How Well Do You Know the Rules of Leviticus?

By: Zoe Samuel
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
How Well Do You Know the Rules of Leviticus?
Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

It's one of the most hardcore books in the Old Testament. Leviticus is where the ancient rabbis really lay down the law. Leviticus is mostly about rituals and laws, rather than beliefs. Much of the book consists of God explaining to Moses how He wants the Hebrews to live their lives. It covers an awful lot of rules about how to cook, what to wear, how to have sex and with whom, how to treat your employees (and alas, slaves), and a variety of other regulations from the mundane minutiae of life to some real life-and-death decisions.

It is generally agreed that Leviticus came into its current form over a couple hundred years during the Persian period; that is, after the Babylonian Exile, when the Israelites were liberated from bondage by Cyrus the Great. The Persian Period was a time of freedom under a relatively benevolent empire, the Achaemenid, with its power center to the east. 

The Israelites came up with the rules of Leviticus to stay on the right side of God, so they wouldn't have any more exiles, and also for their health. Many of the rules seem barbaric or harsh to us now, but a lot of them make sense allowing for the technology and the small nomadic groups of the time. How well do you know them? Let's find out!

What should you always include in your offerings to God?
Meat
Salt
Vegetables
Silk
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

God likes salt, so says Leviticus! You should always include it with your offerings of meat. This is probably a rule to keep the meat from rotting.

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What happens to people if they fail to testify about a wrongdoing they witnessed?
They will be whipped.
They will be held responsible.
They will be cast out.
They will burn in a fire.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is a weirdly vague rule, considering how much death by stoning there is in Leviticus. It's clear that these people must be held responsible, but it's up to us to figure out how.

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Under what circumstances is it not OK to make an oath?
When you're under duress.
When you're being careless.
When you're sleepy.
When you're drunk.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Leviticus does not approve of making promises you don't intend to keep. That's why it is forbidden to make an oath when you have not thought about it properly.

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If you're looking after your neigbor's stuff and you deceive them about it, what's the penalty?
Return the item plus 20% of the value.
Return the item.
Cut off from the people.
Death by stoning.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Don't keep your friends' stuff or there will be a hefty fine! On top of the 20%, Leviticus also says you have to pay the "usual" penalty, whatever that is.

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What does God do if you bring unauthorized fire before him?
Cut you off
Ignore you
Bless you
Smite you
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Unauthorized fire or "strange fire" as it is commonly translated is a confusing term. Some say it means fire brought from outside the temple, instead of from the altar, and thus fire that has not been blessed.

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What happens if you let your hair get messy?
You will be sad.
Your flocks will dwindle.
You will die.
You will be among the landless.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Also, God will be mad at you. This rule may apply only to priests; the text is not entirely clear. Either way, brush and/or braid that hair (as appropriate!).

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Why shouldn't you tear your clothes?
Because they are expensive.
Because you will be unclean.
Because you will die and God will be angry with everyone.
Because you will be naked in the public square.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's not clear how you will die, but it's clear that you will. Indeed, God will be angry with everyone, not just you.

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What happens if you drink alcohol in a holy place?
You will die!
You will be blessed.
God will cut you off.
You will never have sons.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sorry, Catholics! Apparently the wine is really bad and this whole time it has been making God very upset.

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What happens if you eat an animal that doesn't chew the cud and have a split hoof?
You will be unclean.
You will be sick.
You will give birth to a lion.
You will be accursed.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Being unclean is serious stuff; you have to have a ritual bath and be blessed in order to fix it. Eating the right foods is just one part of staying away from all things unclean.

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How long after giving birth to a boy should you not go to temple?
A week plus 33 days.
66 days
99 days
A year
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is the figure for boys; it is double for girls. Either way, women are not meant to go to temple right after childbirth.

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If you sleep with your stepmother, what happens to you both?
You must marry.
You must kill her, then yourself.
You must be put to death.
You must both kill your father.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This isn't just a really great way to make Thangsgiving awkward. In the temple religion, it also meant that you would both be put to death, though it doesn't say how.

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What happens if for some reason you sleep with your mother?
God will smite the land.
Your harvest will shrivel.
You will turn green with sickness.
You will be cut off from your people.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Bible is really, really strict about incest. This is one of its rules that societies today generally agree are a still really good idea.

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What happens if you marry your sister?
You will be cut off from your people.
You will have two-headed children.
There will be no children for you.
There will be no children for all of Israel.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Technically, as long as you never consummate, you don't get put to death. You just get kicked out of society forever.

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For what sexual offense can you be "burned in fire"?
Masturbating
Eating while having sex
Having sex with a woman, then her daughter, then her granddaughter
Having sex in public
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Technically this is not incest, but the Bible thinks it is very wrong. Societies since those days have generally agreed that only avoiding incest on technical grounds is indeed extremely wrong.

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If you give your children to be sacrificed to Moloch, what is the penalty?
Death by stoning
Cut off from your people
Unclean forever
Your harvest will be small.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

We're not here to tell you how to live your life or comment on whether death by stoning should happen in a civilized society, but otherwise? This rule is good life advice: don't give your children to be sacrificed to Moloch.

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What's the penalty for making idols or "metal gods"?
Death by stoning
Death by fire
It's not clear.
Death by hanging
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is one of the Ten Commandments in Exodus, so it's pretty serious. However, Leviticus doesn't specify the penalty.

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Why shouldn't you cut the corners of your field?
Because they are unclean.
Because the field should be round.
To leave the corners for the poor.
To ensure healthy seed for next year.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Traditional reaping of corn was performed in a spiral, meaning the corners were left standing. This was for the poor, who were allowed to come and take the corners for themselves.

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How soon are you supposed to pay your employee after they do the work?
The same day
The same month
The same season
Whenever you can
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

No waiting around on an invoice for Leviticus! If you hire someone, pay them before the sun goes down.

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What is the penalty for sleeping with a slave belonging to another man?
Death by stoning
Cut off from your people
Death by drowning
Give a ram for a sacrifice
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The text appears to assume the sex was consensual. The Bible is very unclear about whether it considered the rape of a slave by their master to be a legal issue; still, it's clear that you can't just do it to other people's slaves, which is a start.

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What is the penalty for doing astrology?
Cut off from your people
Death by stoning
Both!
Neither
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Separate chapters cover this issue twice. Seeking omens is very bad, and you should be both cut off AND stoned for it. The text does not specify in what order this should happen.

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What horrible outcome will result if you make your daughter become a prostitute?
She will need a lot of therapy.
The land shall turn to prostitution.
All the other dads will hate you.
The land shall be conquered by the Hittites.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Again, we don't like to judge, but this is also good life advice: don't make your daughter become a prostitute. Even if the land doesn't turn to prostitution, it's still a bad idea.

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What should you do when an old person enters the room?
Leave the room
Hug them
Give them an offering of wine
Stand up
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Bible cares a lot about looking after the elderly. Showing respect by rising and offering a seat is thus encouraged.

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What should you do when a person becomes poor?
Support them until they are back on their feet
Laugh at them
Give them a tax cut
Cast them out, or the land shall be conquered by the Amorites
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is from Leviticus 35:37. If someone is going through a rough patch, we are commanded to help them and support them financially and with food until they can get their financial feet under themselves again. In that time, taking financial advantage of them is forbidden.

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What day should you never work?
Monday
The day after your period
Any day that there is a solar eclipse
The Sabbath
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Six days shall you labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath day, to be consecrated to the Lord your God. The holy book has it right here; taking time off has been shown to make people more effective workers, as well as healthier.

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Who can you be put to death for cursing?
Parents
Children
Priests
Neighbors
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is also in Exodus. It's very important to respect and honor your parents, according to Biblical law.

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Where can't a priest go?
To a brothel
A place that there is a dead body
To the land of the Phoenicians
To the riverside
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Priests cannot be around dead bodies as they are unclean. That means the one rite priests would not do was a funeral.

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Who can you not sell as a slave?
A Hittite
An Israelite
A Moabite
A Persian
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You can sell anyone as a slave except an Israelite. This is actually gentler than Exodus, which says you can sell your own daughter as a slave.

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Who can a priest not marry?
Widow
Prostitute
Divorcee
All of the above!
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Priests can marry in Leviticus, but not within any of these categories. This is likely to avoid complications in the lives of priests.

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Where should you not cut your hair?
On the top
At the back
At the sides
Anywhere
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's not clear what this means. Some people take it to mean they should have a long side-lock, but this is actually not an ancient tradition, being about 200-odd years old.

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How should you treat a foreigner who is living in your country (i.e. an immigrant)?
The same as a native.
Enslave him!
Enslave him unless he is a Persian, in which case let him go.
Give him bread then whip him out of the land.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The laws of hospitality are clear on this one. You have to treat immigrants the same as anyone else.

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What can you not do to your body?
Chop off a limb
Get a tattoo
Shave parts that are not on your head
Clean it daily
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

What one might call extreme tattooing was practiced by many neighboring nations, where the pagan rites involved a lot of markings. This is why the Israelite law leaned hard in the other direction. Some say this also prohibits any piercing, including of the ears.

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How long should you wait between planting a tree and eating the fruit of it?
A year
Two years
Four years
It depends on the type of tree.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You have to let a tree mature before you eat from it. This is a rule that protects people in the long term, by forbidding them from giving in to short-term needs.

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What should you not put in one field?
Two types of seed
Free workers and slaves
Two types of animal
A well and grain storage
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Leviticus does not like mixed seed any more than it does mixed fabric. It says that planting two crops will cause them to be defiled! These days we know there are some types of crops where actually, this is a good idea. However, if the text is advising us to weed our fields, then it's quite right.

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What should you not consume, ever?
Grain
Alcohol
Fat
Insects
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Leviticus says you should not eat fat or blood. This is "a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live." This rule is probably about cleanliness more than health, given the technology of the time.

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What should happen to grapes that fall in your vineyard?
They should be made into wine.
They should be left where they are.
They should be collected.
The poor and foreigners get them.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Charity is very important to Leviticus. If the grapes fall, you should leave them, as they are designated for the poor and for immigrants.

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