Leviticus 18:4

You are to practice My judgments and keep My statutes by walking in them. I am the LORD your God.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — God addresses Israel through Moses, commanding them to abandon the customs of Egypt and Canaan and to adopt His decrees as their governing standard.

The words — The Hebrew תַּעֲשׂ֛וּ (ta.'a.Su) translates literally as "you will do" regarding מִשְׁפָּטַ֧/י (mish.pa.Ta/i), meaning "my judgments." The verb תִּשְׁמְר֖וּ (tish.me.Ru) means "you will keep" regarding חֻקֹּתַ֥/י (chu.ko.Ta/i), meaning "my statutes."

The thread — This directive appears in Leviticus 18:2 where God establishes His authority before issuing laws, and in Ezekiel 20:19 where He repeats the command to walk in His statutes and keep His ordinances.

Why it lands — The text requires active compliance with divine decrees rather than cultural assimilation, tying Israel's continued existence to direct submission to Yahweh's authority.

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

אֶת־'et-<obj.>מִשְׁפָּטַ֧יmish.pa.Ta/ijudgments/ my תַּעֲשׂ֛וּta.'a.Suyou will do וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>חֻקֹּתַ֥יchu.ko.Ta/istatutes/ my תִּשְׁמְר֖וּtish.me.Ruyou will keep לָלֶ֣כֶתla./Le.khetby/ walkingבָּהֶ֑םba./Hemin <the>/ themאֲנִ֖י'a.NiI יְהוָ֥הYah.weh[am] Yahweh אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃'e.lo.hei./KhemGod/ your

King James Version

Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the Lord your God.

Cross-references

Leviticus 18:2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: I am the LORD your God.
Ezekiel 20:19 I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them.
Leviticus 18:26 But you are to keep My statutes and ordinances, and you must not commit any of these abominations—neither your native-born nor the foreigner who lives among you.
Leviticus 19:37 You must keep all My statutes and all My ordinances and follow them. I am the LORD.”
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.
Deuteronomy 6:1 These are the commandments and statutes and ordinances that the LORD your God has instructed me to teach you to follow in the land that you are about to enter and possess,
Psalms 119:4 You have ordained Your precepts, that we should keep them diligently.
Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.
John 15:14 You are My friends if you do what I command you.
Deuteronomy 4:1 Hear now, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live and may enter and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.