Leviticus 19:1-6

Laws of Holiness

1 The Lord spoke to Moses:
2 "Speak to the entire Israelite community and tell them: Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.[a]
3 "Each of you is to respect his mother and father.[b] You are to keep My Sabbaths;[c] I am the Lord your God.
4 Do not turn to idols or make cast images of gods for yourselves;[d] I am the Lord your God.
5 "When you offer a fellowship sacrifice to the Lord, sacrifice it that you may be accepted.
6 It is to be eaten on the day you sacrifice [it] or on the next day, but what remains on the third day must be burned up.[e]

Leviticus 19:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 19

This chapter contains various laws, ceremonial and moral, tending to the sanctification of men, in imitation of the holy God, Le 19:1,2; as concerning the reverence of parents, and observing the sabbaths, Le 19:3; against idolatry, Le 19:4; about offering and eating of peace offerings, Le 19:5-8; concerning harvest and gleaning of fields and vineyards, Le 19:9,10; respecting the breach of several of the commandments of the law, as the eighth, ninth, and third, particularly, Le 19:11-13; and others relating to the ill usage of the deaf and blind, and having respect to persons rich or poor in judgment, and acting the part of a tale bearer among people, Le 19:14-16; and bearing hatred and ill will to any of their neighbours, Le 19:17,18; and others forbidding mixtures in the generation of cattle, sowing fields, and wearing apparel, Le 19:19; and concerning the punishment of a man that lay with a bondmaid, and the offering he should bring for his atonement, Le 19:20-22; then follow certain laws concerning fruit trees, when the fruit of them should be eaten, Le 19:23-25; and concerning eating with blood, using enchantments, and observing times, and managing the hair of the head and beard, and avoiding to make any marks, prints, and cuttings in the flesh for the dead, Le 19:26-28; a caution not to prostitute a daughter to whoredom, and to observe the sabbath, and reverence the sanctuary of God, and pay no regard to wizards and familiar spirits, Le 19:29-31; to show reverence to ancient persons, and not to vex and distress strangers, Le 19:32-34; and to do no injustice in weight and measure, Le 19:35,36; all which instructions are to be carefully observed, and put in execution, Le 19:37.

Footnotes 5

  • [a]. Lv 11:44-45; 20:7,26; 1 Pt 1:16
  • [b]. Ex 20:12; 21:15,17; Dt 21:18-21; Pr 30:17; Eph 6:2
  • [c]. Lv 16:31; 19:30; Ex 20:8-11; 31:13-16
  • [d]. Ex 20:3,23; 32:31; Dt 4:15-16
  • [e]. Lv 7:17
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