Leviticus 18:24-30

24 "Do not defile yourselves by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am casting out before you defiled themselves;

25 and the land became defiled, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.

26 But you shall keep my statutes and my ordinances and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you

27 (for all of these abominations the men of the land did, who were before you, so that the land became defiled);

28 lest the land vomit you out, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.

29 For whoever shall do any of these abominations, the persons that do them shall be cut off from among their people.

30 So keep my charge never to practice any of these abominable customs which were practiced before you, and never to defile yourselves by them: I am the LORD your God."

Leviticus 18:24-30 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 18

In this chapter the Israelites are directed in general not to imitate the customs and practices of the Egyptians and Canaanites, but to keep the ordinances, statutes, and judgments of the Lord, Le 18:1-5; and they are instructed particularly to avoid incestuous marriages, Le 18:6-18; carnal copulation with a menstruous woman, Le 18:19; adultery, Le 18:20; letting any of their seed pass through the fire to Molech, Le 18:21; sodomy, Le 18:22; and bestiality, Le 18:23; and they are deterred from these things by observing to them the pollution and destruction which they brought on the inhabitants of Canaan, and would bring the same on them should they commit them, Le 18:24-30.