Joe: Alright, so we're talkin' about Leviticus 22 with our Bible expert. What's the scoop?

Bible Expert: Well Joe, this chapter is all about maintaining holiness. God is essentially telling the people of Israel to be holy and to keep themselves holy and to not defile themselves by coming in contact with unclean things.

Joe: That sounds pretty easy!

Bible Expert: Yes, but the chapter goes into great detail about the specific things they must avoid in order to stay holy.

Joe: Go on.

Bible Expert: So, God is telling them to not eat anything that has died naturally, or to eat any animal that has been killed by another animal. They also have to refrain from having sexual intercourse with a woman during her period, or with a woman who has been divorced, or with someone who is not a member of their tribe.

Joe: That's pretty intense.

Bible Expert: It is, and there's more. God also says that the priests must not come near any dead body, or any animal that has been killed by another animal, or any unclean bird or creature. They must also not come near a woman who is menstruating, or a woman who has been divorced, or a woman who is not a member of their tribe.

Joe: I guess that's how they kept things clean back then!

Bible Expert: Yes, and the chapter goes on to say that if anyone does break any of these laws, they are to be cut off from the people and their offering is not to be accepted.

Joe: That's a pretty serious consequence.

Bible Expert: It is, and it's a reminder of how serious it is to be holy and to keep oneself holy.