Read Leviticus chapter 19 online with LogosAI Bible study tools, highlights, and cross references.
Leviticus 19 is part of “The Holiness Code” (17–26) in the outline of Leviticus.
Leviticus 19 summary
Some ceremonial precepts there are in this chapter, but most of them are moral. One would wonder that when some of the lighter matters of the law are greatly enlarged upon (witness two long chapters concerning the leprosy) many of the weightier matters are put into a little compass: divers of the single verses of this chapter contain whole laws concerning judgment and mercy; for these are things which are manifest in every man's conscience; men's own thoughts are able to explain these, and to comment upon them. I. The laws of this chapter, which were peculiar to the Jews, are, 1. Concerning their peace-offerings (Lev 19:5-8). 2. Concerning the gleanings of their fields (Lev 19:9, Lev 19:10). 3. Against mixtures of their cattle, seed, and cloth (Lev 19:19). 4. Concerning their trees (Lev 19:23-25). 5. Against some superstitious usages (Lev 19:26-28). But, II. Most of these precepts are binding on us, for they are expositions of most of the ten commandments. 1. Here is the preface to the ten commandments, "I am the Lord," repeated fifteen times. 2. A sum of the ten commandments. All the first table in this, "Be you holy," (Lev 19:2). All the second table in this, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour" (Lev 19:18), and an answer to the question, "Who is my neighbour?" (Lev 19:33, Lev 19:34). 3. Something of each commandment. (1.) The first commandment implied in that which is often repeated here, "I am your God." And here is a prohibition of enchantment (Lev 19:26) and witchcraft (Lev 19:31), which make a god of the devil. (2.) Idolatry, against the second commandment, is forbidden, (Lev 19:4). (3.) Profanation of God's name, against the third (Lev 19:12). (4.) Sabbath-sanctification is pressed (Lev 19:3, Lev 19:30). (5.) Children are required to honour their parents (Lev 19:3), and the aged (Lev 19:32). (6.) Hatred and revenge are here forbidden, against the sixth commandment (Lev 19:17, Lev 19:18). (7.) Adultery (Lev 19:20-22), and whoredom (Lev 19:29). (8.) Justice is here required in judgment (Lev 19:15), theft forbidden (Lev 19:11), fraud and withholding dues (Lev 19:13), and false weights (Lev 19:35, Lev 19:36). (9.) Lying (Lev 19:11). Slandering (Lev 19:14). Tale-bearing, and false-witness bearing (Lev 19:16). (10.) The tenth commandment laying a restraint upon the heart, so does that (Lev 19:17), "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart." And here is a solemn charge to observe all these statutes (Lev 19:37). Now these are things which need not much help for the understanding of them, but require constant care and watchfulness for the observing of them. "A good understanding have all those that do these commandments."
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘You shall be holy; for I, the LORD your God, am holy.
3 “‘Each one of you shall respect his mother and his father. You shall keep my Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.
4 “‘Don’t turn to idols, nor make molten gods for yourselves. I am the LORD your God.
5 “‘When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted.
6 It shall be eaten the same day you offer it, and on the next day. If anything remains until the third day, it shall be burned with fire.
7 If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination. It will not be accepted;
8 but everyone who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned the holy thing of the LORD, and that soul shall be cut off from his people.
9 “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest.
10 You shall not glean your vineyard, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the foreigner. I am the LORD your God.
11 “‘You shall not steal. “‘You shall not lie. “‘You shall not deceive one another.
12 “‘You shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
13 “‘You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him. “‘The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.
14 “‘You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but you shall fear your God. I am the LORD.
15 “‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favoritism to the great; but you shall judge your neighbor in righteousness.
16 “‘You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people. “‘You shall not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am the LORD.
17 “‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
18 “‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
19 “‘You shall keep my statutes. “‘You shall not cross-breed different kinds of animals. “‘You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed; “‘Don’t wear a garment made of two kinds of material.
20 “‘If a man lies carnally with a woman who is a slave girl, pledged to be married to another man, and not ransomed or given her freedom; they shall be punished. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
21 He shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, even a ram for a trespass offering.
22 The priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he has committed; and the sin which he has committed shall be forgiven him.
23 “‘When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as forbidden. For three years it shall be forbidden to you. It shall not be eaten.
24 But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, for giving praise to the LORD.
25 In the fifth year you shall eat its fruit, that it may yield its increase to you. I am the LORD your God.
26 “‘You shall not eat any meat with the blood still in it. You shall not use enchantments, nor practice sorcery.
27 “‘You shall not cut the hair on the sides of your head or clip off the edge of your beard.
28 “‘You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you. I am the LORD.
29 “‘Don’t profane your daughter, to make her a prostitute; lest the land fall to prostitution, and the land become full of wickedness.
30 “‘You shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary; I am the LORD.
31 “‘Don’t turn to those who are mediums, nor to the wizards. Don’t seek them out, to be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
32 “‘You shall rise up before the gray head and honor the face of the elderly; and you shall fear your God. I am the LORD.
33 “‘If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.
34 The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
35 “‘You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length, of weight, or of quantity.
36 You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
37 “‘You shall observe all my statutes and all my ordinances, and do them. I am the LORD.’”