Leviticus 18:27

KJV

(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which [were] before you, and the land is defiled;)

KJV (with Strong's)

(For all these {H411} abominations {H8441} have the men {H582} of the land {H776} done {H6213}, which were before {H6440} you, and the land {H776} is defiled {H2930};)

Complete Jewish Bible

for the people of the land have committed all these abominations, and the land is now defiled.

Berean Standard Bible

For the men who were in the land before you committed all these abominations, and the land has become defiled.

American Standard Version

(for all these abominations have the men of the land done, that were before you, and the land is defiled);

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Leviticus 18:27 serves as a profound summary and a somber warning, concluding a chapter that meticulously details a comprehensive array of forbidden sexual practices and other morally repugnant acts. This verse articulates the divine rationale behind the impending dispossession of the land's current inhabitants, the Canaanites, underscoring that their pervasive engagement in "all these abominations" had so thoroughly defiled the land that it necessitated their expulsion due to the severe spiritual and moral corruption.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Leviticus 18 establishes a stark contrast between the holy standards God demands of Israel and the depraved practices of the surrounding nations, particularly the Canaanites. The chapter begins with a foundational command to "not do according to the doings of the land of Egypt... nor according to the doings of the land of Canaan" (/leviticus/18-3 "Leviticus 18:3 - Not as Egypt or Canaan"). It then enumerates a detailed list of prohibited sexual relationships (incest, adultery, bestiality) and other detestable acts, including child sacrifice. Verse 27 functions as a climactic summary, looking back at the entire preceding list with the phrase "all these abominations." It directly precedes and sets the stage for the powerful metaphorical warning in [Leviticus 18:28](/leviticus/18-28 "Leviticus 18:28 - The Land Vomits Out Its Inhabitants"), which vividly describes the land "vomiting out" those who defile it, thereby reinforcing the severity of the consequences for such widespread moral corruption.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** At the time of Leviticus's writing, the Israelites were on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, Canaan. This land was already inhabited by various peoples, including the Canaanites, who were notorious for the very "abominations" listed in chapter 18. Practices like ritual prostitution, child sacrifice to deities such as Molech, and various forms of sexual perversion were integral to their religious and social fabric. God's command to Israel, reinforced in [Deuteronomy 9:4-5](/deuteronomy/9-4 "Deuteronomy 9:4-5 - God Dispossesses Nations for Their Wickedness"), was not merely about territorial conquest but about establishing a holy nation distinct from the moral decay of its neighbors. The defilement of the land, therefore, was not just a spiritual concept but a tangible consequence of human sin, leading to divine judgment and the physical expulsion of its inhabitants. This served as a potent warning to Israel: their continued dwelling in the land was conditional upon their obedience to God's holy statutes, lest they suffer the same fate as the nations before them.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Abominations (Hebrew, _tôʿēḇāh'_):** This term signifies something utterly detestable, abhorrent, or morally repugnant in God's sight, often associated with practices that are an affront to His holy character and law. In Leviticus 18, it specifically refers to the illicit sexual acts and child sacrifice that were common among the Canaanites. The use of this strong word emphasizes the severity and inherent evil of these actions from a divine perspective, marking them as utterly unacceptable.
* **Defiled (Hebrew, _ṭāmē’'_):** This word denotes a state of ritual or moral uncleanness. When applied to the land, it conveys the idea that the cumulative effect of the inhabitants' sins has polluted or corrupted the very ground upon which they live. This defilement is not merely symbolic; it suggests a spiritual pollution that renders the land unfit to sustain its inhabitants, leading to a divine reaction of expulsion.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which [were] before you,..."**: This clause directly connects the impending judgment to the specific list of sins detailed throughout Leviticus 18. "All these abominations" serves as a comprehensive reference to the incestuous relationships, adultery, bestiality, and child sacrifice that characterized Canaanite society. The phrase "men of the land" explicitly identifies the Canaanites as the perpetrators, while "which [were] before you" highlights that their wicked practices were openly displayed and known to the Israelites. This establishes the clear moral justification for their displacement.
* **"...and the land is defiled;)"**: This concluding phrase reveals the profound consequence of the Canaanites' actions. It is not merely the people who are corrupted, but the very land itself becomes polluted by their persistent and egregious sins. This concept of land defilement underscores the interconnectedness between human moral behavior and the physical environment, portraying the land as a living entity that reacts to the moral state of its inhabitants, becoming "sick" or "unclean" due to their wickedness.

#### Literary Devices
Leviticus 18:27 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message. The most prominent is **Personification**, where the land is depicted as being "defiled" by human sin. This gives the land an almost sentient quality, implying that it is not a passive stage for human activity but an entity that reacts to and is affected by the moral state of its inhabitants. This personification is further amplified in the subsequent verse, [Leviticus 18:28](/leviticus/18-28 "Leviticus 18:28 - The Land Vomits Out Its Inhabitants"), where the land is said to "vomit out" its inhabitants, a vivid and visceral **Metaphor** for divine judgment and expulsion. The phrase "all these abominations" serves as a form of **Anaphora** or **Summary Reference**, powerfully recalling the entire preceding list of forbidden acts and emphasizing their cumulative effect. The use of the strong term "abominations" itself is a form of **Emotive Language**, designed to evoke a sense of revulsion and moral outrage, underscoring the gravity of the offenses in God's eyes.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Leviticus 18:27 profoundly illustrates the biblical principle that sin has far-reaching consequences, extending beyond the individual to corrupt entire communities and even the physical environment. This verse underscores God's absolute holiness and His demand for moral purity from His people, contrasting it sharply with the pervasive depravity of the Canaanite nations. The concept of the "defilement of the land" reveals a theological truth: the created order is not indifferent to human moral choices; rather, persistent and egregious sin pollutes the very fabric of existence, necessitating divine intervention and judgment. This serves as a potent warning to Israel, emphasizing that their continued dwelling in the Promised Land was contingent upon their obedience to God's covenant, lest they suffer the same fate as those they were dispossessing.

* [Deuteronomy 9:4-5](/deuteronomy/9-4 "Deuteronomy 9:4-5 - God Dispossesses Nations for Their Wickedness")
* [Jeremiah 2:7](/jeremiah/2-7 "Jeremiah 2:7 - Land Defiled by Idolatry")
* [Numbers 35:33-34](/numbers/35-33 "Numbers 35:33-34 - Blood Defiles the Land")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Leviticus 18:27 offers timeless insights into the profound impact of human behavior on both spiritual and physical realities. It serves as a stark reminder that individual and collective moral choices carry significant weight, capable of polluting not only our souls but also the communities and environments we inhabit. God's moral standards, though ancient, remain immutable, reflecting His holy character and His design for human flourishing. They are not arbitrary restrictions but foundational principles intended for our good and the well-being of society. In an age where moral relativism often prevails, this verse calls us to a sober reflection on the consequences of widespread societal sin and encourages us to uphold righteousness, pursue purity, and strive for a culture that honors God's design rather than succumbing to moral decay. We are challenged to learn from the historical consequences of disobedience, recognizing that true flourishing is found in aligning our lives, individually and corporately, with divine wisdom.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the concept of "land defilement" challenge our modern understanding of the impact of sin, extending beyond individual guilt to communal and environmental consequences?**
* **In what ways might contemporary societies be engaging in "abominations" that, though different in form, similarly defile our communities and provoke divine displeasure?**
* **What specific actions can we take, as individuals and as a community of faith, to promote holiness and purity in a world often characterized by moral compromise?**

### FAQ
**What are "these abominations" referred to in Leviticus 18:27?**

Answer: "These abominations" refer to the comprehensive list of illicit sexual relationships and other detestable practices explicitly forbidden by God in the preceding verses of [Leviticus 18](/leviticus/18 "Leviticus 18 - Forbidden Sexual Relationships and Abominations"). This includes various forms of incest (with parents, siblings, children, grandchildren), adultery, sexual relations during menstruation, bestiality, male homosexual acts, and the horrific practice of child sacrifice to the god Molech. These were practices common among the pagan nations, particularly the Canaanites, whom Israel was about to dispossess.

**Why is the "land defiled" by human sin, and what does that mean?**

Answer: The concept of the "land being defiled" (Hebrew: _ṭāmē’_) signifies that the cumulative weight of the inhabitants' egregious sins, particularly those listed as "abominations," creates a spiritual and moral pollution that renders the very ground unclean and unfit to sustain them. It implies a deep interconnectedness between human moral behavior and the created order. The land, created by a holy God, is portrayed as sensitive to the moral state of its inhabitants. When it is defiled by persistent wickedness, it can no longer tolerate the presence of the defilers and, in a powerful metaphor found in [Leviticus 18:28](/leviticus/18-28 "Leviticus 18:28 - The Land Vomits Out Its Inhabitants"), it "vomits out" its inhabitants, leading to their expulsion or judgment. This theological principle underscores God's sovereignty over creation and His absolute demand for holiness.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Leviticus 18:27, with its stark portrayal of a land defiled by sin and its inhabitants facing expulsion, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate problem of humanity's sin and the divine solution found in Christ. The Old Testament law, including these prohibitions, meticulously detailed the defilement that sin brings, demonstrating humanity's utter inability to cleanse itself or its environment. The repeated defilement of the land, even by Israel later on, underscored the need for a perfect, once-for-all cleansing. Jesus Christ, the spotless [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), entered a world defiled by sin not to condemn it, but to bear its defilement upon Himself. His sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate atonement, cleansing not just individuals but addressing the very root of sin's defiling power (cf. [Hebrews 9:13-14](/hebrews/9-13 "Hebrews 9:13-14 - Christ's Blood Cleanses Conscience")). Through His shed blood, He offers a spiritual cleansing far beyond ritual purity, establishing a new covenant where believers are made new creations and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, enabling them to live lives of true holiness that fulfill the spirit of the law (cf. [Romans 8:3-4](/romans/8-3 "Romans 8:3-4 - The Law Fulfilled in Christ")). He is the one who truly purifies the "land" of our hearts, making us fit to dwell in the presence of a holy God, not by our own merit, but by His perfect work (cf. [Colossians 1:21-22](/colossians/1-21 "Colossians 1:21-22 - Reconciled in Christ")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 25:16

For all that do such things, [and] all that do unrighteously, [are] an abomination unto the LORD thy God.

Deuteronomy 20:18

That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.

Ezekiel 22:11

And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour's wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father's daughter.

Deuteronomy 23:18

Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these [are] abomination unto the LORD thy God.

Deuteronomy 27:15

Cursed [be] the man that maketh [any] graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth [it] in [a] secret [place]. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.

Leviticus 18:24

Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:

Ezekiel 16:50

And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw [good].