Leviticus 18:5

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I [am] the LORD.

Complete Jewish Bible:

You are to observe my laws and rulings; if a person does them, he will have life through them; I am ADONAI.

Berean Standard Bible:

Keep My statutes and My judgments, for the man who does these things will live by them. I am the LORD.

American Standard Version:

Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and mine ordinances; which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am Jehovah.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Ye shall therefore keep^{H8104} my statutes^{H2708}, and my judgments^{H4941}: which^{H834} if a man^{H120} do^{H6213}, he shall live^{H2425} in them: I am the LORD^{H3068}.

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Commentary for Leviticus 18:5

Leviticus 18:5 is part of a larger section in the book of Leviticus that outlines various laws and statutes given by God to the Israelites through Moses. This particular verse serves as a summarizing statement, emphasizing the importance of adhering to God's commandments. The verse underscores a foundational theme in the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible): the connection between obedience to God's laws and life. The phrase "he shall live in them" suggests that following these divine statutes and judgments is not merely a matter of legalistic observance but a way of living that leads to life and well-being, both individually and as a community.

The historical context of Leviticus places this verse in the period after the Exodus, when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. During this time, God was establishing a covenant with the Israelites, setting them apart as His chosen people and instructing them on how to live holy lives distinct from the surrounding nations. Leviticus 18:5, therefore, is a call to holiness and a promise that life—understood as prosperity, health, and spiritual vitality—will be the outcome of faithfulness to God's commandments.

In its broader theological context, this verse also prefigures the New Testament concept of life in Christ. The apostle Paul, for instance, cites this principle when he discusses the relationship between faith, works of the law, and justification (Galatians 3:12; Romans 10:5). The idea that life comes through adherence to God's commandments is thus transformed in Christian theology to mean that spiritual life is found in faith in Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the law.

*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: 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.
   
3. Strong's Number: H4941
   There are 406 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מִשְׁפָּט
   Transliteration: mishpâṭ
   Pronunciation: mish-pawt'
   Description: from שָׁפַט; properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style; [phrase] adversary, ceremony, charge, [idiom] crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right, sentence, usest, [idiom] worthy, [phrase] wrong.
   
4. Strong's Number: H834
   There are 220 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֲשֶׁר
   Transliteration: ʼăsher
   Pronunciation: ash-er'
   Description: a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.; [idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever, when, where ([phrase] -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, [phrase] whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.
   
5. Strong's Number: H120
   There are 581 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָדָם
   Transliteration: ʼâdâm
   Pronunciation: aw-dawm'
   Description: from אָדַם; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.); [idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.
   
6. 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.
   
7. Strong's Number: H2425
   There are 23 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חָיַי
   Transliteration: châyay
   Pronunciation: khaw-yah'-ee
   Description: a primitive root (compare חָיָה); to live; causatively to revive; live, save life.
   
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.