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 underappreciated 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 centre 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 splendour 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.

The Anchor Bible: Leviticus 17-22 A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary brings us to the heart of the book. These chapters focus mainly on the practice of holiness required of laity and priest alike. The Commandments that lead to holiness are detailed in Chapter 19, the core of the book, if not the whole Torah. The acme of this chapter, the author maintains is not "love your neighbour (read Israelites) as yourself", but love him (read the alien) as yourself", endowing him with equal civil rights. With its English translations that convey the nuance and power of the original Hebrew, this commentary takes its place alongside the best of the Anchor Bible Commentaries.

Jacob Milgrom, a rabbi and Bible scholar, has devoted the bulk of his career to examining the laws of the Torah. His incisive commentary on Leviticus, which began with Leviticus 1-16, continues in this last volume of three. It provides an authoritative and comprehensive explanation of ethical values concealed in Israel's rituals. Although at first glance Leviticus seems far removed from the modern-day world, Milgrom's thoughtful and provocative comments and notes reveal its enduring relevance to contemporary society. Leviticus 23-27 brings us to the climactic end of the book and its revolutionary innovations, among which are the evolution of the festival calendar with its emphasis on folk traditions, and the jubilee, the priestly answer to the socio-economic problems of their time. With English translations that convey the nuance and power of the original Hebrew, this trilogy will take its place alongside the best of the Anchor Bible Commentaries.

The New American commentary is for those who have been seeking a commentary that honours the Scriptures, represents the finest in contempory evangelical scholarship, and lends itself to the practical work of preaching and teaching. This series serves as a minister's friend and a student's guide. The New American Commentary assumes the inerrancy of Scripture, focuses on the intrinsic theological and exegetical concerns of each biblical book, and engages the range of issues raised in contemporary biblical scholarship. Drawing on the skills and insights of over forty scholars and encompassing forty volumes, the NAC brings together scholarship and piety to produce a tool that enhances and supports the life of the church.

At first glance, the Book of Leviticus seems like barren material for lively preaching. Many expositors merely skim the surface for messages on tithing or Sabbath-keeping. Yet Leviticus is one of the most important books of the Old Testament; it not only describes the religious system of ancient Israel, it also lays the theological foundation for the Christian gospel. In this book, Allen Ross enables preachers and teachers to mine the riches of Leviticus and deliver them to a contemporary audience. Following the same practical method he used for Genesis in the acclaimed Creation and Blessing, Ross first carefully positions Leviticus within its ancient context. He then traces the development of God's plan of salvation--how the laws, rituals, symbols, and events in Leviticus prepared for the complete revelation in Jesus Christ. Finally, Ross offers helpful ideas for correlating Leviticus to New Testament teachings (particularly Romans, Hebrews, and Peter) and for applying the material in relevant expository form.

Leviticus used to be the first book that Jewish children studied in the synagogue. In the modern church it tends to be the last part of the Bible that anyone looks at seriously. Because Leviticus is largely concerned with subjects that seem incomprehensible and irrelevant today, rituals for sacrifice and regulations concerning uncleanness, it appears to have nothing to say to twenty-first-century Christians. In this excellent commentary on Leviticus, Gordon Wenham takes with equal seriousness both the plain original meaning of the text and its abiding theological value. To aid in reconstructing the original meaning of the text, Wenham draws from studies of Old Testament ritual and sacrifice that compare and contrast biblical customs with the practices of other Near Eastern cultures. He also closely examines the work of social anthropologists and expertly utilizes the methods of literary criticism to bring out the biblical author's special interests. In pursuit of his second aim, to illumine the enduring theological value of Leviticus, Wenham discusses at the end of each section how the Old Testament passages relate to the New Testament and to contemporary Christianity. In doing so, he not only shows how pervasive Levitical ideas are in the New Testament but also highlights in very practical ways the enduring claim of God's call to holiness on the lives of Christians today.