unclean – there seems to be no specific rhyme or reason for some of the laws

• Leviticus 17-26 – Holiness Code – Expands upon the basic 10 commandments

Numbers

• Provides a census of the Hebrew people during the years wandering in the wilderness

• Expounds upon laws in more detail

• Tells stories of the Israelites in the wilderness

Deuteronomy

• Presented as the farewell address of Moses (Book of Laws)

• Moses informs the Israelites that he will not be allowed to cross over the Jordan into the promised land and appoints Joshua as his successor

• Structure:• Speeches• Laws• Curses and Blessings• Conclusion

• Importance of Deuteronomy is that it centralized worship in Jerusalem (this was important during the reign of Josiah when it is believed Deuteronomy was used as the basis for Josiah’s reforms)