Focused Passage

Leviticus 20:22-26

Holiness, Judgment, and the LORD Who Sanctifies His People

The chapter begins with penalties for Molek worship and warnings against tolerating child sacrifice, then forbids turning to mediums and spiritists. It calls Israel to consecrate themselves because the LORD sanctifies them. It then gives penalties for cursing parents and for multiple sexual sins, including adultery, incest, same-sex intercourse, and bestiality. The chapter closes by commanding Israel to distinguish clean and unclean, reject the nations' practices, and live as the LORD's separated possession.

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

22You are therefore to keep all My statutes and ordinances, so that the land where I am bringing you to live will not vomit you out.

23You must not follow the statutes of the nations I am driving out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them.

24But I have told you that you will inherit their land, since I will give it to you as an inheritance—a land flowing with milk and honey. I am the LORD your God, who has set you apart from the peoples.

25You are therefore to distinguish between clean and unclean animals and birds. Do not become contaminated by any animal or bird, or by anything that crawls on the ground; I have set these apart as unclean for you.

26You are to be holy to Me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be My own.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 22

Cross-references

Leviticus 18:24Classic cross-references Leviticus 18:25Classic cross-references Micah 2:10Classic cross-references Leviticus 18:28Classic cross-references Ezekiel 36:27Classic cross-references

Original words

You are therefore to keepוּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤םH8104Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructMy statutesחֻקֹּתַי֙H2708Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerandכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructordinancesמִשְׁפָּטַ֔יH4941Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular-וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖םH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural-אֹתָ֑םH853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluralso that the landהָאָ֔רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularwhereאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativeIאֲנִ֜יH589Pronoun - first person common singularam bringingמֵבִ֥יאH935Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular-אֶתְכֶ֛םH853Direct object marker | second person masculine plural-שָׁ֖מָּהH8033Adverb | third person feminine singularyou to liveלָשֶׁ֥בֶתH3427Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructwill notוְלֹא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlevomit you outתָקִ֤יאH6958Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular-אֶתְכֶם֙H853Direct object marker | second person masculine plural

Verse 23

Cross-references

Jeremiah 10:2Classic cross-references Psalms 5:5Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 12:4Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 9:5Classic cross-references Leviticus 18:24Classic cross-references

Original words

You must notוְלֹ֤אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlefollowתֵֽלְכוּ֙H1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralthe statutesבְּחֻקֹּ֣תH2708Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural constructof the nationsהַגּ֔וֹיH1471Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeIאֲנִ֥יH589Pronoun - first person common singularam driving outמְשַׁלֵּ֖חַH7971Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularbefore youמִפְּנֵיכֶ֑םH6440Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralBecauseכִּ֤יH3588Conjunction-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthey didעָשׂ֔וּH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthese thingsאֵ֙לֶּה֙H428Pronoun - common pluralI abhorredוָאָקֻ֖ץH6973Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularthemבָּֽם׃Preposition | third person masculine plural

Verse 24

Cross-references

Leviticus 20:26Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 14:2Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 7:6Classic cross-references Exodus 3:17Classic cross-references Exodus 3:8Classic cross-references

Original words

But I have toldוָאֹמַ֣רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularyouלָכֶ֗םPreposition | second person masculine pluralthat youאַתֶּם֮H859Pronoun - second person masculine pluralwill inheritתִּֽירְשׁ֣וּH3423Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markertheir landאַדְמָתָם֒H127Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralsince Iוַאֲנִ֞יH589Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singularwill giveאֶתְּנֶ֤נָּהH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singularit to youלָכֶם֙Preposition | second person masculine pluralas an inheritanceלָרֶ֣שֶׁתH3423Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct-אֹתָ֔הּH853Direct object marker | third person feminine singulara landאֶ֛רֶץH776Noun - feminine singularflowingזָבַ֥תH2100Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular constructwith milkחָלָ֖בH2461Noun - masculine singularand honeyוּדְבָ֑שׁH1706Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularIאֲנִי֙H589Pronoun - first person common singularam the LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔םH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralwhoאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativehas set you apartהִבְדַּ֥לְתִּיH914Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular-אֶתְכֶ֖םH853Direct object marker | second person masculine pluralfromמִן־H4480Prepositionthe peoplesהָֽעַמִּֽים׃H5971Article | Noun - masculine plural

Verse 25

Cross-references

Acts 10:14Classic cross-references Leviticus 10:10Classic cross-references Leviticus 11:43Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 14:3Classic cross-references Genesis 3:14Classic cross-references

Original words

You are therefore to distinguishוְהִבְדַּלְתֶּ֞םH914Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralbetweenבֵּֽין־H996Prepositioncleanהַטְּהֹרָה֙H2889Article | Adjective - feminine singularand uncleanלַטְּמֵאָ֔הH2931Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - feminine singularanimalsהַבְּהֵמָ֤הH929Article | Noun - feminine singularandוּבֵין־H996Conjunctive waw | Preposition-הַטָּמֵ֖אH2931Article | Adjective - masculine singularbirdsהָע֥וֹףH5775Article | Noun - masculine singular-לַטָּהֹ֑רH2889Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine singularDo notוְלֹֽא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlebecome contaminatedתְשַׁקְּצ֨וּH8262Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object marker-נַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶ֜םH5315Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine pluralby any animalבַּבְּהֵמָ֣הH929Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularor birdוּבָע֗וֹףH5775Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularor by anythingוּבְכֹל֙H3605Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singularthatאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativecrawlsתִּרְמֹ֣שׂH7430Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularon the groundהָֽאֲדָמָ֔הH127Article | Noun - feminine singularI have set theseאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeapartהִבְדַּ֥לְתִּיH914Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singularas uncleanלְטַמֵּֽא׃H2930Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructfor youלָכֶ֖םPreposition | second person masculine plural

Verse 26

Cross-references

1 Peter 1:15Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 14:2Classic cross-references Leviticus 20:7Classic cross-references Leviticus 20:24Classic cross-references Leviticus 19:2Classic cross-references

Original words

You are to beוִהְיִ֤יתֶםH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralholyקְדֹשִׁ֔יםH6918Adjective - masculine pluralto Meלִי֙Preposition | first person common singularbecauseכִּ֥יH3588ConjunctionIאֲנִ֣יH589Pronoun - first person common singularthe LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularam holyקָד֖וֹשׁH6918Adjective - masculine singularand I have set you apartוָאַבְדִּ֥לH914Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular-אֶתְכֶ֛םH853Direct object marker | second person masculine pluralfromמִן־H4480Prepositionthe nationsהָֽעַמִּ֖יםH5971Article | Noun - masculine pluralto beלִהְי֥וֹתH1961Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructMy ownלִֽי׃Preposition | first person common singular

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