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

1 Then the LORD said to Moses,

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

3 You 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.

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

5 Keep 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 5:27 BSB references

Original words

Then the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Moses מֹשֶׁ֥ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . לֵּאמֹֽר׃ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Verse 2

Cross-references

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

Original words

Speak דַּבֵּר֙ H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the Israelites בְּנֵ֣י H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular [and] tell וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular them אֲלֵהֶ֑ם H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural I אֲנִ֖י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural

Verse 3

Cross-references

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

Original words

vvv לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle You must not follow תַעֲשׂ֑וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural the practices כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֧ה H4639 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct of the land אֶֽרֶץ־ H776 Noun - feminine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרַ֛יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular where אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative you used to live יְשַׁבְתֶּם־ H3427 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural [and you must not follow] the practices וּכְמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה H4639 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct of the land אֶֽרֶץ־ H776 Noun - feminine singular construct of Canaan כְּנַ֡עַן H3667 Noun - proper - masculine singular into which אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative I אֲנִי֩ H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am bringing you מֵבִ֨יא H935 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular - אֶתְכֶ֥ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural - שָׁ֙מָּה֙ H8033 Adverb | third person feminine singular You must תַעֲשׂ֔וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle walk תֵלֵֽכוּ׃ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural in their customs וּבְחֻקֹּתֵיהֶ֖ם H2708 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural . . . לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle

Verse 4

Cross-references

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

Original words

- אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker You are to practice תַּעֲשׂ֛וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker My judgments מִשְׁפָּטַ֧י H4941 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular and keep תִּשְׁמְר֖וּ H8104 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural My statutes חֻקֹּתַ֥י H2708 Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular by walking לָלֶ֣כֶת H1980 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct in them בָּהֶ֑ם Preposition | third person masculine plural I אֲנִ֖י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural

Verse 5

Cross-references

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

Original words

Keep וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤ם H8104 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker My statutes חֻקֹּתַי֙ H2708 Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular and וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker My judgments מִשְׁפָּטַ֔י H4941 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular [for] אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative the man הָאָדָ֖ם H120 Article | Noun - masculine singular who does these things יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֹתָ֛ם H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine plural will live וָחַ֣י H2421 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular by them בָּהֶ֑ם Preposition | third person masculine plural I אֲנִ֖י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ס H3068 Noun - 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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