Leviticus Society and Class Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter:Verse)

Quote #4

Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward, and washed them with water. He put the tunic on him, fastened the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He then put the decorated band of the ephod around him, tying the ephod to him with it. He placed the breastpiece on him, and in the breastpiece he put the Urim and the Thummim. And he set the turban on his head, and on the turban, in front, he set the golden ornament, the holy crown, as the Lord commanded Moses. (NRSV 8:6-9)

And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim. And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the Lord commanded Moses. (KJV 8:6-9)

Anyone who has watched the makeover scenes in Pretty Woman or The Princess Diaries knows the deal here—clothes can be a way of creating respect and authority. Or as The Doctor said when he fought the evil alien Azazel, "I wear an ephod. Ephods are cool."

Quote #5

The priest shall examine him; if the diseased swelling is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead, which resembles a leprous disease in the skin of the body, 44 he is leprous, he is unclean. The priest shall pronounce him unclean; the disease is on his head. (NRSV 13:43-44)

Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh; He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head. (KJV 13:43-44)

This is the original "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV," —except, you know, no TVs. In Leviticus, priests don't offer medical treatment, but that doesn't stop them from determining whether an Israelite has the kind of skin disease that makes someone unclean.

Quote #6

Some of the oil that remains in his hand the priest shall put on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of the right hand, and on the big toe of the right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt offering. (NRSV 16:17)

And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. (KJV 16:17)

Here he comes to save the day! Leviticus makes the high priest the only person who can go into the Holy of Holies and atone for all of Israel's sins. Some say that priests can pray before the Ark of the Covenant in a sacred room in Ethiopia, while leading biblical scholars Spielberg and Lucas contend that the Ark is (spoiler alert!) now kept in a warehouse after melting the faces of Nazis.