Leviticus 18:1

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Complete Jewish Bible:

ADONAI said to Moshe,

Berean Standard Bible:

Then the LORD said to Moses,

American Standard Version:

And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And the LORD^{H3068} spake^{H1696} unto Moses^{H4872}, saying^{H559},

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Leviticus 18:1

Leviticus 18:1 serves as an introduction to a section of the book that outlines various laws concerning sexual conduct, ethical behavior, and worship practices. The historical context of this verse is within the larger narrative of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt. The book of Leviticus is traditionally attributed to Moses and is part of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, which lay out the religious and civil laws for the nation of Israel.

The themes introduced in Leviticus 18:1 include:

1. **Divine Authority**: The phrase "And the LORD spake unto Moses" establishes the divine origin of the laws that follow, emphasizing that they are not human inventions but commandments from God.

2. **Holiness**: The laws given in this chapter are part of a larger call for the Israelites to be holy as God is holy (Leviticus 19:2). This holiness encompasses all aspects of life, including social relations, sexual behavior, and religious practice.

3. **Sexual Purity**: The chapter particularly focuses on prohibiting sexual relations that are considered incestuous or otherwise forbidden, distinguishing the practices of the Israelites from those of the surrounding nations.

4. **Moral and Ritual Distinctiveness**: By adhering to these laws, the Israelites were to set themselves apart from other peoples, both morally and ritually, thus maintaining their unique identity as the people of God.

5. **Covenant Faithfulness**: The laws in Leviticus are part of the covenant between God and Israel. Keeping these commandments was a way for the Israelites to demonstrate their loyalty to God and their commitment to the covenant relationship.

In summary, Leviticus 18:1 begins a passage that emphasizes the importance of divine commandments for maintaining the distinctiveness and holiness of the Israelite community in accordance with their covenant with God.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H3068
   There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהֹוָה
   Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
   Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
   Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
   
2. Strong's Number: H1696
   There are 1050 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: דָבַר
   Transliteration: dâbar
   Pronunciation: daw-bar'
   Description: a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue; answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.
   
3. Strong's Number: H4872
   There are 704 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מֹשֶׁה
   Transliteration: Môsheh
   Pronunciation: mo-sheh'
   Description: from מָשָׁה; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver; Moses.
   
4. Strong's Number: H559
   There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָמַר
   Transliteration: ʼâmar
   Pronunciation: aw-mar'
   Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.