Leviticus
Leviticus answers the question left hanging at the end of Exodus: how can a holy God live among an unholy people? Set entirely at Sinai, it details sacrifices that deal with sin, priests who mediate, and boundaries between clean and unclean that teach Israel to take God's presence seriously. At its center stands the Day of Atonement, when the whole nation's guilt is carried away. The famous command to love your neighbor as yourself sits here too, because holiness is never merely ritual. Beneath the unfamiliar details runs a warm conviction: God wants his people near him.
Traditionally Moses; presented as divine speech delivered at the tent of meeting.
Set at Sinai, c. 1446–1445 BC; final form debated.
Israel at Sinai, especially the priests who would serve in the sanctuary.
To teach Israel how a holy God can dwell among them through sacrifice, priesthood, purity, and holy living.