Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
- Lev 18:30Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.
- Lev 20:22–23Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.
- Deut 12:31Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
- Matt 15:18–20But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
- Lev 18:3After 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.
- Jer 44:4Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.
- 1 Cor 3:17If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
- Lev 18:6–23None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.
- Mark 7:10–23For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
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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.