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

22 You 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.

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

24 But 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.

25 You 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.

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

Original words

You are therefore to keep וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤ם H8104 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct My statutes חֻקֹּתַי֙ H2708 Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct ordinances מִשְׁפָּטַ֔י H4941 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular - וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural - אֹתָ֑ם H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine plural so that the land הָאָ֔רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular where אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative I אֲנִ֜י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am bringing מֵבִ֥יא H935 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular - אֶתְכֶ֛ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural - שָׁ֖מָּה H8033 Adverb | third person feminine singular you to live לָשֶׁ֥בֶת H3427 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct will not וְלֹא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle vomit you out תָקִ֤יא H6958 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular - אֶתְכֶם֙ H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural

Verse 23

Cross-references

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

Original words

You must not וְלֹ֤א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle follow תֵֽלְכוּ֙ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural the statutes בְּחֻקֹּ֣ת H2708 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct of the nations הַגּ֔וֹי H1471 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative I אֲנִ֥י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am driving out מְשַׁלֵּ֖חַ H7971 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular before you מִפְּנֵיכֶ֑ם H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural Because כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker they did עָשׂ֔וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct these things אֵ֙לֶּה֙ H428 Pronoun - common plural I abhorred וָאָקֻ֖ץ H6973 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular them בָּֽם׃ Preposition | third person masculine plural

Verse 24

Cross-references

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

Original words

But I have told וָאֹמַ֣ר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular you לָכֶ֗ם Preposition | second person masculine plural that you אַתֶּם֮ H859 Pronoun - second person masculine plural will inherit תִּֽירְשׁ֣וּ H3423 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker their land אַדְמָתָם֒ H127 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural since I וַאֲנִ֞י H589 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular will give אֶתְּנֶ֤נָּה H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular it to you לָכֶם֙ Preposition | second person masculine plural as an inheritance לָרֶ֣שֶׁת H3423 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֹתָ֔הּ H853 Direct object marker | third person feminine singular a land אֶ֛רֶץ H776 Noun - feminine singular flowing זָבַ֥ת H2100 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular construct with milk חָלָ֖ב H2461 Noun - masculine singular and honey וּדְבָ֑שׁ H1706 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular I אֲנִי֙ H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural who אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative has set you apart הִבְדַּ֥לְתִּי H914 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular - אֶתְכֶ֖ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural from מִן־ H4480 Preposition the peoples הָֽעַמִּֽים׃ H5971 Article | Noun - masculine plural

Verse 25

Cross-references

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

Original words

You are therefore to distinguish וְהִבְדַּלְתֶּ֞ם H914 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural between בֵּֽין־ H996 Preposition clean הַטְּהֹרָה֙ H2889 Article | Adjective - feminine singular and unclean לַטְּמֵאָ֔ה H2931 Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - feminine singular animals הַבְּהֵמָ֤ה H929 Article | Noun - feminine singular and וּבֵין־ H996 Conjunctive waw | Preposition - הַטָּמֵ֖א H2931 Article | Adjective - masculine singular birds הָע֥וֹף H5775 Article | Noun - masculine singular - לַטָּהֹ֑ר H2889 Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine singular Do not וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle become contaminated תְשַׁקְּצ֨וּ H8262 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker - נַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶ֜ם H5315 Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural by any animal בַּבְּהֵמָ֣ה H929 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular or bird וּבָע֗וֹף H5775 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular or by anything וּבְכֹל֙ H3605 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular that אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative crawls תִּרְמֹ֣שׂ H7430 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular on the ground הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה H127 Article | Noun - feminine singular I have set these אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative apart הִבְדַּ֥לְתִּי H914 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular as unclean לְטַמֵּֽא׃ H2930 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct for you לָכֶ֖ם Preposition | second person masculine plural

Verse 26

Cross-references

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

Original words

You are to be וִהְיִ֤יתֶם H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural holy קְדֹשִׁ֔ים H6918 Adjective - masculine plural to Me לִי֙ Preposition | first person common singular because כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction I אֲנִ֣י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular am holy קָד֖וֹשׁ H6918 Adjective - masculine singular and I have set you apart וָאַבְדִּ֥ל H914 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular - אֶתְכֶ֛ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural from מִן־ H4480 Preposition the nations הָֽעַמִּ֖ים H5971 Article | Noun - masculine plural to be לִהְי֥וֹת H1961 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct My own לִֽי׃ Preposition | first person common singular

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