Focused Passage

Leviticus 18:1-5

Sexual Holiness, Covenant Distinction, and the Land That Vomits Out Defilement

The LORD commands Israel not to imitate Egypt or Canaan but to obey His laws and decrees. He then forbids a series of sexual unions and practices, including close-kin sexual relations, sexual relations during menstrual impurity, adultery, child sacrifice to Molek, male same-sex intercourse, and bestiality. The chapter concludes with a warning that these practices defile persons and land, leading the land to vomit out its inhabitants.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1Then the LORD said to Moses,

2“Speak to the Israelites and tell them: I am the LORD your God.

3You must not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not follow the practices of the land of Canaan, into which I am bringing you. You must not walk in their customs.

4You are to practice My judgments and keep My statutes by walking in them. I am the LORD your God.

5Keep My statutes and My judgments, for the man who does these things will live by them. I am the LORD.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Matthew 5:27BSB references

Original words

Then the LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיְדַבֵּ֥רH1696Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionMosesמֹשֶׁ֥הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .לֵּאמֹֽר׃H559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Verse 2

Cross-references

Exodus 6:7Classic cross-references Leviticus 11:44Classic cross-references Ezekiel 20:5Classic cross-references Leviticus 18:4Classic cross-references Leviticus 20:7Classic cross-references

Original words

Speakדַּבֵּר֙H1696Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe Israelitesבְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singular[and] tellוְאָמַרְתָּ֖H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularthemאֲלֵהֶ֑םH413Preposition | third person masculine pluralIאֲנִ֖יH589Pronoun - first person common singularam the LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃H430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural

Verse 3

Cross-references

Jeremiah 10:2Classic cross-references Exodus 23:24Classic cross-references Ezekiel 20:7Classic cross-references Leviticus 20:23Classic cross-references 1 Peter 4:2Classic cross-references

Original words

vvvלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleYou must not followתַעֲשׂ֑וּH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralthe practicesכְּמַעֲשֵׂ֧הH4639Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructof the landאֶֽרֶץ־H776Noun - feminine singular constructof Egyptמִצְרַ֛יִםH4714Noun - proper - feminine singularwhereאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeyou used to liveיְשַׁבְתֶּם־H3427Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural[and you must not follow] the practicesוּכְמַעֲשֵׂ֣הH4639Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructof the landאֶֽרֶץ־H776Noun - feminine singular constructof Canaanכְּנַ֡עַןH3667Noun - proper - masculine singularinto whichאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativeIאֲנִי֩H589Pronoun - first person common singularam bringing youמֵבִ֨יאH935Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular-אֶתְכֶ֥םH853Direct object marker | second person masculine plural-שָׁ֙מָּה֙H8033Adverb | third person feminine singularYou mustתַעֲשׂ֔וּH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralnotלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlewalkתֵלֵֽכוּ׃H1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralin their customsוּבְחֻקֹּתֵיהֶ֖םH2708Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural. . .לֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particle

Verse 4

Cross-references

Ezekiel 20:19Classic cross-references Leviticus 18:2Classic cross-references Leviticus 19:37Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 6:1Classic cross-references Ezekiel 36:27Classic cross-references

Original words

-אֶת־H853Direct object markerYou are to practiceתַּעֲשׂ֛וּH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerMy judgmentsמִשְׁפָּטַ֧יH4941Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularand keepתִּשְׁמְר֖וּH8104Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralMy statutesחֻקֹּתַ֥יH2708Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singularby walkingלָלֶ֣כֶתH1980Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructin themבָּהֶ֑םPreposition | third person masculine pluralIאֲנִ֖יH589Pronoun - first person common singularam the LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃H430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural

Verse 5

Cross-references

Romans 10:5Classic cross-references Galatians 3:12Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 32:47Classic cross-references Ezekiel 20:11Classic cross-references Luke 10:28Classic cross-references

Original words

Keepוּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤םH8104Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerMy statutesחֻקֹּתַי֙H2708Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singularandוְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerMy judgmentsמִשְׁפָּטַ֔יH4941Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular[for]אֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativethe manהָאָדָ֖םH120Article | Noun - masculine singularwho does these thingsיַעֲשֶׂ֥הH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֹתָ֛םH853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluralwill liveוָחַ֣יH2421Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularby themבָּהֶ֑םPreposition | third person masculine pluralIאֲנִ֖יH589Pronoun - first person common singularam the LORDיְהוָֽה׃סH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

Cited in Romans 10:5 and Galatians 3:12; see also Ezekiel 20:11, 13, and 21.

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