Leviticus 19

1 Then the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] said [to speak, communicate, or declare] to Moses [the Israelite leader, mediator between God and Israel], word study 2 “Speak [to proclaim, declare] to the whole congregation [gathering, assembly] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] and tell them: Be holy [set apart, sacred, having God’s nature] because I, the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler], am holy [separate, distinct, morally pure]. word study 3 Each of you must respect [honor, give reverence to] his mother [female parent, maternal figure] and father [male parent, paternal figure], and you must keep [obey, guard] My Sabbaths [days of rest, worship]. I [the first person singular, emphasizing God’s personal relationship] am the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God]. word study 4 Do not turn [turn away, reject] to idols [false gods, worthless objects] or make [create, fashion] for yourselves molten gods [cast metal images, idols]. I [the first person, the Self-existent One] am the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler]. word study 5 When you sacrifice [at your own will, freely] a peace offering [a voluntary sacrifice to show thanks] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], you shall offer it [so that you may be accepted] for your acceptance [God’s pleasure or favor, delight]. word study 6 It shall be eaten [on the same day, immediately] on the day [a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time] you sacrifice [offer an animal’s flesh to God] it, or [possibly, if any remains] on the next day [morrow, tomorrow]; but what remains [is left, excels, or has more than enough] on the third day must be burned up [with fire, set on fire, kindled]. word study 7 If any of it is eaten [consumed, devoured] on the third [the next day after tomorrow] day, it is tainted [unclean, repulsive] and will not be accepted [pleasing, received with favor]. word study 8 Whoever eats [consumes, devours] it will bear [lift, carry] his iniquity [moral evil, sin], for he has profaned [defiled, desecrated] what is holy [set apart, sacred] to the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God]. That person [soul, living being] must be cut off [separated, removed] from his people [nation, community]. word study 9 When you reap [harvest, gather in] the harvest [the time of reaping, the crops] of your land [the earth, your territory], you are not [by no means, never] to reap [cut down, gather] to the very edges [corners, borders] of your field [the land, the cultivated area] or gather [collect, pick up] the gleanings [leftover crops, remnants] of your harvest [the crops, the fruit of your labor]. word study 10 You must not strip [glean, gather every last grape from] your vineyard [a garden or plot of land for growing vines] bare or gather [pick up, collect] its fallen [broken, isolated] grapes. Leave them [loosen, relinquish] for the poor [afflicted, humble, or weak] and the foreigner [sojourner, temporary resident]. I [the first person singular, used for emphasis] am the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator]. word study 11 You must not [under any circumstances] steal [take something secretly, deceive]. You must not [ever] lie [deceive, cheat] or deceive [be untrue in word or action] one another [your neighbor, fellow man]. word study 12 You must not [make false promises] swear [take an oath, vow] falsely by My name [identity, character] and so [as a result, consequently] profane [desecrate, show disrespect to] the name [reputation, honor] of your God [Elohim, the supreme Being]. I [the first person, the self-existent One] am the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant-keeping God]. word study 13 You must not [oppress] defraud your neighbor [a close companion, friend] or rob [plunder, take by force] him. You must not withhold [keep back, refuse to pay] until morning [the break of day, a new beginning] the wages [payment, reward] due a hired [paid laborer, servant] hand. word study 14 You must not [speaking evil of, revile] curse the deaf [those who cannot hear, unresponsive] or place a stumbling block [obstacle, hindrance] before the blind [those who cannot see, spiritually unaware], but you shall fear [revere, stand in awe of] your God [Elohim, the supreme Lord]. I am the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 15 You must not pervert [do unrighteousness in] justice; you must not show partiality [respect the person of] to the poor [those who are weak or needy] or favoritism [honor the face of] to the rich [the great or mighty]; you are to judge [govern or vindicate] your neighbor [companion or fellow] fairly [in righteousness, with integrity]. word study 16 You must not [under any circumstances] go about spreading [false rumors] slander among your people [nation, community]. You must not [in any way] endanger [threaten, risk] the life [blood, essential being] of your neighbor [fellow, companion]. I am [the one true God, Yehovah] the LORD. word study 17 You must not harbor [hold or nurse] hatred [intense dislike or hostility] against your brother [close relative, friend] in your heart [the innermost part of a person, including their mind, will, and emotions]. Directly [openly, plainly] rebuke [correct or argue with] your neighbor [companion, fellow worker, or close associate], so that you will not incur [bear or suffer] guilt [sin, offense, or crime] on account of him [because of his actions or your failure to act]. word study 18 Do not [refuse to] seek revenge [or take vengeance] or bear a grudge [hold a deep-seated resentment] against any of your people [fellow Israelites, brethren], but love [have affection for, be devoted to] your neighbor [fellow man, companion] as yourself [with the same care and concern]. I [the first person singular, the Lord God] am the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God]. word study 19 You are to keep [obey, guard] My statutes [divine laws, ordinances]. You shall not crossbreed [let gender, mate] two different kinds [diverse, mixed] of livestock [cattle, animals]; you shall not sow [plant, scatter seed] your fields [land, soil] with two kinds [mixed, diverse] of seed; and you shall not wear [put on, clothe yourself with] clothing [garment, robe] made of two kinds [mixed, diverse] of material [stuff, fabric]. word study 20 If a man [male person, individual] lies carnally [has sexual relations, intimate contact] with a slave girl [bondmaid, female servant] promised [betrothed, engaged] to another man [husband, master] but who has not been redeemed [ransomed, set free] or given her freedom [liberty, release], there must be due punishment [scourging, disciplinary action]. But they are not to be put to death [executed, killed], because she had not been freed [released, liberated] [from her bondage, slavery]. word study 21 The man, however, must bring [as an act of restitution] a ram [a strong male sheep] to the entrance [a doorway or gate] to the Tent [ohel, a nomad’s home or tabernacle] of Meeting [a sacred appointed time] as his guilt [a fault or trespass] offering [a sacrifice to atone for wrongdoing] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 22 The priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] shall make atonement [cover, reconcile] on his behalf before the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] with the ram [a strong male sheep] of the guilt offering [a sacrifice for wrongdoing, trespass] for the sin [missing the mark, rebellion] he has committed [done wrong, erred], and he will be forgiven [pardoned, have mercy] the sin [fault, offense] he has committed [sinned, gone astray]. word study 23 When you enter [come into, approach] the land and plant [establish, sow] any kind of tree [wood, strong object] for food [nourishment, sustenance], you shall regard [consider, count] the fruit [produce, harvest] as forbidden [uncircumcised, unclean]. For three [a period of three, thrice] years it will be forbidden [not to be eaten, set apart] to you and must not be eaten [devoured, consumed]. word study 24 In the fourth [quadriennial] year all its [produce, crops] fruit must be consecrated [set apart, dedicated] as a [thanksgiving, jubilant] praise offering [to honor, glorify] to the [Yehovah, sovereign Lord] LORD. word study 25 But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit [produce]; thus your harvest [crops] will be increased [added to]. I am the [Yehovah] LORD your [Elohim, supreme God] God. word study 26 You must not [under any circumstances] eat anything with blood [the life-giving fluid] still in it [fresh or unbled]. You must not [refrain from] practice divination [seeking hidden knowledge, fortune-telling] or [the occult art of] sorcery [magic, enchantment]. word study 27 You must not [round or shave] cut off the hair at the sides [edges or corners] of your head or clip off the edges [corners or destroy] of your beard. word study 28 You must not make any cuts [cuts or gashes] in your bodies [flesh, the physical person] for the dead [as a sign of mourning] or put [tattoo marks, imprints] tattoo marks on yourselves [as a form of identification or ritual]. I [the Lord, Yehovah, the national name for God] am the LORD [the supreme God, Elohim]. word study 29 You must not [utterly profane, make common] defile your daughter [female child, woman] by making her a prostitute [harlot, to commit fornication], or the land [country, territory] will be prostituted [fall to whoredom, become morally corrupt] and filled [made full, complete] with depravity [wickedness, evil plans]. word study 30 You must keep [observe, honor, and obey] My Sabbaths [days of rest and worship] and have [show, demonstrate] reverence [deep respect, awe] for My sanctuary [holy place, sacred space]. I am [the one true God, Yehovah] the LORD [the supreme Ruler, Yehovah]. word study 31 You must not [under any circumstances] turn [face towards, seek out] to mediums [those who consult the spirits of the dead] or spiritists [wizards, necromancers]; do not [refrain from] seek [search for, inquire of] them out, or you will be defiled [made unclean, contaminated] by them. I [the first person, the speaker] am the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] your God [Elohim, the supreme ruler]. word study 32 You are to rise [stand up, show respect] in the presence [face, before] of the elderly [greyheaded, aged], honor [show reverence, admiration] the aged [old, elderly], and fear [revere, be in awe of] your God [Elohim, the supreme Lord]. I [emphatically, as a personal declaration] am the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 33 When a foreigner [stranger, sojourner] resides [lives as a temporary resident, dwells] with you [near you, in your midst] in your land [country, territory], you must not [shall not, do not] oppress [vex, do wrong to, mistreat] him [the foreigner, the sojourner]. word study 34 You must treat the foreigner [sojourner, temporary resident] living among you as native-born [one born in the land, a home-born citizen] and love him [with affection and loyalty] as yourself, for you were foreigners [strangers, sojourners] in the land of Egypt [a place of bondage and oppression]. I am the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant-keeping God] your God [Elohim, the supreme ruler and judge]. word study 35 You must not use dishonest [unfair, or deceitful] measures [in judgment, in meteyard] of length [of line, of stature], weight [or heaviness, of quantity], or volume [of capacity, in liquid measure]. word study 36 You shall maintain [just, righteous] honest scales [balances, weights] and [accurate, true] weights, an [equitable, fair] honest ephah [a unit of measurement, about 9 gallons], and an [exact, precise] honest hin [a liquid measure, about 5 quarts]. I am the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God], who brought you out [led you, delivered you] of the land [country, territory] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa]. word study 37 You must keep [protect, attend to, guard] all My statutes [ordinances, divine laws] and all My ordinances [judgments, decrees] and follow [obey, observe carefully] them. I am [the one true God, Yehovah] the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord of all].” word study