Walawi (Biblia)

Katika lugha asili ya Kiebrania kinaitwa ויקרא Wayikra (maana yake “Na aliita”) ambalo ni neno la kwanza katika kitabu hicho.

Katika tafsiri ya kwanza ya Kiyunani (Septuaginta) kinaitwa Λευιτικóς, Levitikos, yaani Cha Kilawi kutokana na mada zake zinazohusu Walawi, yaani makuhani.

Wengine wanakiita Kitabu cha Tatu cha Musa (au Mose) kwa vile inafikiriwa kuwa ndiye mwandishi wa kitabu hicho.

Katika masimulizi ya kitabu ni Musa anayepokea maagizo ya Mungu akisikia sauti yake kutoka katika hema la mkutano. Maagizo hayo yanahusu hasa ibada za kuendeshwa katika hema la kukutania na baadaye kwenye hekalu la Yerusalemu.

Kwa jumla hakisemi mengi kuhusu maagizo kwa Walawi wenyewe bali juu ya kazi ya makuhani ambao wote walitoka katika ukoo wa Aroni (au Haruni), aliyekuwa wa kabila la Lawi.

Kitabu cha Walawi kina sura ishirini na saba, na sura zote zinahusu amri na maagizo ya Mungu kwa Wanaisraeli hasa sheria za ibada zenye kulenga utakatifu wa makuhani na wa sadaka.

Maagizo hayo yanaeleza sadaka (sura 1-7), walivyowekwa wakfu makuhani wa kwanza, yaani Aroni na wanawe (sura 8-10), utakaso (sura 11-15), sikukuu ya msamaha wa dhambi (sura 16), na maagizo mbalimbali kuhusu maisha ya kila siku na uendeshaji wa ibada (sura 17-27).

Kadiri ya kitabu hicho, watu wa kabila la Lawi tu ndio walioruhusiwa kushughulikia ibada, tena kati yao ukoo wa Haruni tu ndio makuhani kamili kwa sababu Musa aliwateua Aroni na wanawe kwa huduma hii (Law 8,6-13). Ukuhani wa ukoo wa Aroni ukaitwa "ukuhani wa Kilawi" kwa sababu walitoka katika kabila hili.

Kutokana na kazi hiyo Walawi hawakupewa sehemu ya nchi takatifu, ila Mungu mwenyewe awe fungu lao. Lakini taifa lote lilitakiwa liwe takatifu kutokana na uhusiano wake na Mungu (Law 19:1). Polepole maana ya utakatifu huo ilizidi kueleweka kwamba si kukwepa unajisi wa kiibada tu, bali unategemea hasa mwenendo mwadilifu.

• 1:1-7:38 Sadaka mbalimbali
• 8:1-10:20 Kuthibitishwa kwa Ukuhani
• 11:1-15:33 Usafi na unajisi
• 16:1-17:16 Damu ya upatanisho
• 18:1-22:33 Utakatifu katika maisha ya kila siku
• 23:1-27:34 Matukio maalumu
• 23:4-2

• Balentine, Samuel E (2002). Leviticus. Westminster John Knox Press.

• Gerstenberger, Erhard S (1996). Leviticus: A Commentary. Westminster John Knox Press.

• Gorman, Frank H (1997). Divine presence and community: a commentary on the Book of Leviticus. Eerdmans.

• Grabbe, Lester (1998). "Leviticus". Katika John Barton (mhr.). Oxford Bible Commentary. Oxford University Press.

• Houston, Walter J (2003). "Leviticus". Katika James D. G. Dunn, John William Rogerson (mhr.). Eerdmans Bible Commentary. Eerdmans.

• Wenham, Gordon (1979). The book of Leviticus. Eerdmans.

• Balentine, Samuel E (1999). The Torah's vision of worship. Fortress Press.

• Bandstra, Barry L (2004). Reading the Old Testament: an introduction to the Hebrew Bible. Wadsworth.

• Brueggemann, Walter (2002). Reverberations of faith: a theological handbook of Old Testament themes. Westminster John Knox.

• Campbell, Antony F; O'Brien, Mark A (1993). Sources of the Pentateuch: texts, introductions, annotations. Fortress Press.

• Clines, David A (1997). The theme of the Pentateuch. Sheffield Academic Press.

• Davies, Philip R; Rogerson, John W (2005). The Old Testament world. Liturgical Press.

• Dawes, Gregory W (2005). Introduction to the Bible. Liturgical Press.

• Gilbert, Christopher (2009). A Complete Introduction to the Bible. Paulist Press.

• Grabbe, Lester (2006). "The priests in Leviticus". Katika Rolf Rendtorff, Robert A. Kugler (mhr.). The Book of Leviticus: Composition and Reception. Brill.

• Knierim, Rolf P (1995). The task of Old Testament theology: substance, method, and cases. Eerdmans.

• Kugler, Robert; Hartin, Patrick (2009). An Introduction to the Bible. Eerdmans.

• Levine, Baruch (2006). "Leviticus: Its Literary History and Location in Biblical Literature". Katika Rolf Rendtorff, Robert A. Kugler (mhr.). The Book of Leviticus: Composition and Reception. Brill.

• Marx, Alfred (2006). "The theology of the sacrifice according to Leviticus 1-7". Katika Rolf Rendtorff, Robert A. Kugler (mhr.). The Book of Leviticus: Composition and Reception. Brill.

• McDermott, John J (2002). Reading the Pentateuch: a historical introduction. Pauline Press.

• Newsom, Carol Ann (2004). The self as symbolic space: constructing identity and community at Qumran. BRILL.

• Rodd, Cyril S (2001). Glimpses of a strange land: studies in Old Testament ethics. T&T Clark.

• Rogerson, J.W (1991). Genesis 1-11. T&T Clark.

• Van Seters, John (1998). "The Pentateuch". Katika Steven L. McKenzie, Matt Patrick Graham (mhr.). The Hebrew Bible today: an introduction to critical issues. Westminster John Knox Press.

• Ska, Jean-Louis (2006). Introduction to reading the Pentateuch. Eisenbrauns.

• Wenham, Gordon (2003). Exploring the Old Testament: The Pentateuch. SPCK.

• Matoleo kwa Kiebrania:
  • Leviticus at Mechon-Mamre (Jewish Publication Society translation)
  • Leviticus (The Living Torah) Archived 5 Machi 2005 at the Wayback Machine. Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's translation and commentary at Ort.org
  • Vayikra—Levitichius (Judaica Press) translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
  • ויקרא Vayikra—Leviticus Archived 31 Machi 2009 at the Wayback Machine. (Hebrew—English at Mechon-Mamre.org)

• Tafsiri za Kikristo:
  • The Book of Leviticus, Douay Rheims Version, with Bishop Challoner Commentaries Archived 26 Aprili 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
  • Online Bible at GospelHall.org (King James Version)
  • oremus Bible Browser (New Revised Standard Version)
  • oremus Bible Browser (Anglicized New Revised Standard Version)

• Mengineyo:
  • Book of Leviticus article (Jewish Encyclopedia)
  • The Literary Structure of Leviticus (chaver.com)