Leviticus 1:1-2
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God's communication has shifted from the grand pronouncements on Mount Sinai to a more intimate dialogue, now emanating from the newly established "tent of meeting." This signals a profound change: worship and access to God are no longer solely about receiving divine law from afar, but about a people drawing near to Him, with specific instructions for how to approach His presence.
The LORD called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock.
English Standard Version (ESV)
With the Tabernacle now completed and filled with God's glory, the LORD speaks directly to Moses from within this sacred dwelling. This marks a new phase of divine communication, shifting from the pronouncements on Mount Sinai to instructions given within the very heart of Israel's worship. Here, God begins to lay out the detailed regulations for sacrifices, establishing how His people can approach Him.
Before the tabernacle was built, God spoke from Mount Sinai. But something significant changes in this verse. Where does God's voice now come from?
Before this moment, God's direct communication with Moses often came from the mountain. Think back to the thunderings and the cloud at Sinai when the Law was given.
But now, the tabernacle, the portable sanctuary, is complete. It's God's chosen dwelling place among His people. And from within this sacred space, specifically 'out of the tent of meeting,' God calls to Moses. This signifies a profound shift: God is drawing near to His people in a more intimate, accessible way. The place of meeting is no longer a distant mountain, but a sacred tent where His presence symbolically resides.
Why build this elaborate tent in the first place? This verse hints at its core function.
The 'tent of meeting' wasn't just a building; it was the designated place where God and humanity would connect. The commentators highlight that it's the 'appointed place of meeting.' Before, God spoke from Sinai, a place of awe and distance. Now, He speaks from the tent, a space constructed precisely so that He could meet with His people.
This transition is crucial. It sets the stage for the entire book of Leviticus, which is all about the system of sacrifices and rituals designed to allow sinful people to approach a holy God. The tabernacle is the physical manifestation of God's desire to dwell among His people and to provide a way for them to draw near to Him.
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The very first word of Leviticus is 'And.' What does this little word tell us about the book's relationship to what came before?
The book of Leviticus doesn't start in a vacuum. The Hebrew word that opens this verse, often translated as 'And,' serves as a powerful connector. It links Leviticus directly to the preceding book, Exodus.
Exodus concludes with the completion and dedication of the tabernacle. Leviticus begins precisely at that point, with God speaking from the newly established dwelling place. This 'and' signifies that the laws and instructions in Leviticus are the direct continuation of God's covenant relationship with Israel, now formalized through the tabernacle and its worship. It's the next logical step in God's plan for His people.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the God of Israel, revealed to Moses, emphasizing His covenantal faithfulness and eternal existence.
ohel mo'ed · Hebrew Noun Phrase
A sacred structure in the Old Testament, first the Tabernacle and later the Temple, where God manifested His presence and where His people communed with Him and offered sacrifices.
qorban · Hebrew Noun
A general term for a gift or tribute presented to God, serving as a means of approaching Him, expressing devotion, or seeking reconciliation.
This passage shows God initiating communication with Moses from a sacred, though different, location (the burning bush), just as He calls him from the tent of meeting here, signaling the start of significant divine instruction.
Exodus 19:3Similar to how God spoke from Mount Sinai to give the Law, here the Lord speaks from the newly established tent of meeting to give the specific laws for worship, marking a transition in how God communicates His will.
Numbers 12:8This verse highlights the unique, direct way God spoke to Moses ('mouth to mouth'), which is the context for the instructions given in Leviticus, emphasizing the intimacy and clarity of this divine communication.
Exodus 40:34-35These verses describe the cloud and glory filling the tabernacle right before Leviticus 1:1, showing that God's presence within the tent is the immediate precursor to His speaking to Moses from that very place.
clarkeLeviticus 1:1: "And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,"
And the Lord called unto Moses - From the manner in which this book commences, it appears plainly to be a continuation or the preceding; and indeed the whole is but one law, though divided into five portions, and why thus divided is not easy to be conjectured. Previously to the erection of the tabernacle God had given no particular directions concerning the manner of offering t…
jfbLeviticus 1:1: "And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,"
THE THIRD BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED LEVITICUS. Commentary by Robert Jamieson CHAPTER 1Le 1:1-17. Burnt Offerings of the Herd.1. the Lord … spake … out of the tabernacle—The laws that are contained in the previous record were delivered either to the people publicly from Sinai, or to Moses privately, on the summit of that mountain; but on the completion of the tabernacle, the remai…
God's communication has shifted from the grand pronouncements on Mount Sinai to a more intimate dialogue, now emanating from the newly established "tent of meeting." This signals a profound change: worship and access to God are no longer solely about receiving divine law from afar, but about a people drawing near to Him, with specific instructions for how to approach His presence.
With the Tabernacle now completed and filled with God's glory, the LORD speaks directly to Moses from within this sacred dwelling. This marks a new phase of divine communication, shifting from the pronouncements on Mount Sinai to instructions given within the very heart of Israel's worship. Here, God begins to lay out the detailed regulations for sacrifices, establishing how His people can approach Him.
With the Tabernacle now completed and filled with God's glory, the LORD speaks directly to Moses from within this sacred dwelling. This marks a new phase of divine communication, shifting from the pronouncements on Mount Sinai to instructions given within the very heart of Israel's worship. Here, God begins to lay out the detailed regulations for sacrifices, establishing how His people can approach Him.
"The LORD called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from t…" — God's communication has shifted from the grand pronouncements on Mount Sinai to a more intimate dialogue, now emanating from the newly established "tent of meeting." This signals a profound change: w…
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Last reviewed October 2026
