Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 22:5
A woman must not wear men’s clothing, and a man must not wear women’s clothing, for whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD your God.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Moses addresses the assembled Israelites on the plains of Moab, immediately before they cross the Jordan into the Promised Land. He delivers a series of civil and ritual laws to maintain communal order and distinct identity.
The words — The Hebrew כְּלִי (keli) denotes "garment" or "article of clothing," while יִלְבַּשׁ (yilbash) means "he will wear." The text pairs these verbs with לֹא (lo), establishing a strict prohibition against cross-gender apparel.
The thread — The phrase "detestable to the LORD" reappears in Deuteronomy 18:12 to describe idolatrous practices. The New Testament addresses related apparel norms in 1 Corinthians 11:4 regarding head coverings during worship.
Why it lands — The text commands strict separation of male and female clothing to prevent blurring created distinctions. It requires the reader to treat the prohibition as a non-negotiable boundary for communal holiness rather than a cultural preference.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.
Cross-references
- 1 Corinthians 11:4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.
- Deuteronomy 18:12 For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.