Leviticus 19:18-34

18 “ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

19 “ ‘Keep my decrees. “ ‘Do not mate different kinds of animals. “ ‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. “ ‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.

20 “ ‘If a man sleeps with a female slave who is promised to another man but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment.^[a] Yet they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed.

21 The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the tent of meeting for a guilt offering to the LORD.

22 With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the LORD for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven.

23 “ ‘When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden.^[b] For three years you are to consider it forbidden^[c] ; it must not be eaten.

24 In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD.

25 But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the LORD your God.

26 “ ‘Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it. “ ‘Do not practice divination or seek omens.

27 “ ‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.

28 “ ‘Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.

29 “ ‘Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.

30 “ ‘Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD.

31 “ ‘Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.

32 “ ‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD.

33 “ ‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them.

34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 19:18-34 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. S Genesis 4:23; Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30
• 2. Psalms 103:9
• 3. S Exodus 12:48
• 4. S Exodus 20:16
• 5. ver 34; S Matthew 5:43*; Matthew 19:16*; Matthew 22:39*; Mark 12:31*; Luke 10:27*; John 13:34; Romans 13:9*; Galatians 5:14*; James 2:8*
• 6. S Genesis 26:5
• 7. Deuteronomy 22:9
• 8. Deuteronomy 22:11
• 9. Deuteronomy 22:23-27
• 10. S Leviticus 5:15
• 11. S Leviticus 5:15
• 12. S Exodus 22:29; Proverbs 3:9
• 13. S Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:10
• 14. S Genesis 30:27; S Isaiah 44:25
• 15. S Exodus 22:18; 2 Kings 17:17; Deuteronomy 18:10
• 16. Leviticus 21:5; Deuteronomy 14:1; 2 Samuel 10:4-5; Jeremiah 41:5; Jeremiah 48:37; Ezekiel 5:1-5
• 17. Leviticus 21:5; Deuteronomy 14:1; 1 Kings 18:28; Jeremiah 16:6; Jeremiah 41:5; Jeremiah 47:5
• 18. Leviticus 21:9; Deuteronomy 23:18
• 19. Genesis 34:7; Leviticus 21:9
• 20. S Exodus 20:8
• 21. Leviticus 26:2
• 22. S Exodus 22:18; 1 Samuel 28:7-20; 1 Chronicles 10:13
• 23. Leviticus 20:6; 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Kings 23:24; Isaiah 8:19; Isaiah 19:3; Isaiah 29:4; Isaiah 47:12; Isaiah 65:4
• 24. 1 Kings 12:8
• 25. Job 32:4; Proverbs 23:22; Lamentations 5:12; 1 Timothy 5:1
• 26. S ver 14; Job 29:8
• 27. Leviticus 11:44; Leviticus 25:17
• 28. S Exodus 12:48
• 29. S ver 18
• 30. S Exodus 22:21
• 31. Exodus 23:9; Deuteronomy 10:19; Deuteronomy 23:7; Psalms 146:9

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "be an inquiry"
• [b]. Hebrew "uncircumcised"
• [c]. Hebrew "uncircumcised"