Leviticus is the third book of the Bible and the manual of worship and holiness that God delivered to the people of Israel through Moses in the wilderness. It contains the laws concerning sacrifices, ritual purity, and the priesthood, revealing the holy character of God and His desire to dwell in the midst of His people. Through its detailed ordinances, Leviticus points toward the necessity of atonement and anticipates the redemptive work of Christ.
Written approximately in the fifteenth century B.C., Leviticus takes its name from the tribe of Levi, charged with the priestly service in the tabernacle. The book is divided into two great sections: the laws concerning sacrifices and purity (chapters 1-16), and the Code of Holiness (chapters 17-27), which regulates the moral and social life of the people. Its central theme is the holiness of God, summed up in the recurring command: "Be ye holy, for I am holy."