Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.
Parallel translations
- WEB “‘You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but you shall fear your God. I am Yahweh.
- BSB You must not curse the deaf or place a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God. I am the LORD.
- ESV You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.
- NKJV You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the Lord.
- NASB You shall not curse a person who is deaf, nor put a stumbling block before a person who is blind, but you shall revere your God; I am the Lord.
- NLT “Do not insult the deaf or cause the blind to stumble. You must fear your God; I am the Lord.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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 curse the deaf or trip the blind, but fear God.
Overview
This law protects those who cannot defend themselves from hidden cruelty. Because the deaf cannot hear a curse and the blind cannot see a snare, only the fear of God restrains such mistreatment. It reveals that true holiness extends even to how we treat the most vulnerable when no one is watching.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Deut 27:18Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen.
- Lev 19:32Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.
- Rom 14:13Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
- 1 Pet 2:17Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
- Lev 25:17Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God:for I am the LORD your God.
- Neh 5:15But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
- Rev 2:14But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
- 1 Cor 8:8–13But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
- Gen 42:18And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:
- Rom 12:14Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
- 1 Cor 10:32Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
- 1 Pet 1:17And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 19:14 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.