LEVI
adhesion. (1.) The third son of Jacob by Leah. The origin of the name is found in Leah's words (Gen. 29:34), "This time will my husband be joined [Heb. yillaveh] unto me." He is mentioned as taking a prominent part in avenging his sister Dinah (Gen. 34:25). He and his three sons went down with Jacob (6:11) into Egypt, where he died at the age of one hundred and thirty-seven years (Exo 6:16). (2.......
LEVIATHAN
a transliterated Hebrew word (livyathan), meaning "twisted," "coiled." In Job 3:8, Job 3: Revised Version, and marg. of Authorized Version, it denotes the dragon which, according to Eastern tradition, is an enemy of light; 41:1 the crocodile is meant; in Psa 104:26 it "denotes any large animal that moves by writhing or wriggling the body, the whale, the monsters of the deep." This word is also use......
LEVIRATE LAW
from Latin levir, "a husband's brother," the name of an ancient custom ordained by Moses, by which, when an Israelite died without issue, his surviving brother was required to marry the widow, so as to continue his brother's family through the son that might be born of that marriage (Gen. 38:8; Deut. 25:5; comp. Ruth 3;4:10). Its object was "to raise up seed to the departed brother." ......
LEVITE
a descendant of the tribe of Levi (Exo 6:25; Lev. 25:32; Num. 35:2; Josh. 21:3, Josh. 21: 41). This name is, however, generally used as the title of that portion of the tribe which was set apart for the subordinate offices of the sanctuary service (1-Kings 8:4; Ezra 2:70), as assistants to the priests. When the Israelites left Egypt, the ancient manner of worship was still observed by them, the ......
LEVITICUS
the third book of the Pentateuch; so called in the Vulgate, after the LXX., because it treats chiefly of the Levitical service. In the first section of the book (1-17), which exhibits the worship itself, there is, (1.) A series of laws (1-7) regarding sacrifices, burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, and thank-offerings (1-3), sin-offerings and trespass-offerings (4; 5), followed by the law of the pr......