Atonement through blood in Leviticus

Abstract

In the book of Leviticus the notion of reconciliation is used in a cultic context. Sacrifice and blood are the main means in the cult for reconciling man with God. This study investigates reconciliation in Leviticus in terms of concepts like sacrifice, purity, atonement, apropiation, expiation and substitution. This is done against the background of the book's contents, the ideas of its probable priestly authors and the ideology in these circles of the cult in Israel.