Leviticus 19

Chap. XIX. Ver. 1—38. Contents of this chapter are chiefly repetitions of laws previously given. The introductory precept, “Ye shall be holy, for I am holy;” deserves our especial notice, for much of the character of a people depends upon the character of their God. The idols of the heathen are represented, even as cruel, false, lewd, and dishonest; how, by their own poets, then, could it be expected that their worshippers should be otherwise? It is much to be feared, that the continual study of these models in our classical schools without a proper antidote from their teachers, has done much to corrupt the morals of youth, and even contributed to fill the ranks of infidelity.

Reverence to parents, and to the sabbath day, are also of vast importance to public morals: scarcely does any person come to an untimely end, but he attributes it to the neglect of one or other of these two important precepts.— Turn ye not unto idols: the term here used in the original, means “vanities;” for an idol, as or, in the usual scriptural phrase, ‘St. Paul says, ‘is nothing in the world:” ((1 Corinthians 8:4).) and, therefore, did he exhort the populace, at Lystra, to turn from their vanities unto the living God. ((Acts 14:15).) And when it is added, “Make you no molten gods,” it must have been not to have deceived “the golden calf!”? It is impossible for them to.) relative to gleaning in the harvest and the vintage, are full of mercy to the poor and to the stranger. The Jews are repeatedly reminded, that they were themselves strangers in the land of Egypt: what kindnesses they received from the Egyptians in the former part of that time, under Joseph might teach them to show the same to others; and the sufferings they endured in the latter, should teach them commiseration—“Ye know the heart of a stranger.” ((Exodus 23:9).)—“Ye shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling-block before the blind;” because the one cannot hear to defend himself, nor the other see to avoid the danger. Such things, even in sport, are cowardly and disgraceful, and ought certainly not to be tolerated among Christians.

‘Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer;” the original word means a pedler, hawking about slanderous reports from house to house, as a pedler does his goods: such characters are in the highest degree detestable. It is added, “Neither shalt thou stand [up] against the blood of any neighbour;” that is, as a false witness, or accuser, whereby blood may be unjustly shed. On the other hand, if they knew of any evil done by their neighbour, they were to admonish him privately, and save him, if possible, from either disgrace or punishment. Thus the injunctions here given correspond with those of our Lord to his disciples: ((Matthew 18:15)) “If thy brother trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault,” &c.—Only one other precept in this chapter

Notes on the verses

Chap. XIX. Ver. 9. Reap the harvest.—[In what code of laws merely human is a requisition to be found so counteracting to selfishness, so encouraging to liberality, and so beneficently considering to the poor and needy? But the Mosaic dispensation, like the Christian, breathed with love to God and benevolence to man.]—Bagster.

Ver. 19. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind. These practices might have been considered as altering God in creation; and this is the view which Philo takes of the subject. There were, however, natural reasons for these prohibitions. With respect to heterogeneous mixtures among cattle, it was probably forbidden, to prevent excitements to the abominations condemned in the preceding chapter.

As to seeds, in many cases, it would be highly improper to sow different kinds in the same plot of ground. If oats and wheat, for instance, were sown together, the latter would be injured, and the former ruined. This prohibition may, therefore, be regarded as a prudential agricultural maxim.—Bagster.—A garment mingled of linen and woollen—which is with us commonly called linsey-woolsey. It is difficult to conceive a moral reason for this, unless that it reproves an attempt at finery, like Joseph’s ‘coat of many colours.’ The Heb. shaatnez, according to Dr. J. R. Forster, (the traveller,) answers to the Egyptian shoutnes, which signifies a gaudy and gay vesture, of different coloured wool and cotton, such as these the original constitution of Jews, and also Josephus and probably, also both moral and political. The Egyptians appropriated to their gods, and ornamented (i.e. embroidered) with sacred plants and animals. This affords two good reasons against this practice; to guard against idolatry.

Ver. 25. In the fifth year.—The obvious design of this law was, that the trees, and vines particularly, might arrive at their full strength and perfection.

Ver. 27. Ye shall not round, &c.—Herodotus says, the Arabs cut their hair round, in honour of Bacchus, who wore it so.—Dr. Clarke.

Ver. 28. Cuttings in your flesh.—The ancients were very violent in their grief. Virgil describes Dido as tearing her face with her nails, and beating her breast with her fists.—Nor print any marks.—The Hindoos bear upon their foreheads, &c. certain sectarian marks, in honour of their idols.

Ver. 29. Do not prostitute, &c.—This was common among the heathen. The Cyprian women, according to Justin, gained by public prostitution that portion which their husbands received with them at marriage; and the Phenicians gave to Venus the gain acquired by the prostitution of their daughters.

Ver. 32. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head.—Among the Egyptians, according to Herodotus, this was one of the few virtues. For if a young person meet his senior, he instantly turns aside to make way for him; if an aged person enter an apartment, the youth always rise from their seats for him. And Savary remarks, the same reverence is yet paid to old age in Egypt. The same was practised among the Romans; and if we look into patriarchal times we find Joseph, though the viceroy of Egypt, bowing himself to the ground before his aged father.

See Dr. Clarke on (Genesis 48:12).