Leviticus 16, 17 & 18

These chapters define the heart (Lev) of priestly responsibility: maintaining holiness through atonement, sacrifice, and moral boundaries.

• Leviticus 16 outlines the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)—the holiest day in Israel’s calendar. The high priest enters the Most Holy Place to make atonement for the people, the sanctuary, and himself, using blood sacrifices and the symbolic scapegoat to remove sin from the camp.
• Leviticus 17 emphasizes the sacredness of blood—it is life, and it belongs to God. Sacrifices must occur at the Tabernacle, not in private, reinforcing the centrality of priestly mediation and discouraging idolatry.
• Leviticus 18 turns to moral purity, especially sexual ethics. It lists forbidden relationships and practices, distinguishing Israel from the surrounding nations. Holiness is not only ritual—it’s ethical and communal.

Together, these chapters underscore that priestly duties are not just about rituals, but about protecting the boundaries between the holy and the profane, the pure and the defiled—for both individuals and the nation.

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