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.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — God speaks to the Israelites at the threshold of the Promised Land, issuing the command immediately after declaring His identity as their God.

The words — The Hebrew כְּ/מַעֲשֵׂ֧ה (ke./ma.'a.Seh) literally means “according to the deeds of,” paired with the verb תַעֲשׂ֑וּ (ta.'a.Su), “you will do,” forming the direct prohibition against imitating foreign conduct.

The thread — The prohibition against adopting foreign conduct appears in Exodus 23:24, Leviticus 20:23, and Ezekiel 20:7, where each passage links the rejection of foreign practices to covenant fidelity, though Ezekiel 20:7 specifically commands discarding idols rather than citing national statutes.

Why it lands — The text requires the audience to abandon the established customs of Egypt and Canaan, replacing them with divine statutes as the sole standard for communal life.

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

After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.

Cross-references

Exodus 23:24 You must not bow down to their gods or serve them or follow their practices. Instead, you are to demolish them and smash their sacred stones to pieces.
Leviticus 20:23 You must not follow the statutes of the nations I am driving out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them.
Ezekiel 20:7 And I said to them: ‘Each of you must throw away the abominations before his eyes, and you must not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’
Ezekiel 23:8 She did not give up the prostitution she began in Egypt, when men slept with her in her youth, caressed her virgin bosom, and poured out their lust upon her.
1 Peter 4:2 Consequently, he does not live out his remaining time on earth for human passions, but for the will of God.
Deuteronomy 12:30 be careful not to be ensnared by their ways after they have been destroyed before you. Do not inquire about their gods, asking, “How do these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.”
Deuteronomy 12:4 You shall not worship the LORD your God in this way.
Psalms 106:35 but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs.
Jeremiah 10:2 This is what the LORD says: “Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by the signs in the heavens, though the nations themselves are terrified by them.
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.