Leviticus 1:1 - Exposition

And the LORD called unto Moses . The first word of the verse, in the original Vayikra, meaning "and called," has been taken as the designation of the book in the Hebrew Bible. The title Leviticon, or Leviticus, was first adopted by the LXX ; to indicate that it had for its main subject the duties and functions appertaining to the chief house of the priestly tribe of Levi. The word "and" connects the third with the second book of the Pentateuch. God is spoken of in this and in the next book almost exclusively under the appellation of "the LORD " or "Jehovah," the word "Elohim" being, however, used sufficiently often to identify the two names. Cf. Le Leviticus 2:13 , Leviticus 19:12 . And spake unto him . The manner in which God ordinarily communicated with a prophet was by "a vision" or "in a dream;" but this was not the case with Moses; "My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house; with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently" ( Numbers 12:8 ). The Levitical code of laws, therefore, was delivered to Moses in his ordinary mental state, not in trance, or dream, or ecstasy. Out of the tabernacle of the congregation. The tabernacle had just been set up by Moses ( Exodus 40:16 ). It derives its name of the congregation, or rather of meeting, from being the place where God met the representatives of his people (see Numbers 16:42 ). Hitherto God had spoken from the mount, now he speaks from the mercy-seat of the ark in the tabernacle. He had symbolically drawn near to his people, and the sacrificial system is now instituted as the means by which they should draw nigh to him. All the laws in the Book of Leviticus, and in the first ten chapters of the Book of Numbers, were given during the fifty days which intervened between the setting up of the tabernacle ( Exodus 40:17 ) and the departure of the children of Israel from the neighbourhood of Mount Sinai ( Numbers 10:11 ).