Leviticus 19

Leviticus 19:1-8

HOLINESS IN CONDUCT TOWARD GOD AND MAN 19:1-37 THE FIRST TABLE OF THE LAW 19:1-8 TEXT 19:1-8

1

And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

2

Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy; for I Jehovah your God am holy.

3

Ye shall fear every man his mother*,* and his father; and ye shall keep my sabbaths: I am Jehovah your God.

4

Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am Jehovah your God.

5

And when ye offer a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto Jehovah, ye shall offer it that ye may be accepted.

6

It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if aught remain until the third day, it shall be burnt with fire.

7

And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination; it shall not be accepted:

8

but every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned the holy thing of Jehovah: and that soul shall be cut off from his people.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 19:1-8

Just what did the expression You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy mean to the assembly of Israel when first they heard it? Were they discouraged? encouraged? afraid? resentful? or what? Discuss. (Count in this one chapter the number of times this expression appears.)

How does respect for parents relate to sabbath observance?

How are idols described? Which two commandments of the ten are here involved?

How do peace offerings relate to idol worship?

Why the strict regulations of Lev 19:6-7?

Isn-’t Leviticus 19:8 a very severe penalty for eating the peace offering on the wrong day? or is this all that is involved?

PARAPHRASE 19:1-8

The Lord also told Moses to tell the people of Israel, You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. You must respect your mothers and fathers, and obey My Sabbath law, for I am the Lord your God. Do not make or worship idols, for I am Jehovah your God. When you sacrifice a peace offering to the Lord, offer it correctly so that it will be accepted: eat it the same day you offer it, or the next day at the latest; any remaining until the third day must be burned. For any of it eaten on the third day is repulsive to Me, and will not be accepted. If you eat it on the third day you are guilty, for you profane the holiness of Jehovah, and you shall be excommunicated from Jehovah’s people.

COMMENT 19:1-8

Leviticus 19:1-8 We can organize these verses under the general heading: The First Table of the Law, and divide it as: (1) Honor to parentsLev 19:3; (2) Sabbath observanceLev 19:3; (3) Avoiding idolatryLev 19:4; (4) The peace offeringLev 19:5-8.

The interrelationship of these laws is not easy to observe. Honor to mother and father relates to sabbath observance possibly because it was on the sabbath parents would instruct their children. The respect given to the parents would be easily transferred to God and His day. The mention of mother before father in Leviticus 19:3 is unique. It would seem God is saying that honor for mother is just as important as honor for the father,

The word for idols means non-entities or nothings. It is what Paul means when he says in 1 Corinthians 8:4, We know that an idol is nothing in the world. The content of idol worship adds up to zero. Therefore give them no time or thought. Do not turn toward them, either mentally or physically. The second commandment in the Decalogue is covered by the prohibition against molten gods Cf. Exodus 20:4-6 and Exodus 34:17.

We learned in Leviticus 17:3-7 that Israel was in a habit of sacrificing their cattle and herds to the idols before they prepared them for use at their meals. The transference in thought from idol worship to peace offering is an easy one when such a practice is known. We seem to catch a hint of attitude in the little phrase so that ye may be accepted in Leviticus 19:5. Put your heart into the effort. Do not go through the form of killing your animals before Jehovah God in the same meaningless manner you do in your field-sacrifices to your idols. God will not accept your peace offering when given in that manner.

Authorities point out that there were two classes of peace offerings: (1) Those to be eaten on the same day they were slain, Cf. Leviticus 7:15 and (2) the second class peace offerings which could be eaten the day following, Cf. Leviticus 8:16. In Leviticus 7:17-20 we have a thorough discussion as to why the meat should not be held till the third day. Perhaps the third day was somehow associated with idol worship, otherwise it would seem the penalty attached to eating the meat on the third day to be very severe.

FACT QUESTIONS 19:1-8

How does the honor of mother and father relate to the observance of the sabbath day?

This text contains a strong rejection of idols. For what reason?

How do peace offerings and idol worship relate?

Leviticus 19:9-18

THE SECOND TABLE OF THE LAW 19:9-18 TEXT 19:9-18

9

And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest.

10

And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather the fallen fruit of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am Jehovah your God.

11

Ye shall not steal; neither shall ye deal falsely, nor lie one to another.

12

And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of thy God: I am Jehovah.

13

Thou shalt not oppress thy neighbor, nor rob him: the wages of a hired servant shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.

14

Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but thou shalt fear thy God: I am Jehovah.

15

Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty; but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.

16

Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor: I am Jehovah.

17

Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: thou shalt surely rebuke thy neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.

18

Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am Jehovah.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 19:9-18

Name the ten commandments and designate which ones were on the first table and directed toward God, and which ones were on the second table and directed toward man.

The poor and the stranger will receive more than grain and grapes from this regulation. What was it?

Why did God feel it necessary to repeat these commandments in this place?

Leviticus 19:12 contains two misuses of the name of God. Discuss what they are.

Why not wait until the next day to pay a hired servant?

What perversity in man would tempt him to curse the deaf (who couldn-’t hear his cursing) or trip a blind man (who would not know who did it)?

How easily we are influenced by appearance, either with the poor or the mighty. Discuss Leviticus 19:15.

Gossip can be deadly. Discuss the danger in Leviticus 19:16.

To hold your tongue and hate your neighbor is wrong. You should rebuke him. Discuss Leviticus 19:17.

Isn-’t it surprising to read here the words you shall love your neighbor as yourself? Cf. Romans 12:17; Romans 12:19; Matthew 5:43-46. Discuss.

PARAPHRASE 19:9-18

When you harvest your crops, don-’t reap the corners of your fields, and don-’t pick up stray grains of wheat from the ground. It is the same with your grape cropdon-’t strip every last piece of fruit from the vines, and don-’t pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and for those traveling through, for I am Jehovah your God. You must not steal nor lie nor defraud. You must not swear to a falsehood, thus bringing reproach upon the name of your God, for I am Jehovah. You shall not rob nor oppress anyone, and you shall pay your hired workers promptly. If something is due them, don-’t even keep it overnight. You must not curse the deaf nor trip up a blind man as he walks. Fear your God; I am Jehovah! Judges must always be just in their sentences, not noticing whether a person is poor or rich; they must always be perfectly fair. Don-’t gossip. Don-’t falsely accuse your neighbor of some crime, for I am Jehovah. Don-’t hate your brother. Rebuke anyone who sins; don-’t let him get away with it, or you will be equally guilty. Don-’t seek vengeance. Don-’t bear a grudge; but love your neighbor as yourself, for I am Jehovah.

COMMENT 19:9-18

Leviticus 19:9-18 Acceptableness with God is the total point of the three Chapter s of 18, 19, 20. Personal conduct as related to marriage and attitudes and actions as concerns the family are discussed. Now we hear of the treatment of the poor and strangers. Our worship of God is reflected in all our daily conduct or we cannot say he is Lord of all. The mercy shown to the poor is so like that we all receive from Him. Dignity and respect even for the poorest is provided by God. A certain amount of the harvest belongs to the poor; they are not begging, they are only taking that which is lawfully theirs.

The extent of the corners and the gleanings were very carefully defined at different periods in Hebrew history. The word glean as related to the grapes meant infants i.e. those branches or twigs of grapes upon which there were only one or two grapes. These were to be left for the needy. The scattered grapes which fell from the clusters when the large ones were cut were to be left and not gathered except by the poor.

The use of the eighth commandment against stealing used as it is in its context could refer to the seriousness of taking that which belongs to the poorit is nothing short of theft! The hasty, thoughtless use of the name of Almighty God is something religious people need to consider very often. How easy it is to treat the Holy as common. In the midst of all the rights and ceremonies the name of God was often used lightly. Deceit and deception was the way of life for many in the days of the prophetsand earlier. Oppression and violence was often used in defrauding. It was in such environment these regulations were given. The day laborer, or as he is often called, the hireling needs his money as soon as he earns it. His wife and family expect him to bring home sufficient money for their food. The law asks that his wages be given to him on the same day of his work. There are numerous references to this same kind treatment. Cf. Deuteronomy 24:14-15; Jeremiah 37:13; Malachi 3:5; James 5:4. The scribes of Jesus-’ day said, He who treats a hireling with harshness sins as grievously as if he hath taken away life, and transgresses five precepts.

To curse or revile one who cannot defend himself was mean and selfish. Deaf people can be exasperating, but it is not their fault. Were we unable to hear, we perhaps would react in even a less communicative manner. Kindness, tenderness is the only form of communication understood by everyone. Perhaps reviling those who are absent and thus unable to reply is another form of this wrong (Cf. Psalms 38:14-15).

Thoughtfulness and help to those physically less fortunate than ourselves is expected by God who deals kindly with such blind people as ourselves. Deuteronomy 27:18 places a curse upon those who lead the blind astray. The figurative use of this law, would also obtain, i.e. deceiving the naive and the ignorant. Cf. Romans 14:13. The concluding phrase, but you shall fear (or reverence) your God: I am the Lord means that we might take advantage of the deaf and blind here but we have no advantage with God. He hears what we say and He sees what we do. To ignore His omnipresence and omniscience is to be deaf and; blind ourselves.

Leviticus 19:15 takes us into a law court. Perhaps it is only a minor personal case, but in whatever circumstance the judge is not to exercise his authority in an arbitrary manner. To be very plain about the subject: he is not to allow his sympathy for the poor or his admiration of the mighty to cloud his judgment. The poor must be penalized and the rich rewarded if this is what fairness and impartiality demands. Cf. Exodus 23:3; James 2:2-9.

Giving evidence about our neighbor in court is one thing; it is entirely something else to recite such information to any and all who want to hear it. When such happens it is always distorted and rapidly becomes slander. How devastating is slander! Cf. Jeremiah 6:28; Ezekiel 22:9; 1 Samuel 22:9; 1 Samuel 22:18. Ginsburg says: This dangerous habit, which has ruined the character and destroyed the life of many an innocent person was denounced by the spiritual authorities in the time of Christ as the greatest sin. Three things they declared remove a man from this world, and deprive him of happiness in the world to comeidolatry, incest, and murder. But slander surpasses them all! It kills three persons with one actthe person who slanders, the person who is slandered, and the person who listens to the slander.

The phrase neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor (Leviticus 19:16) is not clear in meaning upon the first reading. The paraphrase renders it, Don-’t falsely accuse your neighbor of some crime. The Amplified Bible follows this same line of thought by saying, nor shall you (secure yourself by false testimony or by silence and) endanger the life of your neighbor. It speaks against false testimony whether such is given by refusing to get involved and thus allowing falsehood to prevail or by giving false testimony. In either case it was serious enough to endanger the life of our neighbor. An unwillingness to help our neighbor when he is in need is in itself standing by while the blood of our neighbor is being shed.

From external acts we turn to internal motivations. Leviticus 19:17 discusses the cause of injury: You shall not hate your brother in your heart. Even if we are the recipients of punishment in a case in which we feel we were unjustly judged, we cannot harbor hatred toward those who gave us the decision. Whereas we might not be able to overthrow the decision, we can at least get it out of our heart into words directed to our brother. We need to express ourselves. Let’s not be like Absalom who spoke unto Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon. 2 Samuel 13:22. Speak to your brothersay to him, Why hast thou thus dealt with me? Our Lord said, If thy brother sin against thee rebuke him, and if he repent forgive him. Luke 17:3. At whatever juncture, do not hate him. We must be very careful in rebuking our brother that we do not in this very act, sin ourselves. It is not revenge that we seek, but understanding and reconciliations. Even if our brother does not repent, we have expressed all of our heart to him and it thus becomes much easier to forget and forgive freely from the heart.

Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. We need to be reminded again and again that if we hate ourselves, if we are living in a constant state of self-loathing or self-depreciation we will indeed hate, loathe and depreciate our neighbors. We do project our own self-estimation upon neighborsthey are the unhappy recipients. The love of ourselves originates in our acceptance of God’s acceptance of us. When I believe He loves me, it becomes much easier to love myself and thus love my neighbor. Cf. Romans 12:17; Romans 12:19; Matthew 5:43-46.

FACT QUESTIONS 19:9-18

What is the one concept developed in Chapter s 18, 19, 20?

How was dignity and respect shown to the poor?

What grapes were left for the poor?

How is the eighth commandment related to treatment of the poor?

Profaning of the name of God is often done among religious people. Why? How?

The day laborer must be paid on the same day he does the work. Why?

How serious was it to treat a laborer harshly?

Why would some be tempted to curse a deaf person? Is there a double application of this law?

Why does God expect us to deal kindly with those who are physically handicapped?

Explain in your own words Leviticus 19:15.

How do Leviticus 19:15-16 relate?

What is slander? How does it start?

Show how slander kills three people.

What is involved in standing against the blood of our neighbor?

What is the real cause of injury to our neighbor?

Show how 2 Samuel 13:22 and Luke 17:3 relate to Leviticus 19:17.

What is meant by loving ourselves?

In review: we discussed THE SECOND TABLE OF THE LAW in Leviticus 19:9-18 under the following headings: (1) Consideration for the poorLev 19:9-10; (2) Prohibition against robbery and deceitLev 19:11; (3) Prohibition against false swearingLev 19:12; (4) Prohibition against oppressionLev 19:13; (5) Care for the helplessLev 19:14; (6) Righteous judgmentsLev 19:15; (7) Warning against tale bearingLev 19:16; (8) Summary of the Second TableLev 19:17-18.

Leviticus 19:19-29

VARIOUS ORDINANCES 19:19-29 TEXT 19:19-29

19

Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with two kinds of seed: neither shall there come upon thee a garment of two kinds of stuff mingled together.

20

And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to a husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; they shall be punished; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.

21

And he shall bring his trespass-offering unto Jehovah, unto the door of the tent of meeting, even a ram for a trespass- offering.

22

And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering before Jehovah for his sin which he hath sinned: and the sin which he hath sinned shall be forgiven him.

23

And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as their uncircumcision: three years shall they be as uncircumcised unto you; it shall not be eaten.

24

But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy, for giving praise unto Jehovah.

25

And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am Jehovah your God.

26

Ye shall not eat anything with blood: neither shall ye use enchantments, nor practise augury.

27

Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.

28

Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am Jehovah.

29

Profane not thy daughter, to make her a harlot; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 19:19-29

Is there some difference between statutes and commandments?

Is there some practical or moral reason for not mixing seed, cattle or cloth?

To commit adultery with a female slave was a sad offense. What was to be done?

What happened to the slave? to the child, i.e. if one were born?

God had some very practical laws concerning horticulture. What were they?

Does Leviticus 19:26 speak against present-day horoscopes?, Discuss.

Leviticus 19:27 seems to have little present-day meaning. Discuss.

Is it a sin to be tattooed?

PARAPHRASE 19:19-29

Obey My laws: do not mate your cattle with a different kind; don-’t sow your field with two kinds of seed; don-’t wear clothes made of half wool and half linen, If a man seduces a slave girl who is engaged to be married, they shall be tried in a court but not put to death, because she is not free. The man involved shall bring his guilt offering to the Lord at the entrance of the Tabernacle; the offering shall be a ram. The priest shall make atonement with the ram for the sin the man has committed, and it, shall be forgiven him. When you enter the land and have planted all kinds of fruit trees, do not eat the first three crops, for they are considered ceremonially defiled. And the fourth year the entire crop shall be devoted to the Lord, and shall be given to the Lord in praise to Him. Finally, in the fifth year, the crop is yours. I am Jehovah your God! You must not eat meat with undrained blood; nor use fortune telling or witchcraft. You must not trim off your hair on your temples or clip the edges of your beard, as the heathen do. You shall not cut yourselves nor put tattoo marks upon yourselves in connection with funeral rites; I am the Lord. Do not violate your daughter’s sanctity by making her a prostitute, lest the land become full of enormous wickedness.

COMMENT 19:19-29

Leviticus 19:19-29 (1) Prohibition against hybridsLev 19:19; (2) Sin of a betrothed bondmaidLev 19:20-22; (3) The first-fruit of the trees in CanaanLev 19:23-25; (4) Abstention from heathen ritesLev 19:26-29.

We appreciate Bruce Oberst’s comment on the companion reference of Deu 22:9-11: Note the basic concept of separation which runs throughout these verses. The fact that two kinds of seed might grow quite well together, or that one could plow together quite well with an ox and an ass, or that linen (originating from flax) and wool might make a durable, warm, and nice-looking garment when combined, was nothing to the point! God had said they were not to be mixed! His word was to be respected and honored.

As a separated people, they were to live separated lives (Cf. 1 Kings 8:53, etc.). Such laws as this would also distinguish and identify them as God’s own people, different from all others.

Separation is as much a New Testament doctrine as Oldnot the separation here spoken of, but the separation from the world and its ways that has always characterized God’s true children. It is still very necessary that the child of God distinguish and differentiate in this worldan ability he develops more and more as he matures and grows into the likeness of his Master. Mature Christians should see the difference between light and darkness, sham and sincerity, truth and falsehood.

The -unequal yoke-’ of the ox and ass (Leviticus 19:10) perhaps were in the very mind’s eye of the apostle when he exhorted the Corinthian Christians, -Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity. -’ etc. (see 2 Corinthians 6:14, Leviticus 7:1).

What a pathetic use of position to use it in seducing a slavemost especially one who is betrothed! This bond woman might be of either one of the intermediate kind, that is, one whose redemption money had been partially paid, or belong to that class who had no prospects of a free discharge. It could be such a female slave was espoused to a Hebrew slaveboth of whom were owned by the master who was guilty of this seduction. When this happens, the woman is also held responsible; she was therefore given 40 stripes. Punishment by death was the penalty ordinarily inflicted: Cf. Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:23. However because she was degraded to the condition of private property to only be used to satisfy the lusts of her master, a lesser punishment was permitted. She was exempted from offering the sacrifice. The man must bring a ram for a trespass offering. A slave had no property, therefore no sacrifice was required. The sacrifice being made according to the prescribed ritual (Cf. Leviticus 4:20; Leviticus 4:26), he was forgiven of his sin.

There are four references in Leviticus where regulations are given in anticipation of entering Canaan: (1) Leviticus 14:34the promise of leprosy in their houses; (2) Leviticus 19:23the planting of fruit trees in the land; (3) Leviticus 23:10the law of the first fruits of the land; (4) Leviticus 25:2keeping a sabbath day in the land. In the mind of God. Canaan was already a possession. In the mind of God we are already in our eternal promised land enjoying all the bounties of that place.

The trees of Canaan were: (1) all manner of citrus trees: oranges, lemons, etc.; (2) olive trees; (3) fig trees. In the first three years the trees were to be regarded as uncircumcised i.e. unclean for use as food. Some see a metaphorical use of this word in the cutting or plucking off the buds or early fruit during the first three years. On the fourth year the whole harvest was to be given to the Lord and eaten in joyful worship before Him. The fifth year could be the first year of use for Israel. Such treatment of the trees would yield the highest possible harvest by the fifth year.

Leviticus 19:26-29 discuss abstinence from certain heathen rites. Evidently the eating of blood in this instance was associated in some manner with idolatry. There are various possible explanations, but since all of them are conjectural, we will forego reference to them.

The practice of magic or enchantments as used here refers to certain kinds of incantations, according to some to prophecy obtained from observing snakes. The practice of augury is called the observing of days or of times by other translations. Some authorities refer this to taking notice of the seasons and days, and saying this is a good day to begin a journey, tomorrow will be a lucky day to make a purchase. The reference to haircuts and the care of beards sounds strangely familiar in our day. Of course present day hair trimming and beard care does not have such a direct relation to the deity involvedhuman pride seems to be the god in view today. In the day of Moses the hair was shaved off around the temples and behind the ears, so as to leave the head bald except for a dish-like tuft upon the crown of the head. This, according to those who did it, imparted to the head the form and shape of a hemisphere. This was done by the Arabs, and other worshippers of the god Orotal. The Arabs are ironically called those with the corner of their hair polledas is rightly rendered in the margin. Cf. Jeremiah 9:26; Jeremiah 25:23; Jeremiah 49:32.

The beard was regarded by the Hebrews and other eastern nations as the greatest ornament of a man, and was as dear to them as life itself. It was the object of salutation, Cf. 2 Samuel 20:9, and the mutilation of it was looked upon as the greatest disgrace and most degrading punishment. Cf. 2 Samuel 10:4; Isaiah 7:20; Ezra 5:1-5. It was only in seasons of sorrow that the Hebrews neglected their beards; and sometimes, to show how deeply they were afflicted, they covered them up, or even cut them off, or tore them out. Cf. 2 Samuel 19:24; Isaiah 15:2, Jeremiah 51:5. Because it was so precious a treasure it was customary among some of the ancients to present to their gods the firstlings of their beards. The prohibition in this verse refers to this practice. (Ginsburg)

The worshippers of Baal in the contest of Elijah on Mount Carmel cut themselves with knives and lances until the blood gushed out upon them. Cf. 1 Kings 18:28. This was a custom of many idol worshippers when mourning for the dead as well as when calling upon their god for fire from heaven. The Israelite was to respect his body as the creation of God not to disfigure it. Cf. Leviticus 21:6; Deuteronomy 14:1.

The practice of tattooing is as old as the history of nations. Incisions or punctures were made in the skin in the form of words or pictures and some type of ink was impressed upon the incisions. Slaves bore the tattooed name of their masters, soldiers of their captain, and worshippers of their gods. Were the phylacteries which the Hebrews were to bind on the head and hands as a memorial a reaction or accommodation to tattooing? Cf. Exodus 13:9; Exodus 13:16; Deuteronomy 6:8; Deuteronomy 9:18.

Daughters were given to Astarte to serve in her temple as prostitutes. Astarte was the goddess of fertility and prostitution was a part of her worship. The Jews became so degraded that fathers thought it was an honor to thus give their daughters. Here is a plain word from God against such a practice.

FACT QUESTIONS 19:19-29

Why not inter-breed cattle as in Leviticus 19:19? Aren-’t present day cattle evidence that such is a good practice? Discuss.

Why not stone the adulterers described in Leviticus 19:20?

God anticipates the activities in Canaan in four references. What regulations are given?

In the first three years the trees were uncircumcised. In what regard?

Wasn-’t it selfish of God to refuse the fruit for four years?

Eating of blood here is different than earlier references, i.e. the purpose was different. What was it?

How were magic or incantations used?

The care of hair and beards became very important in the days of Moses. How so? Discuss.

Cutting and tattooing was used for what purpose?

Why would any father consider giving his daughter to prostitution?

Leviticus 19:30-37

CONCLUDING INJUCTIONS 19:30-37 TEXT 19:30-37

30

Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am Jehovah.

31

Turn ye not unto them that have familiar spirits, nor unto the wizards; seek them not out, to be defiled by them: I am Jehovah your God.

32

Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and thou shalt fear thy God: I am Jehovah.

33

And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not do him wrong.

34

The stranger that sojourneth with you shall be unto you as the home-born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt: I am Jehovah your God.

35

Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length, of weight, or of quantity.

36

Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

37

And ye shall observe all my statutes, and all mine ordinances, and do them: I am Jehovah.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 19:30-37

Just how does reverence for the sabbath and the sanctuary relate to the context?

What is a familiar spirit?

What was the work of a wizard?

In what way were people defiled by spirits and wizards?

What is meant by hoary head? What request is here made?

The Israelites would know just how strangers felt and just how to treat them. Why?

How does fair measurement relate to the nature or name of God?

What advantage was there in observing all the statutes and ordinances of God?

PARAPHRASE 19:30-37

Keep My Sabbath laws and reverence My Tabernacle, for I am the Lord. Do not defile yourselves by consulting mediums and wizards, for I am Jehovah your God. You shall give due honor and respect to the elderly, in the fear of God. I am Jehovah. Do not take advantage of foreigners in your land; do not wrong them. They must be treated like any other citizen; love them as yourself, for remember that you too were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am Jehovah your God. You must be impartial in judgment. Use accurate measurementslengths, weights, and volumesand give full measure, for I am Jehovah your God who brought you from the land of Egypt. You must heed all of My commandments and ordinances, carefully obeying them, for I am Jehovah.

COMMENT 19:30-37

Leviticus 19:30-37 We have six concluding commands and a summary in these verses. They are: (1) honor the sabbath and the sanctuaryLev 19:30; (2) avoid familiar spirits and wizardsLev 19:31; (3) honor the agedLev 19:32; (4) deal kindly with strangersLev 19:33-34; (5) keep my standards of righteousnessLev 19:35-36 (6) summarythe reason for obedienceLev 19:37.

Leviticus 19:30 The greatest safeguard for an Israelite against idolatry and all attendant sins was a sincere consistent observance of the sabbath days and a regular attendance at the tabernacle along with his various personal sacrifices, not to mention his interest in the national feasts and sacrifices. Considering the number and frequency of these personal and national sacrifices the conscientious Israelite would have but little time for idolatry.

Leviticus 19:31 We are indebted to Adam Clarke for a study on the meaning and application of the terms familiar spirits, wizards, and witches. He says in commenting on Exodus 22:18 :

Leviticus 19:18. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. If there had been no witches, such a law as this had never been made. The existence of the law, given under the direction of the Spirit of God, proves the existence of the thing. It has been doubted whether mecashshephah, which we translate witch, really means a person who practised divination or sorcery by spiritual or infernal agency. Whether the persons thus denominated only pretended to have an art which had no existence, or whether they really possessed the power commonly attributed to them, are questions which it would be improper to discuss at length in a work of this kind; but that witches, wizards, those who dealt with familiar spirits, etc., are represented in the sacred writings as actually possessing a power to evoke the dead, to perform supernatural operations, and to discover hidden or secret things by spells, charms, incantations, etc., is evident to every unprejudiced reader of the Bible. Of Manasseh it is said: He caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times (veonen, he used divination by clouds) and used enchantments, and used witchcraft (vechishsheph) and dealt with a familiar spirit, performed a variety of operations by means of what was afterwards called the spirit of Python, and with wizards, (yiddeoni, the wise or knowing ones;) and he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord; 2 Chronicles 33:6. It is very likely that the Hebrew cashaph, and the Arabic cashafa, had originally the same meaning, to uncover, to remove a veil, to manifest, reveal, make bare or naked; and mecashefat is used to signify commerce with God, or the invisible world. From the severity of this law against witches, etc., we may see in what light these were viewed by Divine justice. They were seducers of the people from their allegiance to God, on whose judgment alone they should depend; and by impiously prying into futurity, assumed an attribute of God, the foretelling of future events, which implied in itself the grossest blasphemy, and tended to corrupt the minds of the people, by leading them away from God and the revelation he had made of himself. Many of the Israelites had, no doubt, learned these curious arts from their long residence with the Egyptians; and so much were the Israelites attached to them, that we find such arts in repute among them, and various practices of this kind prevailed through the whole of the Jewish history, notwithstanding the offence was capital, and in all cases punished with death.

Leviticus 19:32 The due honor and respect we should give to the elderly are beautifully expressed in these words: When you meet them in public places, or they come to where you are, show them reverence. Both the infirmity and the wisdom of the aged have a claim on us; and besides, age, apart from its qualities, has in it solemnity. By the sight of it, the Lord would solemnize us in the midst of our pursuits. -Lo! the shadow of eternity! for one cometh who is almost already in eternity. His head and beard white as snow, indicate his speedy appearance before the Ancient of Days,-’ the hair of whose head is as pure wool.

Every object, too, that is feeble seems to be recommended to our care by God; for these are types of the condition wherein He finds us when His grace comes to save. It is, therefore, exhibiting His grace in a shadow, when the helpless are relieved, the fatherless find mercy (Hosea 14:3), the orphans relieved, and the widow, (Psalms 146:9) and the stranger preserved. (Bonar)

Leviticus 19:33-34 Deal kindly with strangers should strike a responsive chord in the heart of the Israelite since for so long he was a stranger in a strange land. To become a Jew meant much more than just being circumcised. All of the laws and ceremonies must also be understood and observed. When a stranger acts in an awkward or unusual manner, do not laugh at him or criticize him. Put yourself in his sandalsyou were once the stranger in Egypt. Treat him as you wish you were treated.

Leviticus 19:35-36 It is a strange but true fact that men somehow become blind to the application of morality in certain areas. Put some people behind the steering wheel of an automobile and their code of ethics has somehow disappeared. The same is true of weights and measures. If a larger share than we deserve is available we are sorely tempted to take it! This was true in the day of Moses. The Bible frequently brands these dealings as wicked, and an abomination to the Lord, while it designates the right measures as coming from God Himself. Cf. Deuteronomy 25:13; Deuteronomy 25:15; Ezekiel 45:10; Ezekiel 45:12; Hosea 12:8; Amos 8:5, Micah 6:10.

Leviticus 19:37 The reason for obedience is cited in this verse. You must heed all of my commandments and ordinances, carefully obeying them, for I am Jehovah, or as the New English Bible translates it: You shall observe all my rules and laws and carry them out. I am the Lord. The Jerusalem Bible translates it: Keep all my laws and customs, put them into practice. I am Yahweh. Without an acceptance of the majesty and power, to say nothing of the presence and wisdom of God we will have no desire to obey God. With a full awareness His commandments are not grievous.

FACT QUESTIONS 19:30-37

List the six commands in these verses.

What was the greatest safeguard against idolatry?

Define: familiar spirits, wizards, witches.

Aged people have a double claim on us. What is it?

How can we exhibit His grace in a shadow?

The loving care of strangers should have been easy for the Israelites. Why?

When are men blind to the applications of morality? Discuss.

What is the strongest motive for obedience to the laws of God?