Leviticus 1–16 (The Anchor Yale Bible Commentary | AYBC)

by Jacob Milgrom

Publisher:

Yale University Press

, 2008

Overview

At the beginning of his academic career, author Jacob Milgrom determined to make his lifework a probing study of the Laws of the Torah. Here, with Leviticus 1–16, the first of three volumes on Leviticus, he has reached the pinnacle of his long pursuit. No other contemporary commentary matches Milgrom’s comprehensive work on this much misunderstood and often under-appreciated biblical book.

In this richly detailed volume, the author traverses the shoals of legal thought and liturgical practice in ancient Israel. He clearly explains the role of the Tabernacle of the Wilderness as the all-important center of Israelite worship, the locus of the priestly orders, sacrificial rituals, and practices of purity to which the congregation repaired for penitence and reconciliation, restoration, and renewal. At the heart of the dwelling place of God was the real presence of the God of Israel, present through his splendor in the midst of the camp and the congregation—a permanent sign of the unique privilege and responsibility of Israel, perceived as a worshipping and serving people.

Logos Bible Software gives you the tools you need to use this volume effectively and efficiently. With your digital library, you can search for verses, find Scripture references and citations instantly, and perform word studies. Along with your English translations, all Scripture passages are linked to Greek and Hebrew texts. What’s more, hovering over a Scripture reference will instantly display your verse! The advanced tools in your digital library free you to dig deeper into one of the most important contributions to biblical scholarship in the past century!

Key Features

• Offers original translations, including alternative translations, annotations, and variants
• Provides verse-by-verse commentary on the text
• Presents the reader with historical background, including analysis of authorship and dating
• Features an extensive bibliography of primary and secondary literature

Contents

• Part I: The Sacrificial System (Chapters 1–7)
  • Sacrificial Instructions Directed to the Laity (1:1–5:26)
  • Sacrifices: The Administrative Order (6:1–7:38)
• Part II: The Inauguration of the Cult (Chapters 8–10)
  • Consecration of Priests (8:1–36)
  • The Inaugural Service (9:1–24)
  • The Tragic Aftermath of the Inaugural Service (10:1–20)
• Part III: The Impurity System (Chapters 11–16)
  • Diet Laws (11:1–47)
  • Childbirth (12:1–8)
  • Scale Disease (13:1–59)
  • Purification after Scale Disease (14:1–57)
  • Genital Discharges (15:1–33)
  • The Day of Purgation (Yôm Kippûr) (16:1–34)

Contents

Top Highlights

“That there are two traditions concerning the ʾōhel môʿēd ‘Tent of Meeting’ is clear from its two loci: according to the Priestly tradition it is located in the very center of the camp (e.g., Num 2:17; 3:38) and according to the epic tradition it is located outside the camp (e.g., Num 11:24–27; 12:4–5). Some scholars believe they are one and the same Tent. There is, however, a rabbinic source that speaks of two Tents, one inside the camp for cultic purposes, the other outside the camp for oracular purposes (Midr. Exod. Rab. 51:2; Midr. Tanḥ. Pekude 5; Midr. Tanḥ. B. Exod., 127; Yal. 1, 737; Sipre Zuṭ on Num 10:33). This rabbinic tradition is followed by most moderns (e.g., Haran 1960a).” (Pages 139–140)

“No longer Adam, the ideal, but Noah, the real, he insists on bringing death to living things to gratify his appetite and need. This concession is granted him, reluctantly, but not without reservation: he is to refrain from ingesting the blood.” (Page 706)

“The common denominator of the tĕnûpâ may be clarified by two principles. The first is that any offering that is still in its owner’s possession before it is sacrificed on the altar requires a dedication ritual, which is called tĕnûpâ.” (Page 462)

“Moreover, its use is confined to the sanctuary, but it is never applied to a person (Milgrom 1970c” (Page 255)

“Evidently, then, the ḥaṭṭāʾt purifies, and the conclusion is therefore irrefutable that the ḥaṭṭāʾt blood daubed on the altar (v 8) lekappēr ʿal-halĕwiyim (v 12) purges the altar on the Levites’ behalf.” (Page 290)

Product Details

• Title: Leviticus 1–16
• Author: Jacob Milgrom
• Series: Anchor Yale Bible (AYB)
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Publication Date: 1998
• Pages: 1,184

About Jacob Milgrom

Jacob Milgrom is a scholar and professor emeritus in the field of Biblical Studies at the University of California. He is most known for his research on the book of Leviticus and the purity regulations of the Torah.

The Jewish Publication Society of America was founded in Philadelphia in 1888 to provide the children of Jewish immigrants to America with books about their heritage in the language of the New World. As the oldest publisher of Jewish titles in the English language, the mission of JPS is to enhance Jewish culture by promoting the dissemination of religious and secular works of exceptional quality, in the United States and abroad, to all individuals and institutions interested in past and contemporary Jewish life.

Over the years JPS has issued a body of works for all tastes and needs. Its many titles include biographies, histories, art books, holiday anthologies, books for young readers, religious and philosophical studies, and translations of scholarly and popular classics. It is perhaps known best for its famous JPS Tanakh, the translation of the Hebrew Bible in English from the original Hebrew.