Le·vit·i·cus /-kəs/
 利未記
 Le·vit·i·cus n.  The third canonical book of the Old Testament, containing the laws and regulations relating to the priests and Levites among the Hebrews, or the body of the ceremonial law.
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 Leviticus
      n : the third book of the Old Testament; contains Levitical law
          and ritual precedents [syn: Book of Leviticus]
 Leviticus
    the third book of the Pentateuch; so called in the Vulgate,
    after the LXX., because it treats chiefly of the Levitical
    service.
      In the first section of the book (1-17), which exhibits the
    worship itself, there is, (1.) A series of laws (1-7) regarding
    sacrifices, burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, and thank-offerings
    (1-3), sin-offerings and trespass-offerings (4; 5), followed by
    the law of the priestly duties in connection with the offering
    of sacrifices (6; 7). (2.) An historical section (8-10), giving
    an account of the consecration of Aaron and his sons (8);
    Aaron's first offering for himself and the people (9); Nadab and
    Abihu's presumption in offering "strange fire before Jehovah,"
    and their punishment (10). (3.) Laws concerning purity, and the
    sacrifices and ordinances for putting away impurity (11-16). An
    interesting fact may be noted here. Canon Tristram, speaking of
    the remarkable discoveries regarding the flora and fauna of the
    Holy Land by the Palestine Exploration officers, makes the
    following statement:, "Take these two catalogues of the clean
    and unclean animals in the books of Leviticus [11] and
    Deuteronomy [14]. There are eleven in Deuteronomy which do not
    occur in Leviticus, and these are nearly all animals and birds
    which are not found in Egypt or the Holy Land, but which are
    numerous in the Arabian desert. They are not named in Leviticus
    a few weeks after the departure from Egypt; but after the people
    were thirty-nine years in the desert they are named, a strong
    proof that the list in Deuteronomy was written at the end of the
    journey, and the list in Leviticus at the beginning. It fixes
    the writing of that catalogue to one time and period only, viz.,
    that when the children of Israel were familiar with the fauna
    and the flora of the desert" (Palest. Expl. Quart., Jan. 1887).
    (4.) Laws marking the separation between Israel and the heathen
    (17-20). (5.) Laws about the personal purity of the priests, and
    their eating of the holy things (20; 21); about the offerings of
    Israel, that they were to be without blemish (22:17-33); and
    about the due celebration of the great festivals (23; 25). (6.)
    Then follow promises and warnings to the people regarding
    obedience to these commandments, closing with a section on vows.
      The various ordinances contained in this book were all
    delivered in the space of a month (comp. Ex. 40:17; Num. 1:1),
    the first month of the second year after the Exodus. It is the
    third book of Moses.
      No book contains more of the very words of God. He is almost
    throughout the whole of it the direct speaker. This book is a
    prophecy of things to come, a shadow whereof the substance is
    Christ and his kingdom. The principles on which it is to be
    interpreted are laid down in the Epistle to the Hebrews. It
    contains in its complicated ceremonial the gospel of the grace
    of God.