TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Leviticus 18:19–30. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here is, I. A law to preserve the honour of the marriage-bed, that it should not be unseasonably used (Lev 18:19), nor invaded by an adulterer, Lev 18:20.
II.A law against that which was the most unnatural idolatry, causing their children to pass through the fire to Moloch, Lev 18:21.
Moloch (as some think) was the idol in and by which they worshipped the sun, that great fire of the world; and therefore in the worship of it they made their own children either sacrifices to this idol, burning them to death before it, or devotees to it, causing them to pass between two fires, as some think, or to be thrown through one, to the honour of this pretended deity, imagining that the consecrating of but one of their children in this manner to Moloch would procure good fortune for all the rest of their children. Did idolaters thus give their own children to false gods, and shall we think any thing too dear to be dedicated to, or to be parted with for, the true God? See how this sin of Israel (which they were afterwards guilty of, notwithstanding this law) is aggravated by the relation which they and their children stood in to God. Eze 16:20, Thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these thou hast sacrificed. Therefore it is here called profaning the name of their God; for it looked as if they thought they were under greater obligations to Moloch than to Jehovah; for to him they offered their cattle only, but to Moloch their children.
III.A law against unnatural lusts, sodomy and bestiality, sins not to be named nor thought of without the utmost abhorrence imaginable, Lev 18:22, Lev 18:23. Other sins level men with the beasts, but these sink them much lower. That ever there should have been occasion for the making of these laws, and that since they are published they should ever have been broken, is the perpetual reproach and scandal of human nature; and the giving of men up to these vile affections was frequently the punishment of their idolatries; so the apostle shows, Rom 1:24.
IV.Arguments against these and the like abominable wickednesses.
He that has an indisputable right to command us, yet because he will deal with us as men, and draw with the cords of a man, condescends to reason with us.
1.Sinners defile themselves with these abominations: Defile not yourselves in any of these things, Lev 18:24. All sin is defiling to the conscience, but these are sins that have a peculiar turpitude in them. Our heavenly Father, in kindness to us, requires of us that we keep ourselves clean, and do not wallow in the dirt.
2.The souls that commit them shall be cut off, Lev 18:29. And justly; for, if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, Co1 3:17. Fleshly lusts war against the soul, and will certainly be the ruin of it if God's mercy and grace prevent not.
3.The land is defiled, Lev 18:25. If such wickednesses as these be practised and connived at, the land is thereby made unfit to have God's tabernacle in it, and the pure and holy God will withdraw the tokens of his gracious presence from it. It is also rendered unwholesome to the inhabitants, who are hereby infected with sin and exposed to plagues and it is really nauseous and loathsome to all good men in it, as the wickedness of Sodom was to the soul of righteous Lot.
4.These have been the abominations of the former inhabitants, v, 24, 27. Therefore it was necessary that these laws should be made, as antidotes and preservatives from the plague are necessary when we go into an infected place. And therefore they should not practise any such things, because the nations that had practised them now lay under the curse of God, and were shortly to fall by the sword of Israel. They could not but be sensible how odious those people had made themselves who wallowed in this mire, and how they stank in the nostrils of all good men; and shall a people sanctified and dignified as Israel was make themselves thus vile? When we observe how ill sin looks in others we should use this as an argument with ourselves with the utmost care and caution to preserve our purity. 5. For these and the like sins the Canaanites were to be destroyed; these filled the measure of the Amorites' iniquity (Gen 15:16), and brought down that destruction of so many populous kingdoms which the Israelites were now shortly to be not only the spectators, but the instruments of: Therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, Lev 18:25. Note, The tremendous judgments of God, executed on those that are daringly profane and atheistical, are intended as warnings to those who profess religion to take heed of every thing that has the least appearance of, or tendency towards, profaneness or atheism. Even the ruin of the Canaanites is an admonition to the Israelites not to do like them. Nay, to show that not only the Creator is provoked, but the creation burdened, by such abominations as these, it is added (Lev 18:25), The land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. The very ground they went upon did, as it were, groan under them, and was sick of them, and not easy till it had discharged itself of these enemies of the Lord, Isa 1:24. This bespeaks the extreme loathsomeness of sin; sinful man indeed drinks in iniquity like water, but the harmless part of the creation even heaves at it, and rises against it. Many a house and many a town have spued out the wicked inhabitants, as it were, with abhorrence, Rev 3:16. Therefore take heed, saith God, that the land spue not you out also, Lev 18:28. It was secured to them, and entailed upon them, and yet they must expect that, if they made the vices of the Canaanites their own, with their land their fate would be the same. Note, Wicked Israelites are as abominable to God as wicked Canaanites, and more so, and will be as soon spued out, or sooner. Such a warning as was here given to the Israelites is given by the apostle to the Gentile converts, with reference to the rejected Jews, in whose room they were substituted (Rom 11:19, etc.); they must take heed of falling after the same example of unbelief, Heb 4:11. Apply it more generally; and let it deter us effectually from all sinful courses to consider how many they have been the ruin of. Lay the ear of faith to the gates of the bottomless pit, and hear the doleful shrieks and outcries of damned sinners, whom earth has spued out and hell has swallowed, that find themselves undone, for ever undone, by sin; and tremble lest this be your portion at last. God's threatenings and judgments should frighten us from sin.
V.The chapter concludes with a sovereign antidote against this infection:
Therefore you shall keep my ordinance that you commit not any one of these abominable customs, Lev 18:30. This is the remedy prescribed. Note,
1.Sinful customs are abominable customs, and their being common and fashionable does not make them at all the less abominable nor should we the less abominate them, but the more; because the more customary they are the more dangerous they are.
2.It is of pernicious consequence to admit and allow of any one sinful custom, because one will make way for many, Uno absurdo dato, mille sequuntur - Admit but a single absurdity, you invite a thousand. The way of sin is downhill.
3.A close and constant adherence to God's ordinances is the most effectual preservative from the infection of gross sin. The more we taste of the sweetness and feel of the power of holy ordinances the less inclination we shall have to the forbidden pleasures of sinners' abominable customs. It is the grace of God only that will secure us, and that grace is to be expected only in the use of the means of grace. Nor does God ever leave any to their own hearts' lusts till they have first left him and his institutions.
Continue studying Leviticus 18:25 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
Summary
Leviticus 18:25 stands as a profound declaration of divine judgment, articulating the severe consequences that befall both the land and its inhabitants when God's holy standards are flagrantly violated through pervasive sexual immorality and idolatrous practices. The verse employs vivid imagery, portraying the land itself as becoming so morally polluted by the abominations of its residents that it actively expels them, thereby underscoring the intrinsic and inseparable link between human sin, the sanctity of creation, and God's righteous visitation of iniquity. It serves as a powerful and enduring warning that persistent unholiness inevitably leads to expulsion and divine reckoning.
Context
Literary Context
Leviticus 18 is a pivotal and solemn chapter within the broader legal framework of the book of Leviticus, strategically positioned between the detailed regulations concerning offerings and clean/unclean distinctions (found in Leviticus 11-17) and the comprehensive Holiness Code (delineated in Leviticus 19-26). The chapter commences with a foundational divine command in Leviticus 18:1-5, instructing Israel to live strictly by God's statutes and judgments, thereby distinguishing themselves sharply from the abhorrent practices prevalent in Egypt and Canaan. The core of the chapter, spanning Leviticus 18:6-23, meticulously enumerates and explicitly forbids a wide array of sexual sins, including various forms of incest, adultery, bestiality, and the horrific practice of child sacrifice, specifically to Molech, branding them all as "abominations." Verse 24 then serves as a crucial summary, explicitly stating that it is through these very acts that the Canaanite nations have profoundly defiled themselves, setting the immediate stage for the climactic declaration of verse 25. Thus, Leviticus 18:25 functions as the ultimate warning and the direct explanation for why the land "vomits out" its inhabitants, forging an undeniable link between moral impurity and territorial expulsion.
Historical & Cultural Context
At the historical juncture of this divine pronouncement, the Israelite nation stood poised on the threshold of entering the promised land of Canaan. This territory was already populated by diverse peoples, including the Canaanites, Amorites, and Hittites, whose religious and social customs were fundamentally antithetical to the holy covenant demands of Yahweh. Both archaeological discoveries and corroborating biblical accounts, such as the stern warnings found in Deuteronomy 12:29-31, vividly confirm the widespread prevalence of detestable practices within Canaanite society. These included ritual prostitution, deeply incestuous relationships, and the unspeakable horror of child sacrifice to deities like Molech. God's declaration in Leviticus 18:25 served a dual purpose: it provided a righteous justification for the impending judgment upon the Canaanites and simultaneously functioned as a severe and unequivocal warning to Israel. The land, divinely promised as an inheritance, was not merely a physical space but was understood as a sacred trust, a tangible reflection of God's own holiness. Its "vomiting out" of the Canaanites was therefore a profound act of divine purification, and the explicit warning reiterated in Leviticus 18:28 made it unequivocally clear that Israel, too, would face the identical fate of expulsion if they dared to adopt these defiling practices. This critical historical and cultural context profoundly underscores God's absolute intolerance for sin and His unwavering demand for holiness from His covenant people.
Key Themes
Leviticus 18:25 powerfully contributes to several overarching theological and narrative themes central to the book of Leviticus and the Pentateuch. Firstly, it underscores the Absolute Holiness of God and His demand for a holy people and a holy land. The defilement of the land by human sin is an affront to God's character, necessitating His righteous intervention. Secondly, the verse highlights the Pervasive Nature and Consequences of Sin, demonstrating that sin is not merely a private transgression but has cosmic implications, polluting not only individuals but also the very environment they inhabit. The land's reaction serves as a stark metaphor for the intolerable burden of unrighteousness. Thirdly, it emphasizes the concept of Corporate Responsibility and Judgment, illustrating that the collective actions of a society can lead to collective consequences, including divine judgment and expulsion. The fate of the Canaanites serves as a prophetic warning to Israel, reinforcing the principle that covenant blessings are contingent upon obedience and holiness, as further articulated throughout the book of Deuteronomy.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb signifies a state of profound impurity, whether ritual, moral, or spiritual. It denotes something rendered unfit for sacred use, for divine presence, or for participation in the covenant community. In Leviticus, ṭâmêʼ frequently refers to ceremonial uncleanness (e.g., touching a corpse or unclean animals), but in the context of Leviticus 18, particularly concerning sexual abominations and child sacrifice, it carries an exceptionally weighty moral and spiritual significance. The land itself is portrayed as absorbing and being polluted by the profound wickedness committed upon it, making it an unfit dwelling for a holy God and His people.
The verb pâqaḏ is remarkably multifaceted, encompassing meanings such as "to visit," "to attend to," "to appoint," or "to muster." In this specific context of divine judgment, it carries a strong judicial connotation, implying active and intentional divine intervention and reckoning. It is not a passive observation but a deliberate act of God to hold accountable and bring judgment upon the iniquity. This "visitation" is a direct and righteous consequence of the defilement, demonstrating God's active involvement in maintaining moral order and executing justice upon those who persistently violate His laws.
This is an exceptionally graphic and visceral verb, depicting a violent and forceful expulsion. Just as a human body instinctively expels something repugnant, poisonous, or indigestible, the land is powerfully personified as being so utterly repulsed and disgusted by the inhabitants' pervasive wickedness that it cannot contain them any longer. It conveys an overwhelming sense of revulsion and rejection, powerfully illustrating the extreme severity of the sin and the absolute inevitability of the divine judgment. The imagery emphasizes the land's spiritual sensitivity to human behavior and its role as an instrument of God's righteous justice.
Verse Breakdown
"And the land is defiled:"
This opening clause establishes the core problem and the foundational premise for the subsequent divine action: the land itself, which was intended as a holy dwelling place for God's covenant people, has become profoundly polluted. This defilement is not physical but is deeply moral and spiritual, resulting directly from the abominable practices of its inhabitants, particularly the grievous sexual sins and child sacrifices meticulously enumerated in the preceding verses of Leviticus 18. It highlights the profound and far-reaching impact of human sin, which extends beyond individuals to corrupt the very created order, even the ground upon which they live.
"therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it,"
This crucial clause reveals the divine response to the land's defilement, explicitly linking cause and effect. The emphatic "therefore" signifies a direct causal connection: precisely because the land has been defiled, God actively intervenes. The phrase "I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it" signifies God's righteous and active judgment. He is not merely observing the wickedness but is personally and intentionally bringing the accumulated consequences of the land's sin (the "iniquity thereof") to bear upon it and, by direct extension, upon its inhabitants. This underscores God's unwavering justice and His steadfast commitment to upholding His holy standards and moral order.
"and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants."
This climactic and highly evocative phrase employs powerful personification to describe the ultimate and inevitable consequence of persistent defilement. The land, depicted as a living, sentient entity, reacts with such profound revulsion to the pervasive wickedness that it violently expels those who have defiled it. This "vomiting out" refers to the forced displacement, expulsion, and judgment of the Canaanites, and it serves as a dire and prophetic warning to Israel that they, too, would face the identical fate if they were to engage in similar abominations. It vividly illustrates the profound spiritual principle that persistent and unrepentant sin renders a people utterly unfit to dwell in God's holy presence or to remain in the land He has consecrated for them.
Literary Devices
Leviticus 18:25 employs several potent literary devices to convey its solemn message with striking force and unforgettable imagery. The most prominent is Personification, where the land is endowed with human-like qualities: it "is defiled" and, most vividly, it "vomiteth out her inhabitants." This device transforms the land from a passive geographical space into an active, almost sentient participant in the divine drama, reacting with visceral revulsion to human sin. This also functions as a powerful Metaphor, portraying the land as a living organism that cannot tolerate the spiritual poison of wickedness, much like a human body expels harmful toxins. The phrase "vomiteth out" is also a form of Hyperbole, an intentional exaggeration used to emphasize the extreme disgust and the violent, irreversible nature of the expulsion, making the judgment seem all the more severe and inevitable. Furthermore, the divine declaration "I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it" is an instance of Divine Anthropomorphism, attributing to God an action (visiting/reckoning) that underscores His personal, active, and judicial involvement in upholding justice and responding directly to human moral choices. Together, these devices create a memorable, terrifying, and deeply impactful image of divine judgment against profound moral corruption.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Leviticus 18:25 profoundly illustrates several core theological principles: the absolute and uncompromising holiness of God, the pervasive nature and devastating consequences of sin, the concept of corporate responsibility before God, and the sanctity of the land as a direct reflection of God's character and His covenant relationship with His people. God's demand for purity extends not only to the moral and ritual conduct of His people but also to the very ground they inhabit, signifying that sin has cosmic implications, defiling creation itself and disrupting the divinely ordained order. The verse powerfully reveals God's active and personal role in judging wickedness, demonstrating unequivocally that His patience has limits and that unrepentant, widespread sin inevitably leads to severe reckoning and expulsion from His blessed presence and the land of His promise. This divine justice is not arbitrary or capricious but is a righteous and necessary response to profound moral corruption that pollutes the sacred covenant relationship and desecrates the consecrated space.
Reflection and Application
Leviticus 18:25 serves as a timeless and profoundly sobering reminder of the grave seriousness of sin and its far-reaching, often unseen, consequences. It compels us to recognize that our actions, particularly those that flagrantly violate God's immutable moral law, do not exist in a vacuum; rather, they generate ripple effects that can defile not only our individual lives and consciences but also our families, our communities, our societies, and even, in a spiritual and metaphorical sense, the very "land" or environment in which we operate. This verse powerfully challenges the prevalent modern tendency to compartmentalize sin as a purely private matter, revealing instead that widespread moral decay and unrighteousness can indeed invite corporate judgment and societal unraveling. For believers today, Leviticus 18:25 profoundly reinforces the urgent and unwavering call to personal and corporate holiness, urging us to live lives that consistently honor God and to actively resist the defiling influences and abominable practices of the surrounding world. It reminds us that God is an absolutely holy God who demands purity from His people and that persistent unrighteousness, whether manifested individually or societally, will ultimately face His righteous visitation and inevitable consequences.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean for "the land" to be defiled?
In the biblical worldview, particularly within the Old Testament, the land was not merely inert soil but was intrinsically linked to God's covenant, His presence, and His holiness. For the land to be "defiled" (Hebrew ṭâmêʼ) meant it was ritually, morally, and spiritually polluted by the sinful practices of its inhabitants. This defilement was primarily caused by grave moral abominations such as idolatry, widespread sexual perversions, and bloodshed, as meticulously detailed in Leviticus 18:24. It signified that the land had become utterly unfit for the presence of a holy God and for a people living in covenant relationship with Him. This concept profoundly highlights the pervasive nature of sin, demonstrating its capacity to affect not just individuals but the very environment and sacred space in which they dwell.
Is the "vomiting out" of inhabitants a literal act by the land?
The "vomiting out" is a powerful and graphic personification and metaphor rather than a literal, physical act by the land itself. It vividly portrays the land as being so utterly repulsed and disgusted by the inhabitants' pervasive wickedness that it cannot tolerate them any longer and violently expels them. This expulsion refers to the forced displacement and divine judgment, such as the Canaanites being driven out before Israel, and the later exile of Israel itself when they succumbed to similar sins (e.g., 2 Kings 17:23). The intense imagery emphasizes the extreme severity of the sin and the absolute inevitability of divine judgment, as if the very earth itself, being a part of God's holy creation, cannot bear the weight of such abominations.
Does this principle of the land being defiled and "vomiting out" apply to nations today?
While the specific covenant context of ancient Israel and Canaan is unique and historically situated, the underlying principle of divine justice and the profound consequences of widespread societal sin remains universally applicable. The Bible consistently teaches that God holds all nations accountable for their moral conduct and their treatment of His laws (e.g., Romans 1:18-32). While we may not witness a literal "vomiting out" in the same dramatic fashion as described in the Old Testament, societies that persistently reject God's moral laws, embrace widespread wickedness, oppress the vulnerable, and abandon righteousness often experience internal decay, profound instability, and ultimately, decline or judgment in various forms. This verse serves as a timeless and solemn warning that a holy God will not indefinitely tolerate unrepentant sin, whether manifested in individuals or in entire nations.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Leviticus 18:25, with its stark warning of a land defiled by sin and "vomiting out" its inhabitants, finds its ultimate resolution and profound transformation in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The Old Covenant system, with its intricate emphasis on ritual purity, a consecrated priesthood, and a holy land, continually highlighted humanity's inherent inability to maintain the required standard of holiness, inevitably leading to defilement and separation from God's holy presence. Christ, however, is the very Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, not merely covering sin but cleansing it completely and definitively. He bore the full, defiling weight of humanity's iniquity on the cross, becoming sin for us so that in Him we might truly become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Through His perfect, once-for-all sacrifice, He purifies not just a physical land, but the very hearts and consciences of believers from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14). The "land" of our lives, once thoroughly defiled by sin and destined for expulsion from God's presence, is now, by grace through faith in Christ, reconciled, made holy, and presented blameless before Him (Colossians 1:21-22). In the glorious New Covenant, the Holy Spirit of God indwells believers, making them living temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), thereby transforming them into a holy people who are called to walk in purity, actively reflecting the very holiness of God in a world still grappling with pervasive defilement (1 Peter 1:15-16).