Leviticus 11:45

For I am the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt so that I would be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Yahweh addresses Israel at the conclusion of the dietary and creature regulations in Leviticus 11. The speaker grounds the preceding commands in the historical act of deliverance from Egypt.

The words — יְהוָ֗ה (Yahweh) and הַֽ/מַּעֲלֶ֤ה (who brought up) anchor the declaration. לִ/הְיֹ֥ת (to become) links God's self-revelation to the people's required state.

The thread — The deliverance formula appears in Exodus 20:2 and Exodus 6:7. Leviticus 11:44 echoes the holiness command but omits the Egypt reference.

Why it lands — The text commands separation from defiling creatures because Yahweh acts as deliverer and demands corresponding holiness. The reader must align conduct with the character of the God who initiated the covenant relationship.

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

כִּ֣י׀kifor אֲנִ֣י'a.NiI יְהוָ֗הYah.weh[am] Yahweh הַֽמַּעֲלֶ֤הha./ma.'a.Lehwho/ brought up אֶתְכֶם֙'et./Khem<obj.>/ you מֵאֶ֣רֶץme./'E.retzfrom/ [the] land of מִצְרַ֔יִםmitz.Ra.yimEgypt לִהְיֹ֥תli/h.Yotto/ becomeלָכֶ֖םla./Khemfor <the>/ youלֵאלֹהִ֑יםle./lo.Him<into>/ God וִהְיִיתֶ֣םvi/h.yi.Temand/ you will be קְדֹשִׁ֔יםke.do.Shimholy כִּ֥יkifor קָד֖וֹשׁka.Do.osh[am] holy אָֽנִי׃'A.niI

King James Version

For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

Cross-references

Leviticus 11:44 For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any creature that crawls along the ground.
Exodus 20:2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
Exodus 6:7 I will take you as My own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.
1 Peter 1:16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Psalms 105:43 He brought forth His people with rejoicing, His chosen with shouts of joy.
1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.
Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.
Leviticus 25:38 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.