Leviticus 20:23

23 Do not ye go in the lawful things, that is, in worshipping and in the manner of living of them, of the nations, which I shall cast out before you, for they did all these things, and I had abomination of them. (Do not ye follow the laws, and the customs, of the nations which I shall throw out before you, for they did all these things, and I found them abominable.)

Leviticus 20:23 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 20:23

And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation which I
cast out before you
Nation seems to be put for nations, for there were seven nations cast out for them; though the Canaanites may be intended, being a general name for the whole: some think the Amorites are meant, who were a principal nation, and notorious for their wickedness: hence we often meet with this phrase in Jewish writings, "the way of the Amorites", as being exceeding bad, and so to be avoided, and by no means to be walked in, ( Genesis 15:16 ) ; for they committed all these things;
were guilty of all the idolatries, incests, and uncleannesses before mentioned, and forbid under severe penalties: and therefore I abhorred them;
the sins committed by them, being so abominable and detestable: their persons, though the creatures of God, were had in abhorrence by him, and this he showed by casting them out of the land; and hereby it is suggested, that, should they, the Israelites, be guilty of the like, they also would be rejected and abhorred by him: the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan are,

``my Word abhorred them,''

Christ, the eternal Word, ( Psalms 45:7 ) .

Leviticus 20:23 In-Context

21 He that weddeth his brother's wife, doeth an unleaveful thing; he showed his brother's filth(hood), [and] he shall be without free children. (He who weddeth his brother's wife, doeth an unlawful thing; he uncovered her nakedness which is for his brother alone, and they shall die without any children.)

22 Keep ye my laws and my dooms, and do ye those, lest the land, into which ye shall enter and dwell in, cast out vilely also you (also vilely throw you out).

23 Do not ye go in the lawful things, that is, in worshipping and in the manner of living of them, of the nations, which I shall cast out before you, for they did all these things, and I had abomination of them. (Do not ye follow the laws, and the customs, of the nations which I shall throw out before you, for they did all these things, and I found them abominable.)

24 Forsooth I spake to you, Wield ye their land, that I shall give to you into heritage, that land flowing with milk and honey; I am your Lord God, that parted you from other peoples. (But I said to you, Take ye their land, that I shall give to you for an inheritance, that land flowing with milk and honey; I am the Lord your God, who separated you from other peoples.)

25 Therefore also ye part a clean beast from an unclean, and a clean bird from an unclean, lest ye defoul your souls in beasts, and in birds, and in all things that be moved in earth, and which things I showed to you to be defouled. (And so ye shall separate a clean beast from an unclean one, and a clean bird from an unclean one, lest ye defile your souls with beasts, and birds, and with all the things that move upon the earth, and which things I showed you to be defiled, or unclean.)