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.
Parallel translations
- WEB “‘Don’t defile yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations which I am casting out before you were defiled.
- KJV Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:
- NKJV ‘Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you.
- NASB ‘Do not defile yourselves by any of these things; for by all these things the nations which I am driving out from you have become defiled.
- NLT “Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, for the people I am driving out before you have defiled themselves in all these ways.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Israel must not defile themselves with these sins, which defiled the nations God is driving out.
Overview
God explains that the Canaanites' very land was being judged for such practices. This shows that the moral standards of Leviticus 18 are not arbitrary cultural rules but reflect God's holiness binding on all peoples. It warns Israel that the same defilement would bring the same judgment, calling them to a holy distinctness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Deut 18:12For 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.
- Lev 18:30You 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.”
- Lev 20:22–23You 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.
- Deut 12:31You 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.
- Matt 15:18–20But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man.
- Lev 18:3You 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.
- Jer 44:4Yet I sent you all My servants the prophets again and again, saying: ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate.’
- 1 Cor 3:17If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
- Lev 18:6–23None of you are to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD.
- Mark 7:10–23For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Every sacrifice, every priest, and every day of atonement points beyond itself to the one perfect offering and the great High Priest who, by his own blood, makes the unclean holy once for all.
How Leviticus 18:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.