Leviticus 18 29

Leviticus 18:29 kjv

For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

Leviticus 18:29 nkjv

For whoever commits any of these abominations, the persons who commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

Leviticus 18:29 niv

"?'Everyone who does any of these detestable things?such persons must be cut off from their people.

Leviticus 18:29 esv

For everyone who does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people.

Leviticus 18:29 nlt

Whoever commits any of these detestable sins will be cut off from the community of Israel.

Leviticus 18 verses

Leviticus 18 29 Meaning

This verse declares the severe consequence for any individual who commits the detestable acts prohibited in Leviticus chapter 18, which include various illicit sexual relations and child sacrifice. The phrase "cut off from their people" signifies a grave punishment, involving separation from the Israelite community, either through exclusion, the death penalty, or premature divine judgment, thus severing their covenant standing and denying them the blessings associated with being part of God's chosen people. It underscores the gravity of these sins, which defile both the individual and the land itself.

Leviticus 18 29 Context

Leviticus 18, also known as the Holiness Code, is situated within the broader instruction given by Yahweh to Israel at Mount Sinai, preparing them for life in the Promised Land. This chapter specifically outlines prohibitions against various sexual relationships (incest, adultery, homosexuality, bestiality) and the practice of child sacrifice to Molech, classifying them as "detestable things" (towe'vot). These laws were given to ensure the holiness and moral purity of Israel, distinguishing them sharply from the idolatrous and immoral practices of the surrounding Canaanite nations from whom the land was to be purged. The repeated warning of the land "vomiting out" its inhabitants for engaging in these acts (Lev 18:25, 28) precedes verse 29, emphasizing that these transgressions do not merely harm individuals but also defile the sacred land God was giving them as an inheritance, warranting expulsion or destruction.

Leviticus 18 29 Word analysis

• "Everyone": (Hebrew: nefesh - נֶפֶשׁ) – Literally "soul" or "person." This term indicates that the command and its consequence apply to any individual within the community, without distinction based on status, age, or gender, including both native Israelites and foreigners living among them (Lev 18:26). It underscores the universal applicability of these moral laws within the covenant community.
• "who does": (Hebrew: 'asah - עָשָׂה) – To make, do, accomplish, commit. It implies an active, volitional act of engaging in the forbidden practices, rather than an accidental or unintentional transgression. This highlights responsibility and culpability.
• "any of these detestable things": (Hebrew: ha'towe'vot ha'eileh - הַתּוֹעֵבוֹת הָאֵלֶּה)
  • "detestable things": (towe'vah - תּוֹעֵבָה) – A strong theological term in the Old Testament, signifying an abomination, something abhorrent or disgusting to God. It is used here and throughout Leviticus 18 (vv. 26, 27) and elsewhere (Deut 7:25, 26; 18:9, 12) for practices that deeply offend God's holy character and established moral order, including idolatry and perverse sexual acts. The nature of these acts is inherently defiling and morally repugnant from God's perspective.
  • "these": Refers directly and explicitly to the exhaustive list of forbidden sexual unions and other egregious moral violations outlined in Leviticus 18:6-27, such as incestuous relations, adultery, child sacrifice, bestiality, and male homosexuality.
• "will be cut off": (Hebrew: nichr'tah - נִכְרְתָה; root karat - כָּרַת) – This phrase denotes a severe punitive consequence. Its meaning can vary contextually, but in general, it implies a severing of the individual's connection with the covenant community. Interpretations include:
  • Excommunication/Exclusion: Being cast out of the social and religious fellowship of Israel.
  • Divine Punishment (Death): Premature death inflicted by God's judgment, sometimes through an unnamed disease or catastrophe.
  • Capital Punishment: Execution by human agents of the community.
  • Loss of Inheritance: Forfeiture of rights, property, or family lineage within Israel, often associated with childlessness. The term highlights an undoing of one's covenantal relationship and standing.
• "from their people": (Hebrew: mi-kerev 'ammām - מִקֶּרֶב עַמָּם) – Literally, "from the midst of their people" or "from among their people." This specifies the scope of the 'cutting off' as being removed from the corporate body of Israel. This loss means deprivation of the protective presence of God that extended to His chosen nation, social ostracization, and removal from the spiritual benefits and communal identity of being an Israelite. It also removes the individual from the protection of the Law and community, leaving them without their covenant family.

Leviticus 18 29 Bonus section

• Reciprocity with the Land: The concept of "cutting off" is strongly linked to the defilement of the land itself. Just as the Canaanites were expelled due to these very practices, Israel was warned that the land would "vomit out" its own inhabitants if they engaged in similar behaviors (Lev 18:28). This demonstrates God's sovereignty over the land and His demand for its purity, reflective of His own character.
• Corporate Responsibility: While the cutting off applies to "everyone," these personal transgressions carried corporate implications. The holiness of the nation was seen as a collective responsibility; individual sins, particularly of this grave nature, threatened the entire covenant relationship between God and Israel, potentially jeopardizing divine blessing for all.
• Divine vs. Human Enforcement: While some instances of "cutting off" clearly indicate the death penalty carried out by the community, others seem to imply direct divine intervention (e.g., unexplained death or barrenness). This flexibility underscored that the ultimate enforcement mechanism rested with God Himself, highlighting His omnipresence and perfect justice in overseeing His covenant people.

Leviticus 18 29 Commentary

Leviticus 18:29 stands as a culminating warning at the close of a detailed chapter outlining forbidden sexual and cultic practices. It communicates the absolute gravity of these transgressions. The specific sins listed are not merely cultural taboos but are defined as "detestable things" (towe'vot) because they profoundly violate the holiness and character of God Himself. To commit such acts was to engage in actions that had actively defiled the pre-Israelite inhabitants, causing the land itself to 'vomit' them out (Lev 18:25, 28).

The consequence, "cut off from their people," signifies the extreme nature of the penalty, emphasizing the unacceptability of such behavior within God's holy nation. This term of judgment highlights the covenantal responsibility of every Israelite. By defiling themselves through these actions, individuals endangered the entire community's holiness and risked losing God's presence and favor. The punishment ensured that the defiling influence would be purged, maintaining the sanctity of the people and the land so that Israel could remain a distinct, consecrated nation reflecting God's own holiness in the midst of unholy nations. This serves as a potent reminder that obedience to God's moral law is critical for fellowship with Him and for communal well-being.