Moses is the traditional author
Jewish and Christian tradition has long identified Moses as the author of Leviticus, along with Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These five books are often called the Pentateuch, a Greek word meaning “five books,” or the Torah, the Hebrew name for God’s instruction.
Leviticus does not open with a modern-style author line. Instead, it begins at the tabernacle, where the Lord calls Moses and gives him instructions to pass on to the people. That pattern appears throughout the book. Its final verses also describe these commands as given through Moses to Israel at Mount Sinai (Leviticus 1:1; Leviticus 27:34).
And the Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,
What kind of book is Leviticus?
Leviticus records God’s covenant instructions for Israel after their rescue from Egypt. It addresses offerings, priests, cleanliness, festivals, justice, and daily holiness. Much of it is spoken directly by God to Moses, rather than told as a story about Moses.
For example, God tells Moses to speak to the whole congregation about living as a holy people because God is holy (Leviticus 19:1-2). The book’s central concern is not merely ritual. It shows how a sinful people could draw near to a holy God, and how their worship was meant to shape their ordinary lives.
Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.
Why do some people question the authorship?
Some modern readers and scholars think Leviticus may have been arranged, copied, or edited over time by later Israelite scribes, particularly because it contains detailed priestly laws and shares material with other books. These questions concern the book’s process of preservation and final form.
Still, the traditional view is that Moses wrote or gave the material under God’s direction, with the book possibly preserved through normal copying. Scripture itself consistently links the law with Moses. Jesus referred to Moses’ commands when speaking with the Pharisees, and he treated those commands as carrying God’s authority (Mark 7:10).
How should you read it?
Leviticus can feel unfamiliar because Christians do not offer animal sacrifices or serve in the tabernacle today. Yet its message remains deeply connected to the rest of the Bible. The sacrifices and priesthood point forward to Jesus, who offered himself once for sin and now serves as the great high priest (Hebrews 10:10; Hebrews 4:14).
So, whether you begin with its traditional Mosaic authorship or explore the questions surrounding its composition, don’t miss what Leviticus is saying. God is holy, God makes a way for people to come near, and God calls his people to belong to him in every part of life.
These are the commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.