Leviticus 18 27

Leviticus 18:27 kjv

(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)

Leviticus 18:27 nkjv

(for all these abominations the men of the land have done, who were before you, and thus the land is defiled),

Leviticus 18:27 niv

for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled.

Leviticus 18:27 esv

(for the people of the land, who were before you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean),

Leviticus 18:27 nlt

"All these detestable activities are practiced by the people of the land where I am taking you, and this is how the land has become defiled.

Leviticus 18 verses

Leviticus 18 27 Meaning

Leviticus 18:27 states the reason for God's stern prohibitions against the various forms of sexual immorality and detestable practices previously listed in the chapter. It reveals that the indigenous people of the land, the Canaanites, committed "all these abominations" before the Israelites, and as a result, the very land they inhabited became defiled. This defilement directly led to God's decision to expel these nations, serving as a solemn warning to Israel that the same fate awaited them if they engaged in similar wicked behaviors. The verse underscores that such actions are not merely social missteps but profoundly defile the land and offend a holy God.

Leviticus 18 27 Context

Leviticus chapter 18 outlines a strict code of conduct concerning sexual morality and worship, presented immediately after the instructions for priestly ordination and sacrifices. These laws are foundational to God's covenant with Israel, aiming to establish them as a holy nation distinct from the surrounding pagan cultures. The preceding verses (6-23) detail a comprehensive list of prohibited sexual relationships, including various forms of incest, bestiality, child sacrifice to Molech, and homosexual acts, each deemed "abomination." Verse 27 serves as the explicit explanation and rationale behind these prohibitions, particularly connecting them to the impending dispossession of the Canaanite nations. Historically, Israel was about to enter the Promised Land, which was currently inhabited by peoples notorious for the very practices that God was forbidding. This verse grounds God's commands in His holy character and sovereign judgment over nations that defy His moral order.

Leviticus 18 27 Word analysis

• For (כִּי - kî): A causal conjunction. It introduces the reason or explanation, linking the preceding commands and warnings to the actions of the Canaanites. It emphasizes that Israel's obedience is not arbitrary but rooted in observed consequences of sin.
• all (כָּל - kol): Indicates totality and comprehensiveness. It means "every one" or "the entirety of," stressing that not just some, but every listed detestable act led to the stated outcome.
• these (הָאֵלֶּה - hā’ēlleh): A demonstrative pronoun, referring specifically back to the series of sexual perversions and child sacrifice detailed in Leviticus 18:6-23.
• abominations (תּוֹעֵבוֹת - tô‘ēḇōṯ): From the root ta’av, meaning to detest or abhor. This term signifies something morally repugnant and utterly detestable to God, not just culturally undesirable. It implies actions that violate God's nature and established order.
• have the men of the land done (עָשׂוּ אַנְשֵׁי הָאָרֶץ - ‘āśû ’anšê hā’āreṣ):
  • ‘āśû: "they did" or "they made," indicating active engagement in these practices.
  • ’anšê hā’āreṣ: "the men of the land," referring specifically to the pre-Israelite inhabitants of Canaan, whose moral degradation necessitated divine judgment and expulsion. It highlights a widespread, societal pattern of behavior.
• which were before you (אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵיכֶם - ’ăšer lip̄nêḵem): "Who were in your presence" or "who preceded you." This phrase grounds the warning in historical reality, showing Israel the fate of those who had gone before them in defiance of God's laws. It establishes a precedent.
• and (וַ - wa): A conjunction that introduces the direct consequence of the previous statement.
• the land (הָאָרֶץ - hā’āreṣ): Referring to the land of Canaan, the Promised Land. The land is presented almost as a sentient entity that reacts to the moral pollution of its inhabitants.
• is defiled (וַתִּטְמָא - waṯ-tiṭmā’): From the root ṭāmē’, meaning to be unclean, impure, or polluted. This defilement is not merely ceremonial but moral and spiritual. It suggests that the land itself becomes ethically contaminated, unable to tolerate the depravity committed on it.

• "For all these abominations": This phrase strongly emphasizes the severity and comprehensive nature of the prohibited acts. They are not minor offenses but deep violations of God's character and moral law. The term "abominations" suggests something utterly repugnant and morally nauseating to God, requiring a decisive divine response.
• "have the men of the land done, which were before you": This section attributes responsibility for these acts to the previous inhabitants of Canaan. It grounds the future consequences for Israel in a historical reality. Their expulsion is presented as a just outcome of their collective wickedness, not arbitrary judgment.
• "and the land is defiled": This highlights a significant theological concept: the direct connection between human sin and the defilement of the physical world. The land, which God created and intends for blessing, becomes ritually and morally polluted by extreme acts of depravity, reaching a point where it can no longer tolerate its inhabitants. This phrase introduces the concept of the land metaphorically "vomiting out" those who defile it (mentioned in the very next verse).

Leviticus 18 27 Bonus section

The concept of the "land being defiled" and "vomiting out" its inhabitants (as seen in Lev 18:28) is a powerful prophetic imagery rooted in ancient Near Eastern thought, yet distinctively applied here. Unlike pagan conceptions of nature's indifference, the Israelite perspective reveals a responsive creation intrinsically linked to its inhabitants' moral condition. Grave sins, especially those violating natural order or innocent blood (e.g., child sacrifice), are portrayed as actively polluting the ground. This defilement isn't merely symbolic; it accumulates a spiritual impurity that provokes divine wrath and ultimately compels the land to reject its sinful dwellers. This highlights a universal principle: human actions have cosmic repercussions, affecting even the physical environment designed by a holy God.

Leviticus 18 27 Commentary

Leviticus 18:27 succinctly provides the divine rationale for the rigorous moral standards set for Israel. It underscores that the specific sexual perversions and detestable practices detailed earlier in the chapter are not mere cultural taboos but actions intrinsically repugnant to God, defining them as "abominations." These were precisely the behaviors characteristic of the Canaanite nations, whose profound and pervasive wickedness led to the land's spiritual and moral defilement. This defilement, in turn, triggered God's judgment and their expulsion, which is metaphorically described elsewhere as the land "vomiting out" its inhabitants because it could no longer bear their corruption. The verse functions as a profound warning: Israel's privileged status did not grant them immunity; rather, their proximity to God demanded an even higher standard of holiness. To imitate the very sins that led to the dispossession of the previous inhabitants would inevitably lead to their own expulsion. This teaching reveals God's consistent moral standard and His active engagement in bringing justice to a morally defiled world.