Leviticus 18:30

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that [ye] commit not [any one] of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I [am] the LORD your God.

Complete Jewish Bible:

So keep my charge not to follow any of these abominable customs that others before you have followed and thus defile yourselves by doing them. I am ADONAI your God.'"

Berean Standard Bible:

You must keep My charge not to practice any of the abominable customs that were practiced before you, so that you do not defile yourselves by them. I am the LORD your God.”

American Standard Version:

Therefore shall ye keep my charge, that ye practise not any of these abominable customs, which were practised before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am Jehovah your God.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Therefore shall ye keep^{H8104} mine ordinance^{H4931}, that ye commit^{H6213} not any one of these abominable^{H8441} customs^{H2708}, which were committed^{H6213} before^{H6440} you, and that ye defile^{H2930} not yourselves therein: I am the LORD^{H3068} your God^{H430}.

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Commentary for Leviticus 18:30

Leviticus 18:30 is part of a larger section in the book of Leviticus known as the Holiness Code (Leviticus 17-26), which outlines various laws and customs that the Israelites are to follow in order to live a holy life set apart for God. This verse serves as a summary and command to adhere to the regulations that have been laid out in the preceding chapters, which include laws on sexual morality, forbidden relationships, and worship practices.

The themes of Leviticus 18:30 include:

1. **Holiness and Separation**: The Israelites are instructed to distinguish themselves from the surrounding nations by avoiding the "abominable customs" of those nations, particularly in the realm of sexual ethics and worship.

2. **Moral Purity**: The verse emphasizes the importance of personal and communal purity, warning against defilement through participation in forbidden practices.

3. **Obedience to God's Commands**: The Israelites are commanded to keep God's ordinances, underscoring the importance of obedience to divine law.

4. **Divine Identity**: The statement "I [am] the LORD your God" reinforces the authority behind the commandments and establishes the relationship between God and His people.

The historical context of this verse is the period after the Exodus when the Israelites are receiving the Law at Mount Sinai. The laws in Leviticus are given to a newly formed nation, recently freed from slavery in Egypt, to shape their communal and religious life as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The laws serve to establish a unique identity for the Israelites, distinct from their neighbors, and to ensure their relationship with God remains central to their societal structure and daily lives. The specific prohibitions in Leviticus 18 are believed to address practices that were common among the Canaanites, whom the Israelites would soon encounter.

*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: H8104
   There are 440 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁמַר
   Transliteration: shâmar
   Pronunciation: shaw-mar'
   Description: 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).
   
2. Strong's Number: H4931
   There are 69 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מִשְׁמֶרֶת
   Transliteration: mishmereth
   Pronunciation: mish-mer'-reth
   Description: feminine of מִשְׁמָר; watch, i.e. the act (custody), or (concretely) the sentry, the post; objectively preservation, or (concretely) safe; figuratively observance, i.e. (abstractly) duty or (objectively) a usage or party; charge, keep, or to be kept, office, ordinace, safeguard, ward, watch.
   
3. Strong's Number: H6213
   There are 2286 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עָשָׂה
   Transliteration: ʻâsâh
   Pronunciation: aw-saw'
   Description: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use.
   
4. Strong's Number: H8441
   There are 112 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: תּוֹעֵבַה
   Transliteration: tôwʻêbah
   Pronunciation: to-ay-baw'
   Description: or תֹּעֵבַה; feminine active participle of תַּעָב; properly, something disgusting (morally), i.e. (as noun) an abhorrence; especially idolatry or (concretely) an idol; abominable (custom, thing), abomination.
   
5. Strong's Number: H2708
   There are 100 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חֻקָּה
   Transliteration: chuqqâh
   Pronunciation: khook-kaw'
   Description: feminine of חֹק, and meaning substantially the same; {an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage)}; appointed, custom, manner, ordinance, site, statute.
   
6. Strong's Number: H6440
   There are 1890 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: פָּנִים
   Transliteration: pânîym
   Pronunciation: paw-neem'
   Description: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from פָּנָה); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.); [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you.
   
7. Strong's Number: H2930
   There are 142 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: טָמֵא
   Transliteration: ṭâmêʼ
   Pronunciation: taw-may'
   Description: a primitive root; to be foul, especially in a ceremial or moral sense (contaminated); defile (self), pollute (self), be (make, make self, pronounce) unclean, [idiom] utterly.
   
8. 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.
   
9. Strong's Number: H430
   There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
   Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
   Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
   Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.