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The Literary Structure of Leviticus

1996; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 21; Issue: 70 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1177/030908929602107002

1476-6728

Christopher R. Smith,

Historical and Linguistic Studies

Noting that the scholarly consensus regarding the structure of Leviticus depends on the increasingly disputed theory of a pre-existent Holiness Code, this essay revisits the question from a literary-critical perspective. Leviticus is found to be divided by genre into seven major units, which are alternating sections of law and narrative. The narratives (chs. 8-10; 16; and 24.10-23) allude to one another and serve as structural indicators for the developing thought of the legal sections. These deal consecutively with sacrifices (chs. 1-7), cleanness (chs. 11-15), holiness (17.1-24.9) and redemption (chs. 25-27).