Focused Passage

Leviticus 19:1-4

Be Holy Because I Am Holy: Covenant Life Before God and Neighbor

The LORD commands the whole assembly of Israel to be holy because He is holy, then applies that holiness across reverence for parents, Sabbath keeping, rejection of idols, proper fellowship offerings, care for the poor and foreigner, honesty, justice, love of neighbor, sexual and agricultural boundaries, rejection of pagan practices, Sabbath and sanctuary reverence, honoring the elderly, love for the foreigner, and honest weights and measures.

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

1 Then the LORD said to Moses,

2 “Speak to the whole congregation of Israel and tell them: Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.

3 Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must keep My Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.

4 Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods. I am the LORD your God.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

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

1 Peter 1:16 Classic cross-references Matthew 5:48 Classic cross-references Leviticus 11:44 Classic cross-references Leviticus 20:7 Classic cross-references 1 Peter 1:15 Classic cross-references

Original words

Speak דַּבֵּ֞ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the whole כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct congregation עֲדַ֧ת H5712 Noun - feminine singular construct . . . בְּנֵי־ H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular and tell וְאָמַרְתָּ֥ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular them אֲלֵהֶ֖ם H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural Be תִּהְי֑וּ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural holy קְדֹשִׁ֣ים H6918 Adjective - masculine plural because כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction I אֲנִ֖י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural am holy קָד֔וֹשׁ H6918 Adjective - masculine singular

BSB notes

Cited in 1 Peter 1:16

Verse 3

Cross-references

Exodus 20:12 Classic cross-references Exodus 20:8 Classic cross-references Ephesians 6:1 Classic cross-references Hebrews 12:9 Classic cross-references Malachi 1:6 Classic cross-references

Original words

Each אִ֣ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular of you must respect תִּירָ֔אוּ H3372 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker his mother אִמּ֤וֹ H517 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular and father וְאָבִיו֙ H1 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular and you must keep תִּשְׁמֹ֑רוּ H8104 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural My Sabbaths שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י H7676 Noun - common plural construct | first person common singular 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 4

Cross-references

Exodus 20:4 Classic cross-references Leviticus 26:1 Classic cross-references Exodus 20:23 Classic cross-references Exodus 34:17 Classic cross-references Psalms 115:4 Classic cross-references

Original words

Do not אַל־ H408 Adverb turn תִּפְנוּ֙ H6437 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural to אֶל־ H413 Preposition idols הָ֣אֱלִילִ֔ים H457 Article | Noun - masculine plural or make תַעֲשׂ֖וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural for yourselves לָכֶ֑ם Preposition | second person masculine plural molten מַסֵּכָ֔ה H4541 Noun - feminine singular . . . לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle gods וֵֽאלֹהֵי֙ H430 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct 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

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