Levites, Military, a name given to such ministers in the time of the Commonwealth as filled the oflice of chaplain in the regiments of the ParUamentary army. — Muck, Theol. I )ict.\..x.
Levit'icus, so called in the Vulgate from treating chiefly of the Levitical service ; in tlie Ileb. S"ip^1, and he called, being the Avord with which it begins; in the Sept. Afi^iViKoj'; the third book of the Pentateuch, call- ed also by the later Jews Ci:ri3 S^'niFl, '"law of the priests," and m33"ip rnin, '• law of offerings." In our treatment of it we largely avail ourselves of the articles on the subject in Smith's and Kitto's Bictionaries.
LEVITICUS
401
LEVITICUS
I. Contents. — Leviticus contains the further statement and development of the Sinaitic legislation, the begin- nings of which arc described in Exodus. It exhibits the historical progress of this legislation; consequently, we must not expect to tind the laws detailed in it in a systematic form. There is, nevertheless, a certain order obsened, which arose from the nature of the subject, and of which the plan may easily be perceived. The whole is intimately connected with the contents of Ex- odus, at the conclusion of which book that sanctuary is described with which all external worship was comiect- ed (Exod. xxxv-xl).
LeviticuG begins by describing the worship itself (ch. i-xvii), and concludes with personal distinctions and ex- hortations as to the worshippers (ch. xviii-xxvii). More specifically the book may be divided into seven leading sections.
(I.) The Laws directly relatinrj to Sacrifices (ch. i-vii). • — At first God spoke to the people out of the thunder and lightning of Sinai, and gave them his holy com- mandments by the hand of a mediator; but henceforth his presence is to dwell not on the secret top of Sinai, but in the midst of his people, both in their wanderings through the wilderness and afterwards in the Land of Tromise. Hence the first directions which Moses re- ceives after the work is finished have reference to the offerings which were to be brought to the door of the tabernacle. As .Jehovah draws near to the people in the tabernacle, so the people draw near to Jehovah in the offering. Without offerings none may approach him. The regulations respecting the sacrifices fall into three groups, and each of these groups again consists of a decalogue of instructions. Bertheau has observed that this principle runs through all the la;vs of Moses. They are all modelled after the pattern of the ten command- ments, so that each distinct subject of legislation is al- ways treated of under ten several enactments or provi- sions.
1. The first group of regulations (ch. i-iii) deals with three kinds of offerings: the burnt-offering (nbl"). the meat-offering (Hni'C), and the thank-offering (n2'r
a. The burnt-offering (chap, i) in three sections. It might be either (1) a male without blemish from the herds ("i)^3n TP) (ver. 3-9), or (2) a male without blem- ish from Xha flocks, or lesser cattle ("XStl) (ver. 10-13), or (3) it might be fowls, an offering of turtle-doves or young pigeons (ver. 14-17). The subdivisions are here marked clearly enough, not only by the three Idnds of sacrifice, but also by \h& form in which the enactment is put. Each begins with, "If his offering," etc., and each ends -vvith, "An offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah."
h. The next group (ch. ii) presents many more diffi- culties. Its parts are not so clearly marked, either by prominent features in the subject-matter, or by the more technical boundaries of certain initial and final phrases. "We have here the meat-offering, or bloodless offering, in four sections : (1) in its uncooked form, consisting of fine flour with oil and frankincense (ver. 1-3) ; (2) in its cooked form, of which three different kinds are speci- fied—baked in the oven, fried, or boiled (verses 4-10) ; (3) tlio prohibition of leaven, and the direction to use salt in aU the meat-offerings (ver. 1 1-13) ; (4) the obla- tion of first-fruits (ver. 14-1 G). ^
c. The Shelamim, "peace-offering" (A. V.), or "thank- offering" (Ewald) (chap, iii), in three sections. Strictly speaking, this falls under two heads: first, when it is of the herd; and, secondly, when it is of the flock. But this last has again its subdivision ; for the offering, when of the tlock, may be either a lamb or a goat. Accord- mgly, the three sections are, verses 1-5; 7-11; 12-16. Ver. (J is merely introductory to the second class of sac- rifices, and ver. 17 a general conclusion, as in the case of other laws. This concludes the first decalogue of the book.
v.— Cc
2. The laws concerning the sin-offering and the tres- pass- (or guilt-) offering (chap, iv, v). The sin-offering (chap, iv) is treated of under four specified cases, after a short introduction to the whole in ver. 1, 2 : (1) the sin- offering for the priest, 3-12 ; (2) for the whole congre- gation, 13-21 ; (3) for a ruler. 22-26 ; (4) for one of the common people, 27-35.
Alter these four cases, in which the offering is to be made for four different classes, there follow provisions respecting three several kinds of transgression for which atonement must be made. It is not quite clear whether these should be ranked under the head of the sin-offering or of the trespass-offering. See Offering. We may, however, follow Bertheau, Baumgarten, and Knobel in regarding them as special instances in which a «z'n-offer- ing was to be brought. The three cases are : first, when any one hears a curse, and conceals what he hears (ver. 1) ; secondly, when any one touches, without knowing or intending it, any unclean thing (ver. 2, 3) ; lastly, when any one takes an oath inconsiderately (verse 4). For each of these cases the same trespass-offering, " a female from the flock, a lamb or kid of the goats," is ap- pointed ; but, with that mercifulness which character- izes the Jlosaic law, express provision is made for a less costly offering where the offerer is poor.