Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.
Parallel translations
- WEB “‘You shall rise up before the gray head, and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God. I am Yahweh.
- BSB You are to rise in the presence of the elderly, honor the aged, and fear your God. I am the LORD.
- ESV “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.
- NKJV ‘You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord.
- NASB ‘You shall stand up in the presence of the grayheaded and honor elders, and you shall fear your God; I am the Lord.
- NLT “Stand up in the presence of the elderly, and show respect for the aged. 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 is to honor the elderly, standing in their presence as an act that reflects the fear of God. Reverence for age expresses reverence for the Lord.
Overview
Rising before the gray-headed and honoring the aged was a visible mark of a society ordered under God. The command links respect for elders directly to fearing God, showing that how we treat people reveals our reverence for their Maker. This wisdom-rooted ethic dignifies every stage of life and reflects the honor due to those who bear God's image.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 1 Tim 5:1Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
- Prov 16:31The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.
- Lam 5:12Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honoured.
- Prov 20:29The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head.
- Job 32:6And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.
- Lev 19:14Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.
- Job 32:4Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he.
- Rom 13:7Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
- 1 Pet 2:17Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
- Isa 3:5And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.
- 1 Kgs 2:19Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.
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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 19:32 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.