Leviticus 1:1

KJV

¶ And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,

KJV (with Strong's)

And the LORD {H3068} called {H7121} unto Moses {H4872}, and spake {H1696} unto him out of the tabernacle {H168} of the congregation {H4150}, saying {H559},

Complete Jewish Bible

ADONAI called to Moshe and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said,

Berean Standard Bible

Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying,

American Standard Version

And Jehovah called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tent of meeting, saying,

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Leviticus 1:1 serves as the foundational opening to the book, immediately establishing the divine origin and absolute authority of the instructions that follow. It records the LORD's direct summons to Moses from within the newly consecrated Tabernacle, signifying a pivotal shift in the locus of divine revelation from the distant Mount Sinai to God's intimate dwelling place among His people. This verse sets the stage for a comprehensive body of laws concerning worship, sacrifice, and holy living, all predicated on God's sovereign initiative to commune with humanity and guide Israel into a proper covenant relationship with Him.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse provides a crucial transition from the book of Exodus, specifically following the detailed accounts of the Tabernacle's construction and its consecration. [Exodus 40](/exodus/40 "Exodus 40 - The Tabernacle Completed and Filled with God's Glory") culminates with the glory of the LORD filling the Tabernacle, a cloud so thick that Moses himself could not enter. Leviticus 1:1 thus marks the beginning of a new phase in God's interaction with Israel: His presence is now established *within* the community, not just on a distant mountain. The preceding narrative in Exodus has prepared Israel for this moment, demonstrating God's faithfulness in providing a means for His presence to dwell among them, and now, providing the means for them to approach Him. The instructions that follow in Leviticus are a direct consequence of this established divine presence, outlining how a holy God can dwell among an unholy people.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** At this point in Israel's history, the nation is encamped at the base of Mount Sinai, having recently received the Ten Commandments and the detailed covenant stipulations found in [Exodus 20-23](/exodus/20 "Exodus 20-23 - The Ten Commandments and Covenant Law"). The Tabernacle, or "tent of meeting," has just been completed and dedicated, serving as the central point of God's presence and the primary locus for worship. Prior to this, God had communicated with Moses primarily from the summit of Mount Sinai, often amidst thunder, lightning, and a thick cloud, as described in [Exodus 19:9](/exodus/19-9 "Exodus 19:9 - God Speaks to Moses from a Thick Cloud"). The shift in communication from the mountain to the Tabernacle signifies God's desire for a more intimate and accessible relationship with His people, emphasizing His immanence and His provision for a holy dwelling place where He would meet with them. This new mode of communication underscores the Tabernacle's critical role as the designated interface between a holy God and His redeemed, yet fallen, people, enabling their continued journey through the wilderness.

* **Key Themes:** Leviticus 1:1 introduces several key themes that permeate the entire book. Foremost is the theme of **Divine Initiative and Revelation**, emphasizing that God is the one who calls, speaks, and reveals His will, not humanity seeking Him out. This sets the stage for the absolute authority of the laws that follow. Closely related is the theme of **Holiness and Purity**, as God's presence in the Tabernacle necessitates strict guidelines for how a sinful people can approach and interact with a holy God without being consumed. The Tabernacle itself embodies the theme of **God's Dwelling Presence (Immanence)**, highlighting His desire to reside among His people. Furthermore, the verse subtly introduces the theme of **Mediation**, as Moses is the chosen recipient and conveyor of God's words, foreshadowing the need for a mediator between God and humanity, a concept seen throughout the Old Testament and ultimately fulfilled in Christ. These themes underscore God's unwavering commitment to His covenant with Israel and His gracious provision for their consecrated existence.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **LORD (Hebrew, _Yᵉhôvâh'_):** This is the Tetragrammaton (YHWH), God's personal covenant name, often translated as "Yahweh" or "Jehovah," meaning "the self-Existent or Eternal." Its use here emphasizes that the instructions given are from the same faithful and covenant-keeping God who delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt ([Exodus 3:14-15](/exodus/3-14-15 "God's Name Revealed to Moses")). It underscores the continuity of God's redemptive plan and His ongoing relationship with His chosen people, grounding the entire book of Leviticus in His unchanging character and divine authority.
* **called (Hebrew, _qârâʼ'_):** This primitive root signifies a summons, an authoritative invitation, or a proclamation. It highlights God's initiative in establishing communication. It is not Moses seeking God, but God actively summoning Moses to receive His divine laws. This "calling" implies a specific purpose and authority, setting the tone for the absolute necessity of obedience to the commands that follow. The verb suggests a direct, intentional, and purposeful address.
* **spake (Hebrew, _dâbar'_):** This primitive root means "to arrange" or, figuratively, "to speak." It denotes a deliberate and articulate communication, emphasizing that God's message is not vague or ambiguous but a clear, structured word. The use of this verb alongside "called" reinforces the idea of an intentional, verbal revelation, ensuring that the laws of Leviticus are understood as direct divine pronouncements, meant to be heard, understood, and obeyed by Israel.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And the LORD called unto Moses,"**: This opening phrase immediately establishes the divine initiative and the prophetic authority of Moses. The "LORD" (YHWH) is the active subject, demonstrating that the ensuing laws and ordinances are not human constructs but direct divine revelation. Moses is the chosen recipient and mediator, underscoring the authoritative and sacred nature of the communication that is about to unfold. This highlights God's sovereignty and His selective choice of Moses for this crucial role.
* **"and spake unto him"**: This clause reiterates the directness and clarity of God's communication with Moses. It signifies a verbal, intelligible message, emphasizing that the laws of Leviticus are not ambiguous or open to human interpretation apart from God's explicit word. This direct address ensures the fidelity of the message passed from God through Moses to the Israelites, establishing the divine origin and infallibility of the subsequent commands.
* **"out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,"**: This crucial phrase specifies the new locus of divine revelation. No longer from the terrifying heights of Sinai, God now speaks from within the "tent of meeting" (the "tabernacle of the congregation"), the very sanctuary consecrated by His glory. This physical location underscores God's immanence and His desire to dwell among His people, providing a designated, holy space for communion and the reception of His commands, which are then to be proclaimed to the entire community. The phrase "saying" indicates that the subsequent chapters are the direct content of this divine utterance.

#### Literary Devices
Leviticus 1:1 employs several significant literary devices that underscore its theological weight. The most prominent is **Divine Address**, where God directly initiates communication with His chosen mediator, Moses. This immediate opening establishes the absolute authority and divine origin of the entire book, signaling that what follows is not merely human legislation but God's own authoritative word. There is also clear **Symbolism** in the shift of location from Mount Sinai to the Tabernacle. Sinai represented God's transcendent power and awe-inspiring holiness, distant and unapproachable for the common Israelite, often associated with judgment and the giving of the Law. The Tabernacle, however, symbolizes God's immanence, His desire to dwell *among* His people, providing a pathway for communion and a place where His holiness could be encountered in a structured, ritualized manner. This geographical shift underscores a theological progression from a distant, terrifying encounter to an accessible, though still holy, presence. The phrase "tabernacle of the congregation" itself functions as a **Metonymy**, where the "tent of meeting" stands for the very act of God meeting with His people, signifying the purpose and function of the structure as the designated place of divine encounter and revelation.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Leviticus 1:1 profoundly establishes the theme of divine initiative and mediated revelation, underscoring that all true worship and understanding of God's will flow from His self-disclosure. God's act of "calling" and "speaking" from His dwelling place among His people highlights His desire for relationship and His gracious provision for humanity to approach His holiness. This foundational verse sets the stage for the entire sacrificial system and the laws of purity, all of which are God's gracious means of enabling a sinful people to live in the presence of a holy God without being consumed. It teaches that access to God is always on His terms, according to His revealed will, and through His designated means, emphasizing the necessity of obedience and reverence in approaching the Holy One.

* [Exodus 25:22](/exodus/25-22 "God's Promise to Meet at the Mercy Seat")
* [Deuteronomy 5:5](/deuteronomy/5-5 "Moses as Mediator at Sinai")
* [Hebrews 1:1-2](/hebrews/1-1-2 "God's Progressive Revelation Through His Son")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Leviticus 1:1 serves as a powerful reminder that God is not a distant, silent deity, but an active, communicating God who desires to be known and worshipped. Just as He initiated communication with Moses from the Tabernacle, so too does He continue to reveal Himself to us today, primarily through His written Word, the Bible, and through the indwelling Holy Spirit. This verse calls us to cultivate a posture of listening and responsiveness to God's voice, recognizing that true worship is not about our preferences but about conforming to His divine design. It reminds us that approaching God requires reverence and adherence to His revealed will, for He is holy. Our lives, like the Tabernacle, are meant to be places where God's presence dwells, and from which His truth can be heard and obeyed, transforming us into living sanctuaries that reflect His glory to the world.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does God's initiative in speaking to Moses in Leviticus 1:1 inform your understanding of His desire for relationship with humanity?**
* **What significance do you find in the shift of God's communication from Mount Sinai to the Tabernacle? What does this tell us about God's character and His desire for immanence?**
* **In what ways do you actively cultivate a posture of listening to God's voice in your daily life, and how does this impact your obedience?**
* **How does the concept of God dwelling among His people in the Tabernacle relate to the Christian understanding of God's presence today through the Holy Spirit and the Church?**

### FAQ
**Why is it significant that God speaks from the Tabernacle and not Mount Sinai anymore?**

Answer: The shift from Mount Sinai to the Tabernacle signifies a crucial theological development in God's relationship with Israel. On Mount Sinai, God's presence was awe-inspiring and terrifying, often accompanied by fire, smoke, and thunder ([Exodus 19:18](/exodus/19-18 "Mount Sinai Smoking and Trembling")). It emphasized His transcendent holiness and the unapproachable nature of His glory to a sinful people, highlighting the vast chasm between God and humanity. The Tabernacle, however, represents God's immanence—His desire to dwell *among* His people. By speaking from within the "tent of meeting" ([Exodus 29:42-43](/exodus/29-42-43 "God's Promise to Meet Israel at the Tent of Meeting")), God demonstrates His gracious provision for a structured, holy space where He could meet with His redeemed people without consuming them. It signifies a move towards greater accessibility, though still on His holy terms, establishing a permanent, portable locus for divine revelation and worship within the community itself. This shift underscores God's desire for ongoing communion and His gracious provision for a sustained relationship with humanity, even amidst their wilderness wanderings.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Leviticus 1:1, with its profound emphasis on God's initiative to speak from His dwelling place among His people, finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ. The Tabernacle, from which God communicated with Moses, was a powerful foreshadowing of God's ultimate dwelling among humanity. [John 1:14](/john/1-14 "The Word Became Flesh and Dwelt Among Us") declares that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us," using the Greek word _skenoo_, which literally means "to tabernacle" or "to pitch a tent." Jesus is the living embodiment of God's presence, the true "tent of meeting" where God perfectly met with humanity, not in a temporary structure, but in human flesh. No longer does God speak from a physical sanctuary, but through His Son, who is the perfect and final revelation of the Father ([Hebrews 1:1-2](/hebrews/1-1-2 "God Speaks Through His Son")). The call of the LORD to Moses from the Tabernacle prefigures God's ultimate call to humanity through Christ, inviting us into a new covenant relationship that transcends the Old Testament rituals. Through Jesus, the need for a physical Tabernacle and its sacrificial system is superseded, as He is the definitive mediator ([1 Timothy 2:5](/1_timothy/2-5 "One Mediator Between God and Man, Christ Jesus")) and the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice for sin ([Hebrews 9:11-14](/hebrews/9-11-14 "Christ's Superior Sacrifice")). His shed blood grants us direct, confident access to God's presence ([Hebrews 10:19-20](/hebrews/10-19-20 "Access to God Through Jesus' Blood")), making every believer a temple of the Holy Spirit ([1 Corinthians 6:19](/1_corinthians/6-19 "Your Body is a Temple of the Holy Spirit")), where God now truly dwells and communicates.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Exodus 19:3

And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;

Exodus 25:22

And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which [are] upon the ark of the testimony, of all [things] which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

Exodus 40:34

¶ Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Exodus 40:35

And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Exodus 29:42

[This shall be] a continual burnt offering throughout your generations [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.

Exodus 33:7

¶ And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, [that] every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which [was] without the camp.

Exodus 24:12

¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.