Leviticus 18:24

24 Be ye not defouled in all these things, in which all folks, either heathen men, be defouled, which folks I shall cast out before your sight, (Do not ye be defiled with any of these things, in which all the nations, or all the heathen, be defiled, which nations I shall throw out before you,)

Leviticus 18:24 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 18:24

Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things
In incestuous copulations and marriages, in adultery, corporeal and spiritual, and bestiality: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you;
that is, the seven nations of the land of Canaan, which God was about to eject out of their land to make room for the Israelites, and that on account of the above shocking vices which abounded among them; so that in some sense the land they dwelt upon was defiled by them, and called for vengeance on them, as even loathing its inhabitants, as afterwards suggested.

Leviticus 18:24 In-Context

22 Thou shalt not be meddled, [(or) mingled,] with a man, by lechery of a woman, for it is abomination. (Thou shalt not be mixed together with a man, like in fleshly coupling with a woman, for it is an abomination.)
23 Thou shalt not do lechery with any beast, neither thou shalt be defouled with it. A woman shall not lie under a beast, neither shall be meddled, [(or) mingled,] therewith, that is, defouled by fleshly knowing thereof, for it is great sin. (Thou shalt not do lechery with any beast, nor shalt thou be defiled with it. A woman shall not lie under a beast, nor shall be mixed together with it, that is, be defiled by fleshly knowing of it, for it is a great sin.)
24 Be ye not defouled in all these things, in which all folks, either heathen men, be defouled, which folks I shall cast out before your sight, (Do not ye be defiled with any of these things, in which all the nations, or all the heathen, be defiled, which nations I shall throw out before you,)
25 of whom the land is defouled, of which land I shall visit the great sins (of them upon it), that it vomit, or throw out, his dwellers. (by whom the land is defiled, of which land I shall visit their great sins upon it, so that it vomit, or throw out, its inhabitants.)
26 Keep ye my lawful things, and my dooms, that ye do not any of all these abominations, as well a man born in the land, as a comeling that is a pilgrim with you. (Obey ye my laws, and my judgements, so that ye do not do any of these abominations, yea, anyone born in the land, as well as a newcomer who is a foreigner, or a stranger, among you.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.