KEEP AND FOLLOW ALL MY LAWS

Passage: Leviticus 19:19-37

Key verse: 37

NIV

19 “‘Keep my decrees.(A)

“‘Do not mate different kinds of animals.

“‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.(B)

“‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.(C)

20 “‘If a man sleeps with a female slave who is promised to another man(D) but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment.[a] Yet they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed. 21 The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the tent of meeting for a guilt offering to the Lord.(E) 22 With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the Lord for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven.(F)

23 “‘When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden.[b] For three years you are to consider it forbidden[c]; it must not be eaten. 24 In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy,(G) an offering of praise to the Lord. 25 But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the Lord your God.

26 “‘Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it.(H)

“‘Do not practice divination(I) or seek omens.(J)

27 “‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.(K)

28 “‘Do not cut(L) your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

29 “‘Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute,(M) or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.(N)

30 “‘Observe my Sabbaths(O) and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord.(P)

31 “‘Do not turn to mediums(Q) or seek out spiritists,(R) for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.

32 “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect(S) for the elderly(T) and revere your God.(U) I am the Lord.(V)

33 “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.(W) Love them as yourself,(X) for you were foreigners(Y) in Egypt.(Z) I am the Lord your God.

35 “‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.(AA) 36 Use honest scales(AB) and honest weights, an honest ephah[d](AC) and an honest hin.[e](AD) I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.(AE)

37 “‘Keep all my decrees(AF) and all my laws(AG) and follow them. I am the Lord.’”

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Footnotes
  1. Leviticus 19:20 Or be an inquiry
  2. Leviticus 19:23 Hebrew uncircumcised
  3. Leviticus 19:23 Hebrew uncircumcised
  4. Leviticus 19:36 An ephah was a dry measure having the capacity of about 3/5 of a bushel or about 22 liters.
  5. Leviticus 19:36 A hin was a liquid measure having the capacity of about 1 gallon or about 3.8 liters.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

You Shall Keep My Statutes

19 (A)“You shall keep my statutes. You shall not let your cattle breed with a different kind. (B)You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor shall you wear a garment of cloth made of two kinds of material.

20 “If a man lies sexually with a woman who is a slave, assigned to another man and not yet ransomed or given her freedom, a distinction shall be made. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free; 21 but (C)he shall bring his compensation to the Lord, to the entrance of the tent of meeting, a ram for a guilt offering. 22 And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering before the Lord for his sin that he has committed, and he shall be forgiven for the sin that he has committed.

23 “When you come into the land and plant any kind of tree for food, then you shall regard its fruit as forbidden.[a] Three years it shall be forbidden to you; it must not be eaten. 24 And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord. 25 But in the fifth year you may eat of its fruit, to increase its yield for you: I am the Lord your God.

26 (D)“You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. (E)You shall not interpret omens or (F)tell fortunes. 27 (G)You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard. 28 You shall not make any (H)cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord.

29 (I)“Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land fall into prostitution and the land become full of depravity. 30 (J)You shall keep my Sabbaths and (K)reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.

31 (L)“Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.

32 (M)“You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall (N)fear your God: I am the Lord.

33 (O)“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. 34 (P)You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and (Q)you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

35 (R)“You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity. 36 (S)You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin:[b] I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. 37 And (T)you shall observe all my statutes and all my rules, and do them: I am the Lord.”

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Footnotes
  1. Leviticus 19:23 Hebrew as its uncircumcision
  2. Leviticus 19:36 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters; a hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

In this passage, God commands, “Keep my decrees.” The laws that follow seem odd: Do not mix animals, seeds, or fabrics. From the perspective of God’s desire for his people to be holy (19:1). They should not mix holiness with sin, or truth with falsehood. Jesus’ people are called to love unbelievers, but not to unite with them in ways that compromise faith, especially in marriage. Holiness requires total faithfulness to God.

A betrothed female slave involved in sexual sin is not treated as a criminal; only the man brought a guilt offering. God reveals his justice and mercy toward the vulnerable. Regarding the fruit of new trees, Israel was to wait before they could eat the fruit. In the fourth year, they were to offer it first to God, and then they could eat the fruit from the fifth year. Holiness requires honoring God first.

God also forbids pagan practices, and commands his people to keep the Sabbath, show respect for the elderly, love foreigners, and to be honest. He was forming a kingdom of priests and a holy nation marked by justice, compassion, and truth. God wants his people to keep his laws and follow them. Through Christ Jesus we are forgiven and we now live as God’s holy people. As God’s people, we are to follow God’s words and be holy as he is holy.

Prayer: Lord, you forgave me and enabled me to live as your servant. Help me to follow your words.

One Word: Be holy by following God’s words