Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy by 
Leviticus and Numbers by
The Texts @ Contexts series gathers scholarly voices from diverse contexts and social locations to bring new or unfamiliar facets of biblical texts to light. Leviticus and Numbers focuses attention on practices and ideals of behavior in community, from mourning and diet to marriages licit and transgressive, examining all of these from a variety of global perspectives and postcolonial and feminist methods. How do we deal with the apparent cultural distances between ourselves and these ancient writings; what can we learn from their visions of human dwelling on the earth?
Leviticus and Numbers by
The Teach the Text Commentary Series utilizes the best of biblical scholarship to provide the information a pastor needs to communicate the text effectively. The carefully selected preaching units and focused commentary allow pastors to quickly grasp the big idea and key themes of each passage of Scripture. Each unit of the commentary includes the big idea and key themes of the passage and sections dedicated to understanding, teaching, and illustrating the text
Leviticus-Numbers by
"The contrast in appreciation of Leviticus and Numbers by the synagogue on the one hand, and by the church on the other, is little short of astonishing. The former has considered it crucial to an understanding of God and of the nature of the "chosen people" of Israel. The latter has usually reduced it to allegory or as a mere historical record of Israelite religion. In this new volume, Hebrew Bible scholar Lloyd R. Bailey examines these often overlooked or underappreciated books of Moses in the contexts of both the Jewish and Christian traditions. ... the primary goal of the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary series is to make available serious, credible biblical scholarship in an accessible and less intimidating format. A visual generation of believers deserves a commentary series that contains not only the all-important textual commentary on Scripture, but images, photographs, maps, works of fine art, and drawings that bring the text to life. Each volume of the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary series features a CD-ROM, which expands the uses and capabilities of the Commentary even more"--Publisher description.
Leviticus by
Preaching's Preacher's Guide to the Best Bible Reference for 2014 (Old Testament Commentaries). Levitical rules and regulations can at first appear irrelevant to contemporary Christians--but they provide important Old Testament background for understanding large portions of the New Testament. Leviticus describes a point in human history when God came and dwelt in the midst of the ancient Israelites and taught them what their purpose in life really was. Jay Sklar's commentary makes clear what it is that the Lord said to them and, in so doing, makes clear what he says to us today.
Leviticus As Literature by
This first full-scale account of Leviticus by a world-renowned anthropologist presents the biblical work as a literary masterpiece. Seen in an anthropological perspective Leviticus has a mystical structure which plots the book into three parts corresponding to the three parts of the desert tabernacle, which in turn corresponds to the parts of Mount Sinai. This completely new reading transforms the interpretation of the purity laws. The pig and other forbidden animals are not abhorrent, they command the same respect due to all God's creatures. Boldly challenging several traditions of Bible criticism, Mary Douglas claims that Leviticus is not the narrow doctrine of a crabbed professional priesthood but a powerful intellectual statement about a religion which emphasizes God's justice and compassion.
The Book of Leviticus: Composition and Reception by
This collection of essays examines Leviticus in its compositional and literary context, issues of cult and sacrifice in Leviticus, Leviticus on the priesthood, and Leviticus in translation and interpretation. The volume will serve biblical studies well long into the future.
A Life Changing Encounter with God's Word from the Books of Leviticus and Numbers by
Training toward Holiness Leviticus was a chisel, fashioning and forming the slaves of Egypt into the people of God. Leviticus was an exercise regimen, a plan for how God's people could embrace God's blessings. Leviticus was a time-out, a pause in the action for training toward holiness. After this time-out, the action continues in the book of Numbers, reminding us how difficult it is for humans to stick to the game plan that brings God's blessings. Together, Leviticus and Numbers paint a picture of the habits of holiness and how committed God is to seeing us become who he created us to be. LifeChange LifeChange Bible studies will help you grow in Christlikeness through a life-changing encounter with God's Word. Filled with a wealth of ideas for going deeper so you can return to this study again and again. Features Cover the books of Leviticus & Numbers in 12 lessons Equip yourself to lead a Bible study Imagine the Bible's historical world Study word origins and definitions Explore thoughtful questions on key themes Go deeper with optional projects Add your notes with extra space and wide margins Find the flexibility to fit the time you have
"I Will Walk Among You" : The Rhetorical Function of Allusion to Genesis 1-3 in the Book of Leviticus by
"A methodologically constrained examination of the lexical, syntactical, and conceptual correspondence between the opening chapters of Genesis and Leviticus 11, 16, and 26. Explores the potential rhetorical function of allusion for the texts' original audience"--Provided by publisher.
Body, Gender and Purity in Leviticus 12 And 15 by
"The so-called purity laws in Leviticus 11-15 reflect a cultic and social view of the male and female body. These texts do not give detailed physiological descriptions. Instead, they prescribe what to do in the cases of skin disease, delivery and woman's genital discharges, but the particular way of dealing with the body and the language used in Leviticus 12 and 15 ask for clarification: how do these texts construct the male and female body? Which roles does gender play within this language? By means of themes such as menstruation and circumcision, Erbele-Kuester unfolds the language used for the body in Leviticus and its interpretation history. Her study provides material for a contemporary anthropology of bodies which relates the human sexed body to God's holiness"-- Publisher's website.
Holiness to the Lord by
At first glance, the Book of Leviticus seems like barren material for lively preaching. Most expositors merely skim the surface for messages on tithing or sabbath-keeping. Yet Leviticus is one of the most important books of the Old Testament; it not only describes the complete religious system of ancient Israel, it also lays the theological foundation for the Christian gospel. In Holiness to the Lord, Allen P. Ross enables preachers and teachers to mine the riches of Leviticus and deliver them to a contemporary audience. Following the same practical method he used in the acclaimed Creation and Blessing, Ross first carefully sites Leviticus within its context in the ancient world. Then he traces the development of God's plan of salvation-how Leviticus' laws, rituals, symbols, and events prepared for the complete revelation in Jesus Christ. Finally, unlike traditional commentaries, Ross offers helpful ideas for correlating Leviticus to New Testament teachings (particularly Romans, Hebrews, and Peter) and for applying the material in relevant expository form. Holiness to the Lord is every expositor's indispensable guide for interpreting the Law for the church and for elucidating Leviticus in practical, biblical messages about worship, sanctification, and obedience
Maps and Meaning : Levitical Models for Contemporary Care by
Maps and Meaning is rooted in the authors' experience as clergy and chaplains and is relevant to those looking for a fresh perspective on biblical narratives related to the role of the priest, patients, soldiers, and others who spend time "outside the camp." Drawing on diverse fields, from neuroscience to anthropology, the authors consider the geographical, interpersonal, temporal, and spiritual transitions individuals experience when they move "in" and "out of the camp" and the impact their time outside the camp has on family and community. They offer a unique perspective on self-care for caregivers of different disciplines who negotiate these transitions in their work. And they explore the lives and transitions of patients and returning veterans. Drawing on contemporary explorations of stigma, the authors raise communal questions related to healthcare, returning veterans, and incarcerated people. They propose a societal approach that embraces the inevitability of life's ebbs and flow and that draws maps to facilitate these journeys.
Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord? by
"Who shall ascend the mountain of the LORD?" ―Psalm 24:3 In many ways, this is the fundamental question of Old Testament Israel's cult―and, indeed, of life itself. How can creatures made from dust become members of God's household "forever"? The question of ascending God's mountain to his house was likely recited by pilgrims on approaching the temple on Mount Zion during the annual festivals. This entrance liturgy runs as an undercurrent throughout the Pentateuch and is at the heart of its central book, Leviticus. Its dominating concern, as well as that of the rest of the Bible, is the way in which humanity may come to dwell with God. Israel's deepest hope was not merely a liturgical question, but a historical quest. Under the Mosaic covenant, the way opened up by God was through the Levitical cult of the tabernacle and later temple, its priesthood and rituals. The advent of Christ would open up a new and living way into the house of God―indeed, that was the goal of his taking our humanity upon himself, his suffering, his resurrection and ascension. In this stimulating volume in the New Studies in Biblical Theology, Michael Morales explores the narrative context, literary structure and theology of Leviticus. He follows its dramatic movement, examines the tabernacle cult and the Day of Atonement, and tracks the development from Sinai?s tabernacle to Zion's temple―and from the earthly to the heavenly Mount Zion in the New Testament. He shows how life with God in the house of God was the original goal of the creation of the cosmos, and became the goal of redemption and the new creation. Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.
Ritual and Rhetoric in Leviticus: From Sacrifice to Scripture by
Ritual and Rhetoric in Leviticus uses rhetorical analysis to expose the motives behind the writing of the central book of the Torah/Pentateuch and its persuasive function in ancient Judaism. The answer to the question,'who was trying to persuade whom of what by writing these texts?'proves to be quite consistent throughout Leviticus 1-16: Aaronide high priests and their supporters used this book to legitimize their monopoly over the ritual offerings of Jews and Samaritans. With this priestly rhetoric at its center, the Torah supported the rise to power of two priestly dynasties in Second Temple Judaism. Their ascendancy in turn elevated the prestige and rhetorical power to the book, making it the first real scripture in Near Eastern and Western religious traditions.
Cult and Character: Purification Offerings, Day of Atonement, and Theodicy by 
Current Issues in Priestly and Related Literature by 
Ritual Words and Narrative Worlds in the Book of Leviticus by
This book argues that literary features and ritual dynamics within the book of Leviticus enlighten each other. The first two chapters establish that one may read Leviticus as a coherent literary work and define the genre of Leviticus as "narrativized ritual," a complex blending of descriptive narrative and prescriptive ritual. In conversation with Catherine Bell, they present several aspects of the text that are ritualized and show how this ritualization implies a negotiation of power relations among participants. The third and fourth chapters examine the first half of Leviticus, both the legal sections in Lev. 1-7 and 11-15 and the narratives in Lev. 8-10 and 16. These sections alternate between establishing the ritual system and exposing gaps and ambiguities in that system.Chapter 5 turns to the second half of Leviticus, traditionally called the Holiness Code. The ritual language found in this section is less formal and precise, mirroring the way in which the concept of holiness is expanded and extended to the whole people. As this material concludes the book, it relativizes and democratizes the strict ritual system contained in the first half.
Illuminating Leviticus: A Study of Its Laws and Institutions in the Light of Biblical Narratives by
The origin of law in the Hebrew Bible has long been the subject of scholarly debate. Until recently, the historico-critical methodologies of the academy have yielded unsatisfactory conclusions concerning the source of these laws which are woven through biblical narratives. In this original and provocative study, Calum Carmichael—a leading scholar of biblical law and rhetoric—suggests that Hebrew law was inspired by the study of the narratives in Genesis through 2 Kings.Discussing particular laws found in the book of Leviticus—addressing issues such as the Day of Atonement, consumption of meat that still has blood, the Jubilee year, sexual and bodily contamination, and the treatment of slaves—Carmichael links each to a narrative. He contends that biblical laws did not emerge from social imperatives in ancient Israel, but instead from the careful, retrospective study of the nation's history and identity.
An Introduction to Biblical Law by
Informed, accessible textbook on law collections in the Pentateuch In this book William Morrow surveys four major law collections in Exodus–Deuteronomy and shows how they each enabled the people of Israel to create and sustain a community of faith. Treating biblical law as dynamic systems of thought facilitating ancient Israel's efforts at self-definition, Morrow describes four different social contexts that gave rise to biblical law: (1) Israel at the holy mountain (the Ten Commandments); (2) Israel in the village assembly (Exodus 20:22–23:19); (3) Israel in the courts of the Lord (priestly and holiness rules in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers); and (4) Israel in the city (Deuteronomy). Including forthright discussion of such controversial subjects as slavery, revenge, gender inequality, religious intolerance, and contradictions between bodies of biblical law, Morrow's study will help students and other serious readers make sense out of texts in the Pentateuch that are often seen as obscure.
Illuminating Leviticus by 
Old Testament Parallels (New Revised and Expanded Third Edition) by 
The Sacrificial Laws of Leviticus and the Joseph Story by
In this study, Calum Carmichael offers a new assessment of the Joseph story from the perspective of the biblical laws in Leviticus 1-10. These sacrificial laws, he argues, respond to the many problems in the first Israelite family. Understanding how ancient lawgivers thought about Joseph's and his brothers' troubling behavior leads to a greater appreciation of this complicated tale. The study of the laws in Leviticus 1-10 in relation to the Joseph story provides evidence that all biblical laws, over 400, constitute commentary on issues in the biblical narratives. They do not, as commonly thought, directly reflect the societal concerns in ancient Israelite times. Through close reading and analysis, Carmichael reveals how biblical narrators and lawgivers found distinctive and subtle ways of evaluating a single development in a narrative from multiple perspectives. Thus, the sacrificial laws addressing idolatry, keeping silent about a known offense, confessing wrongdoing, and seeking forgiveness become readily understandable when reviewed as responses to the events in the Joseph story.
