The third
book of the Bible is Leviticus. Its Greek (and thus English) name is derived from the Tribe of
Levi, the Hebrew tribe that, unlike the others, did not possess any land of its own and was
instead tasked with the clerical and religious duties of the Hebrew religion. The Book of
Leviticus, unlike the two previous books of the Bible (Genesis and Exodus), is concerned more
with law than narrative.
As the Levites were the priests of ancient Israel,
Leviticus can be seen as representative of their law code (their laws are also found throughout
Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). Traditionally, the Jewish people have seen themselves being
obligated to follow 613 commandments; many of these can be found in Leviticus.
In addition to laws on sacrifice, the priesthood, and ritual cleanliness, Leviticus
also contains the Holiness Code, which details practices designed to keep the Israelites
distinct from their neighbors and is distinguished in style by the repeated affirmations of God
as "holy."
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