Leviticus 19:1-6

The Lord Is Holy

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

2 “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, ¹You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

3 ²Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and ³you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.

4 ⁴Do not turn to idols ⁵or make for yourselves any gods of cast metal: I am the Lord your God.

5 ⁶“When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord, you shall offer it so ⁷that you may be accepted.

6 It shall be eaten the same day you offer it or on the day after, and anything left over until the third day shall be burned up with fire.

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.

Cross References

• 1. 19:2 See ch. 11:44, 45
• 2. 19:3 See Ex. 20:12
• 3. 19:3 See Ex. 20:8
• 4. 19:4 ch. 26:1; 1 John 5:21; See Ex. 20:3-5
• 5. 19:4 Ex. 34:17; [Deut. 27:15]
• 6. 19:5 See ch. 7:15-18
• 7. 19:5 ch. 1:3; 22:19