Leviticus 22:17

Study note

Setting — Yahweh addresses Moses, delivering a directive immediately after the previous warning about bearing guilt for mishandling sacred food.

The words — וַיְדַבֵּר (va-y-da-ber) literally means "and he spoke," paired with לֵאמֹר (le-'emor) "to saying," which functions as a discourse marker introducing the command that follows in Leviticus 22:18.

The thread — The verse functions as a transitional header, shifting focus from Leviticus 22:16’s prohibition on unauthorized consumption to Leviticus 22:18’s expanded command to Aaron, his sons, and all Israelites regarding burnt offerings. It marks the structural point where a specific warning yields to a broader regulatory announcement.

Why it lands — It requires the reader to treat the following instructions as authoritative and non-negotiable, recognizing that every legal standard in this section originates from a direct divine utterance mediated through Moses.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.