Leviticus 18:2

2 Speak thou to the sons of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, I am your Lord God; (Speak thou to the Israelites, and thou shalt say to them, I am the Lord your God;)

Leviticus 18:2 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 18:2

Speak unto the children of Israel
To the heads of their tribes, that they might deliver to them the following laws; or Moses is bid to publish them among them, either by word of mouth, or by writing, or both: and say unto them, I am the Lord your God;
with which they were to be introduced; showing the right he had to enact and enjoin such laws, since he was Jehovah, the Being of beings, and from whom they received their beings; their sovereign Lord and King, who had a right to rule over them, and command what he pleased; and also the obligation they lay under to him to regard them, and yield a cheerful obedience to them, since he was their God, not only that had made them, but had redeemed them out of Egypt; and who had made a covenant with them, and had taken special care of them, and had bestowed many wonderful favours on them; and for this purpose is this phrase often used in this chapter, and very frequently in the next. See ( Leviticus 18:2 Leviticus 18:4 Leviticus 18:30 ) ( Leviticus 19:3 Leviticus 19:4 Leviticus 19:10 Leviticus 19:25 Leviticus 19:31 Leviticus 19:34 Leviticus 19:36 ) .

Leviticus 18:2 In-Context

1 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said,
2 Speak thou to the sons of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, I am your Lord God; (Speak thou to the Israelites, and thou shalt say to them, I am the Lord your God;)
3 ye shall not do by the custom of the land of Egypt, in which ye dwelled; ye shall not do by the custom of the land of Canaan, to which I shall bring you in, neither ye shall go in the lawful things of them, that is, in the(ir) custom of worshipping (nor shall ye follow their laws, or their custom of worshipping).
4 Ye shall do my dooms, and ye shall keep my behests, and ye shall go in them; I am your Lord God. (Ye shall follow my laws, or my judgements, and ye shall obey my commands, and ye shall walk in them; I am the Lord your God.)
5 Keep ye my laws and dooms, which a man shall do, and he shall live in those; I am your Lord God. (Obey ye my laws and judgements, for those who follow them, shall have life; I am the Lord your God.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.