Leviticus 19:3-13

3 "Every one of you must respect his mother and father. "Keep my Sabbaths. I am God, your God.
4 "Don't take up with no-god idols. Don't make gods of cast metal. I am God, your God.
5 "When you sacrifice a Peace-Offering to God, do it as you've been taught so it is acceptable.
6 Eat it on the day you sacrifice it and the day following. Whatever is left until the third day is to be burned up.
7 If it is eaten on the third day it is polluted meat and not acceptable.
8 Whoever eats it will be held responsible because he has violated what is holy to God. That person will be cut off from his people.
9 "When you harvest your land, don't harvest right up to the edges of your field or gather the gleanings from the harvest.
10 Don't strip your vineyard bare or go back and pick up the fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am God, your God.
11 "Don't steal. "Don't lie. "Don't deceive anyone.
12 "Don't swear falsely using my name, violating the name of your God. I am God.
13 "Don't exploit your friend or rob him. "Don't hold back the wages of a hired hand overnight.

Leviticus 19:3-13 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.

Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.