Leviticus 22:31 — Word Study
WLCוּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ מִצְוֹתַ֔י וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃
BSAYou are to keepshâmar [obey, guard, protect] My commandmentsmitsvâh [laws, rules, guidelines] and practiceʻâsâh [do, make, carry out] themʼêth Iʼănîy [emphatically, personally] am the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the self-existent God]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ | and you will keep | Verb, Qal, sequential perfect second person masculine plural |
| מִצְוֹתַ֔י | commandments my | Noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם | and you will do | Verb, Qal, sequential perfect second person masculine plural |
| אֹתָ֑ם | the object marker them | Particle, suffix |
| אֲנִ֖י | I | Pronoun |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | [am] Yahweh | Noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | You are to keep My commandments and practice them. I am the LORD. |
| KJV | Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the LORD. |
| ASV | Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am Jehovah. |
| YLT | and ye have kept my commands, and have done them; I [am] Jehovah; |
| WEB | “Therefore you shall keep my commandments, and do them. I am Yahweh. |
| BBE | So then, keep my orders and do them: I am the Lord. |
Translations agree on the key terms of keeping and practicing God's commandments.
The sentence has a main clause with a conjunction linking two actions, followed by a clear statement of the speaker's identity.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Trapp, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֲנִי
verbשָׁמַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Leviticus 22:31
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Commands for Holinessgenerated
Leviticus 22:31 is part of a series of laws that emphasize the importance of holiness and obedience to God's commandments. The surrounding verses instruct the Israelites on how to live in a way that honors God, including the necessity of keeping His commands and recognizing His sovereignty as the LORD.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leviticus 18:4–5 | You are to practice My judgments and keep My statutes by walking in them. I am the LORD your God. |
| 2 | Leviticus 19:37 | You must keep all My statutes and all My ordinances and follow them. I am the LORD.” |
| 3 | Numbers 15:40 | Then you will remember and obey all My commandments, and you will be holy to your God. |
| 4 | Deuteronomy 4:40 | Keep His statutes and commandments, which I am giving you today, so that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may live long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for all time. |
| 5 | 1 Thessalonians 4:1–2 | Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, just as you have received from us. This is how you already live, so you should do so all the more. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שָׁמַר, u.she.mar.Temgenerated
The verb שָׁמַר (*shamar*) means to keep, guard, or observe. It encompasses a range of actions, including the protection of commandments and the faithful observance of laws. The parsing indicates it is a sequential perfect form, meaning it describes an action that is to be completed by the subjects in the future.
This word reflects a commitment to not only remember but actively uphold God's laws. It implies a sense of vigilance and responsibility, as seen in the context of observing the Sabbath and other divine instructions.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses keep and practice for the Hebrew words שָׁמַר and עָשָׂה, respectively.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main finite verbs are שְׁמַרְתֶּם and עֲשִׂיתֶם, indicating the actions the subjects are to take: to keep and to do. The structure is straightforward, with the subject implied as 'you' in both instances, leading to a clear command.
The sentence is constructed to emphasize both the action of keeping commandments and the importance of doing them, reflecting a direct relationship between knowledge and practice.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שָׁמַר as φυλάχετε, which carries the meaning of guarding or keeping, similar to the Hebrew. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of the need for vigilance in observing God's laws.
The translation of עָשָׂה as ποιήσετε also aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning of doing or making, reinforcing the active role required of the people.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Leviticus 22:31 instructs the Israelites to keep God's commandments and to practice them. This verse emphasizes the importance of obeying God's laws and recognizing Him as the LORD.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To keep God's commandments means to obey and guard His laws, ensuring they are followed in daily life.
Practicing the commandments shows a commitment to living according to God's will and maintaining a relationship with Him.
Yahweh signifies the self-existent God, emphasizing His eternal nature and authority.
These commandments guide moral and ethical behavior, encouraging believers to live in a way that honors God.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I actively keep God's commandments in my daily life?
- How can I ensure that I practice what I learn from God's Word?
- What does recognizing God as Yahweh mean for my understanding of His authority?
- How can I encourage others to keep and practice God's commandments?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Leviticus 22:31 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleTherefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them,.... Both priests and people, even all the commandments delivered at this time, as well as all others; these they were to observe and take notice
Read John Gill on Leviticus 22 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLeviticus 22:31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I [am] the LORD.Ver. 31. I am the Lord.] Your rightful Lord, and my reward is with me, to give unto every man according to his works.
Read John Trapp on Leviticus 22 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(31) Therefore shall ye keep my commandments.—Better, and ye shall keep my commandments. The law about the priests and sacrifices now concludes with an appeal to both the priests and the people to faithfully observe these commandments. Neither shall ye profane my holy name.—Better, and ye shall not profane. The rendering of the conjunctives, both in the former verse and in this, by “therefore” and “neither,” as is done in the Authorised version, is not only unnecessary, but mars the simple and dignified style of the original. For the manner in which God’s name is profaned when His commandments are violated, see Leviticus 18:21.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 22 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges31–33. Concluding exhortation (characteristic of H)
Read Cambridge on Leviticus 22 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible31. Keep my commandments — We keep the commandment of God by obeying it, his word by believing it, and his promise by appropriating it. These various commands of the Levitical ritual constituted the probation of the Israelites.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Leviticus 22 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
You are to keep My commandments and practice them. I am the LORD.
“Therefore you shall keep my commandments, and do them. I am Yahweh.
You are to keep My commandments and practice them. I am the LORD.
“You must be sure to do my commandments. I am the Lord.
Tyndale line
Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the LORD.
Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am Jehovah.
Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the LORD.
Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the LORD.
Therefore shall ye keepe my commandements and do them: for I am the Lord.
Strictly literal
And ye shall observe my commandments and do them: I am Jehovah.
and ye have kept my commands, and have done them; I [am] Jehovah;
And you have kept my commands and have done them; I [am] YHWH;
And ye shall keep my commandments and do them: I am the Lord.
So you must keep my commandments and carry them out. I am Yahweh.
From the Latin
Keep my commandments, and do them. I am the Lord.
Simplified
Keep my rules and put them into practice. I am the Lord.
So then, keep my orders and do them: I am the Lord.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint in meaning but differs slightly in word order. The Samaritan Pentateuch shows a variation with the object marker אֵת included, while the Dead Sea Scrolls contain fragments that align with the Masoretic Text but are partially restored.
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ מִצְוֹתַ֔י וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃
4 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ושׁמרתם את מצותי ועשׂיתם אתם
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: את (
[ושמרתם] [מצות׳י] [ועשיתם] את׳ם
4 words of the verse are on this fragment — 3 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Leviticus 22:31
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word שָׁמַר (*shamar*) is a primitive root meaning to keep, guard, or observe. It encompasses a wide range of actions including protecting, waiting for, and celebrating obligations like the Sabbath. The verb appears in various forms, indicating nuances such as being on guard or refraining from certain actions. It is used extensively in the Old Testament, reflecting both physical and moral vigilance.
שָׁמַר 465 vb. keep, watch, preserve
Qal 425
keep, have charge of
keep, guard, captives
hence, watch for, wait for
watch, observe
keep, retain, of storing up (food)
keep within bounds, restrain
observe, celebrate
keep sabbath
of other obligations
observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)
sts. י׳ subj.
keep, reserve, weeks of harvest
Niph.
36be on one's guard
keep oneself, refrain, abstain
be kept, guarded
Pi. those paying regard to false vanities
Hithp. I kept myself from
base
H8104 שָׁמַר keep, watch, preserve .. . keep, have charge of
. keep, guard, captives
. hence, watch for, wait for
. watch, observe
. . keep, retain, of storing up (food)
. keep within bounds, restrain
. . observe, celebrate
. keep sabbath
. of other obligations
. observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)
. sts. י׳ subj.
. keep, reserve, weeks of harvest
. . be on one's guard
. keep oneself, refrain, abstain
. be kept, guarded
. those paying regard to false vanities
. I kept myself from
8104 shamar shaw-mar'
a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns),
i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.:--beward,
be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark,
look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save
(self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).
שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: obey.
: obey/observe
1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to keep, have charge of
1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life
1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)
1a3) to watch for, wait for
1a4) to watch, observe
1a5) to keep, retain, treasure up (in memory)
1a6) to keep (within bounds), restrain
1a7) to observe, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant or commands), perform (vow)
1a8) to keep, preserve, protect
1a9) to keep, reserve
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware
1b2) to keep oneself, refrain, abstain
1b3) to be kept, be guarded
1c) (Piel) to keep, pay heed
1d) (Hithpael) to keep oneself from
שָׁמַר (sha.mar) — to keep: guard.
: guard
1) to keep, guard, observe, give heed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to keep, have charge of
1a2) to keep, guard, keep watch and ward, protect, save life
1a2a) watch, watchman (participle)
Conj | V-Qal-2mp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine pluralHc/Vqq2mp
מִצְוָה (mitsvah) means 'commandment' and can refer to commands from both humans and God. It encompasses laws, ordinances, and precepts, indicating a range of directives within religious and moral contexts. The term is derived from a root meaning to command, linking it to the broader framework of divine law.
מִצְוָה 181 n.f. commandment
base
H4687 מִצְוָה commandment
4687 mitsvah mits-vaw'
from 6680; a command, whether human or divine (collectively,
the Law):--(which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance,
precept.
see HEBREW for 06680
מִצְוָה (mits.vah) — commandment.
1) commandment
1a) commandment (of man)
1b) the commandment (of God)
1c) commandment (of code of wisdom)
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHNcfpc/Sp1bs
עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.
עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make
Qal 2524
do (1560 t.)
deal with
oft. in phr. do kindness with
abs. act, act with effect
make (670 t.)
produce, yield
prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food
make offering
attend to, put in order
observe, celebrate, religious festival
acquire property of various kinds
appoint priests
bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance
use
spend, pass, days of life
Niph.
97be done
be made, of concr. things
be produced from vine
be prepared, of food
be offered
be observed, passover
be used
Pu. I was made
base
[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze
base
H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)
. deal with
. oft. in phr. do kindness with
. abs. act, act with effect
. . make (670 + t.)
. produce, yield
. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food
. make offering
. attend to, put in order
. observe, celebrate, religious festival
. acquire property of various kinds
. appoint priests
. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance
. use
. spend, pass, days of life
. . be done
. . be made, of concr. things
. be produced from vine
. be prepared, of food
. be offered
. be observed, passover
. be used
. I was made
H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze
6213 `asah aw-saw'
a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and
widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,
appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,
bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal
(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)
execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +
finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go
about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X
indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,
make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,
bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,
provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,
spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be
(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.
עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.
: do/perform
1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to do, work, make, produce
1a1a) to do
1a1b) to work
1a1c) to deal (with)
1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect
1a2) to make
1a2a) to make
1a2b) to produce
1a2c) to prepare
1a2d) to make (an offering)
1a2e) to attend to, put in order
1a2f) to observe, celebrate
1a2g) to acquire (property)
1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute
1a2i) to bring about
1a2j) to use
1a2k) to spend, pass
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be done
1b2) to be made
1b3) to be produced
1b4) to be offered
1b5) to be observed
1b6) to be used
1c) (Pual) to be made
עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.
(Piel) to press, squeeze
עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.
: make(OBJECT)
1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to do, work, make, produce
1a1a) to do
1a1b) to work
1a1c) to deal (with)
1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect
1a2) to make
1a2a) to make
1a2b) to produce
Conj | V-Qal-2mp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine pluralHc/Vqq2mp
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
DirObjM | Suff — Particle · suffixHTo/Sp3mp
אֲנִי, transliterated as aniy, is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is often used for emphasis and can also imply possession, as in 'mine' or 'myself.' The word is derived from a form that indicates self-reference, and it appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.
אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי pron. 1s. comm. I
base
H589 אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי I
589 'aniy an-ee'
contracted from 595; I:--I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, X
which, X who.
see HEBREW for 0595
אֲנִי (a.ni) — I.
I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)
Pron — PronounHPp1bs
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt