Leviticus, Volume 4 (4) (Word Biblical Commentary)

✍ Scribed by Dr. John Hartley, Bruce M. Metzger (editor), David Allen Hubbard (editor), Glenn W. Barker (editor)

• Publisher: Zondervan Academic
• Year: 2015
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 591
• Edition: Revised ed.
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship.

Overview of Commentary Organization

• Introduction—covers issues pertaining to the whole book, including context, date, authorship, composition, interpretive issues, purpose, and theology.
• Each section of the commentary includes:
• Pericope Bibliography—a helpful resource containing the most important works that pertain to each particular pericope.
• Translation—the author’s own translation of the biblical text, reflecting the end result of exegesis and attending to Hebrew and Greek idiomatic usage of words, phrases, and tenses, yet in reasonably good English.
• Notes—the author’s notes to the translation that address any textual variants, grammatical forms, syntactical constructions, basic meanings of words, and problems of translation.
• Form/Structure/Setting—a discussion of redaction, genre, sources, and tradition as they concern the origin of the pericope, its canonical form, and its relation to the biblical and extra-biblical contexts in order to illuminate the structure and character of the pericope. Rhetorical or compositional features important to understanding the passage are also introduced here.
• Comment—verse-by-verse interpretation of the text and dialogue with other interpreters, engaging with current opinion and scholarly research.
• Explanation—brings together all the results of the discussion in previous sections to expose the meaning and intention of the text at several levels: (1) within the context of the book itself; (2) its meaning in the OT or NT; (3) its place in the entire canon; (4) theological relevance to broader OT or NT issues.
  • General Bibliography—occurring at the end of each volume, this extensive bibliographycontains all sources used anywhere in the commentary.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Contents
Author’s Preface
Editorial Preface
Abbreviations
Commentary Bibliography
Main Bibliography
Introduction
The Hebrew Text of Leviticus
Structure of Leviticus
Authorship and Origin
The History of the Exposition of Leviticus
The Message of Leviticus
Leviticus: Text and Commentary
I. Regulations for Sacrifices (1:1–7:38)
A. Heading to the Sacrificial Legislation and the Book (1:1–2)
B. Regulations for Three Common Sacrifices (1:3–3:17)
1. Regulation for the Whole Offering (1:3–17)
Excursus: צלה, “The Whole Offering”
Excursus: Laying On of Hand(s)
2. Regulation for the Grain Offering (2:1–16)
Excursus: מנחה
3. Regulation for the Offering of Well-Being (3:1–17)
Excursus: The Offering of Well-Being
C. Regulation for the Purification Offering (4:1–5:13)
Excursus: The Purification Offering
Excursus: כפר, “Make Expiation, Atone”
D. Regulation for the Reparation Offering (5:14–26[6:7])
Excursus: אשׁם, “Guilt, Reparation Offering”
E. Further Instructions About the Various Sacrifices (6:1 [8]–7:38)
II. Ordination of the Priests and the First Sacrifices At the Tent of Meeting (8:1–10:20)
A. Ordination of Aaron As High Priest and His Sons As Priests (8:1–36)
B. The First Public Sacrifices At the Tent of Meeting (9:1–24)
C. The Death of Two Priests and Attendant Regulations (10:1–20)
III. Laws On Ritual Purity (11:1–15:33)
Excursus: Ritual Purity
A. Instructions On the Classification of Animals As Clean and Unclean (11:1–47)
B. Instructions On Ritual Purity of a Woman Who Has Given Birth (12:1–8)
C. Instructions On Grievous Growths (13:1–14:57)
Excursus: צרעת and Leprosy
D. Instructions On Uncleanness from Bodily Emissions (15:1–33)
IV. Regulations and Calendar for the Day of Atonement (16:1–34)
V. Laws On Holy Living (17:1–26:46)
A. Laws About Sacrificing Domestic Animals and Regarding Blood (17:1–16)
B. Laws Governing the Extended Family (18:1–30)
Excursus: The Phrase “I Am Yahweh (Your God)”
C. Laws and Exhortations to Holy Living (19:1–37)
D. Laws With Penalties for Sacrifice to Molek, Sorcery, and Sexual Offenses (20:1–27)
Excursus: Molek
E. Special Laws for the Priests (21:1–24)
F. Laws Regarding the Priests’ Eating Sacred Food (22:1–16)
G. Laws About Animals Acceptable for Sacrifice (22:17–33)
H. The Calendar of Festivals (23:1–44)
Excursus: Calendars In the OT and Israel’s Pilgrimage Festivals
I. Regulations Regarding Oil for the Lampstand and Bread for the Table of the Presence (24:1–9)
J. A Case of Blasphemy and Laws On Personal Injury (24:10–23)
K. The Calendar for Seven-Year Cycles and Blessings and Curses (25:1–26:46)
1. Seven-Year Cycles: The Sabbatical Year and the Year of Jubilee (25:1–55)
Excursus: The Year of Jubilee
2. Some General Commandments On Faithful Worship (26:1–2)
3. Blessings and Curses (26:3–46)
VI. Laws On Tithes and Offerings (27:1–34)
Indexes
Index of Authors Cited
Index of Principal Subjects
Index of Biblical Texts
Index of Key Hebrew Words