Bible Strands
Leviticus 18:24
Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for by all these things the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God addresses Israel through Moses in the wilderness. He issues this command immediately after listing forbidden sexual acts and before warning that the land itself will vomit out its inhabitants.
The words — The Hebrew verbs תִּטַּמְּא֖וּ (ti.ta.me.'u) and נִטְמְא֣וּ (nit.me.'u) both mean "you defile yourselves" and "they have made themselves unclean." These terms describe the ritual and moral contamination resulting from the cited practices.
The thread — The pattern of defilement and divine expulsion appears in Deuteronomy 18:12, Leviticus 18:30, and Leviticus 20:22.
Why it lands — The text states that the preceding nations defiled themselves through these practices and were driven out. It therefore commands Israel to avoid identical contamination to prevent the same expulsion.
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
Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:
Cross-references
- 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.
- Leviticus 18:30 You must keep My charge not to practice any of the abominable customs that were practiced before you, so that you do not defile yourselves by them. I am the LORD your God.”
- Leviticus 20:22 You are therefore to keep all My statutes and ordinances, so that the land where I am bringing you to live will not vomit you out.
- Leviticus 18:3 You must not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not follow the practices of the land of Canaan, into which I am bringing you. You must not walk in their customs.
- Deuteronomy 12:31 You must not worship the LORD your God in this way, because they practice for their gods every abomination which the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.
- Jeremiah 44:4 Yet I sent you all My servants the prophets again and again, saying: ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate.’
- Matthew 15:18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man.
- 1 Corinthians 3:17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
- Leviticus 18:6 None of you are to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD.
- Mark 7:10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’