Levitical / Priestly Covenant

The Levitical Covenant is the eternal grant of priesthood to the line of Levi - established after the Shechem incident in Jubilees and sealed with salt as a sign of permanence. In the patriarchal narratives of the Book of Jubilees, the establishment of an enduring priestly line emerges through Jacob's deliberate selection of Levi, transforming a family lineage into a sacred institution dedicated to divine service. This covenant, presented as an eternal oath sworn by the Most High, binds Levi and his descendants to perpetual duties within the sanctuary, distinguishing them from other tribes through rites of atonement and offering. Jubilees 31 records Jacob's blessing upon Levi, invoking heavenly tablets that affirm his role as one who would draw near to God and mediate for Israel, while chapter 32 depicts Levi's ordination following a visionary ascent, where he receives priestly garments and instructions directly from angelic figures, underscoring the covenant's heavenly origin rather than mere human appointment. This priestly framework resonates within the wider Enochian tradition by linking earthly sanctuary service to cosmic order, as seen in the heavenly temple visions of 1 Enoch where angelic priests maintain purity before the divine throne. The covenant thus serves as a bridge between patriarchal history and eschatological restoration, ensuring that Israel's worship aligns with the unchanging patterns observed in the celestial realm. References in Jubilees 30 further tie Levi's zeal during the Shechem incident to his election, portraying the priesthood as both a reward for fidelity and a safeguard against defilement that could disrupt the sacred calendar and festivals. The Book of Jasher complements these accounts by elaborating Levi's early life and the transmission of priestly knowledge, reinforcing how the covenant preserves ritual expertise across generations amid Israel's formative trials. Together, these texts present the Levitical oath not as a temporary arrangement but as a foundational element of divine-human relations, one that anticipates the sanctuary's role in atoning for the land and sustaining Israel's identity until the renewal of all things.

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Covenant Details

Parties: God and Levi/his seed
Sign: Priesthood and garments

Key Chapters

The Book of Jubilees 31 Jacob Blesses Levi and Judah 8 min read The Book of Jubilees 32 Levi's Dream; Institution of Tithes 8 min read

Key Passages

Jacob Blesses Levi

The Book of Jubilees 31:13-20

And he turned to Levi first, and began to bless him first, and said unto him: May the God of all, the very Lord of all t...

A¹³nd he turned to Levi first, and began to bless him first, and said unto him: May the God of all, the very Lord of all the ages, bless thee and thy children throughout all the ages.

¹⁴ And may the Lord give to thee and to thy seed greatness and great glory, and cause thee and thy seed, from among all flesh, to approach Him to serve in His sanctuary as the angels of the presence and as the holy ones. (Even) as they, shall the seed of thy sons be for glory and greatness and holiness, and may He make them great unto all the ages. ¹⁵ And they shall be judges and princes, and chiefs of all the seed of the sons of Jacob; They shall speak the word of the Lord in righteousness, And they shall judge all His judgments in righteousness. And they shall declare My ways to Jacob And My paths to Israel. The blessing of the Lord shall be given in their mouths To bless all the seed of the beloved. ¹⁶ Thy mother has called thy name Levi, And justly has she called thy name; Thou shalt be joined to the Lord And be the companion of all the sons of Jacob; Let His table be thine, And do thou and thy sons eat thereof; And may thy table be full unto all generations, And thy food fail not unto all the ages. ¹⁷ And let all who hate thee fall down before thee, And let all thy adversaries be rooted out and perish; And blessed be he that blesses thee, And cursed be every nation that curses thee.' ¹⁸ And to Judah he said: 'May the Lord give thee strength and power To tread down all that hate thee; A prince shalt thou be, thou and one of thy sons, over the sons of Jacob; May thy name and the name of thy sons go forth and traverse every land and region. Then shall the Gentiles fear before thy face, And all the nations shall quake And all the peoples shall quake. ¹⁹ In thee shall be the help of Jacob, And in thee be found the salvation of Israel. ²⁰ And when thou sittest on the throne of honour of thy righteousness There shall be great peace for all the seed of the sons of the beloved; Blessed be he that blesseth thee, And all that hate thee and afflict thee and curse thee Shall be rooted out and destroyed from the earth and be accursed.'

Levi Ordained

The Book of Jubilees 32:1-9

And he abode that night at Bethel, and Levi dreamed that they had ordained and made him the priest of the Most High God,...

A¹nd he abode that night at Bethel, and Levi dreamed that they had ordained and made him the priest of the Most High God, him and his sons for ever; and he awoke from his sleep and blessed the Lord.

² And Jacob rose early in the morning, on the fourteenth of this month, and he gave a tithe of all that came with him, both of men and cattle, both of gold and every vessel and garment, yea, he gave tithes of all. ³ And in those days Rachel became pregnant with her son Benjamin. And Jacob counted his sons from him upwards and Levi fell to the portion of the Lord, and his father clothed him in the garments of the priesthood and filled his hands. ⁴ And on the fifteenth of this month, he brought to the altar fourteen oxen from amongst the cattle, and twenty-eight rams, and forty-nine sheep, and seven lambs, and twenty-one kids of the goats as a burnt-offering on the altar of sacrifice, well pleasing for a sweet savour before God. ⁵ This was his offering, in consequence of the vow which he had vowed that he would give a tenth, with their fruit-offerings and their drink- offerings. ⁶ And when the fire had consumed it, he burnt incense on the fire over the fire, and for a thank-offering two oxen and four rams and four sheep, four he-goats, and two sheep of a year old, and two kids of the goats; and thus he did daily for seven days. ⁷ And he and all his sons and his men were eating (this) with joy there during seven days and blessing and thanking the Lord, who had delivered him out of all his tribulation and had given him his vow. ⁸ And he tithed all the clean animals, and made a burnt sacrifice, but the unclean animals he gave (not) to Levi his son, and he gave him all the souls of the men. ⁹ And Levi discharged the priestly office at Bethel before Jacob his father in preference to his ten brothers, and he was a priest there, and Jacob gave his vow: thus he tithed again the tithe to the Lord and sanctified it, and it became holy unto Him.

Did You Know?

The priesthood is eternal through Levi's line in Jubilees' view.

Salt is used as a symbol of permanence in offerings and covenants.

Levi is chosen in Jubilees 30 after the Shechem incident, turning an act of violence into priestly consecration.

The priestly line receives tithes from all other tribes, establishing economic independence for religious service.

Jubilees presents Levi's election as pre-ordained on the heavenly tablets before his birth.