Leviticus 18:4 kjv
Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 18:4 nkjv
You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 18:4 niv
You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 18:4 esv
You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 18:4 nlt
You must obey all my regulations and be careful to obey my decrees, for I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 18 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 6:7 | "I will take you as My people, and I will be your God..." | God's covenant identity with His people. |
| Ex 20:2 | "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt..." | Introduction to the Ten Commandments. |
| Lev 19:37 | "Therefore you shall observe all My statutes and all My judgments and perform them: I am the LORD." | Reinforcement of comprehensive obedience. |
| Deut 4:1 | "Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments..." | Urging obedience for life and prosperity. |
| Deut 4:6 | "Keep them therefore and do them, for this is your wisdom..." | Obedience as national wisdom and understanding. |
| Deut 6:17-18 | "You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God..." | Exhortation to righteous and good living. |
| Deut 8:6 | "So you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him." | Walking in God's ways by keeping commands. |
| Deut 10:12-13 | "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you... but to walk in all His ways..." | Love and fear of God leading to obedience. |
| Deut 11:32 | "And you shall be careful to observe all the statutes and the judgments..." | Final exhortation before entering Canaan. |
| Josh 22:5 | "But be very careful to observe the commandment and the law..." | Joshua's charge to remaining tribes. |
| Ps 1:1-2 | "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly... but his delight is in the law of the LORD..." | Righteousness characterized by walking in God's law. |
| Ps 119:3 | "Indeed, they do no unrighteousness; they walk in His ways." | Blessedness of those who follow God's precepts. |
| Prov 3:5-6 | "Trust in the LORD with all your heart... In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." | Guidance through acknowledging God's will. |
| Jer 7:23 | "But this command I gave them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God...'" | Covenant relationship based on obedience. |
| Ezek 36:27 | "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes..." | New Covenant: divine enabling for obedience. |
| Matt 5:19 | "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments... will be called least in the kingdom..." | Jesus' teaching on keeping the Law. |
| Matt 22:37-39 | "'You shall love the LORD your God... You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" | Foundation for all law: love of God and neighbor. |
| Jn 14:15 | "If you love Me, keep My commandments." | Love for Christ expressed through obedience. |
| Eph 2:10 | "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." | Christians are designed for walking in God's ways. |
| 1 Pet 1:15 | "But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct..." | Call to holiness in practical living. |
| 1 Jn 1:7 | "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light..." | Walking in light implies ethical purity. |
| 1 Jn 2:3-4 | "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments." | Knowing God confirmed by keeping His commands. |
Leviticus 18 verses
Leviticus 18 4 Meaning
Leviticus 18:4 serves as a foundational command within the context of the moral laws of the Israelite covenant. It mandates that the people of Israel meticulously observe God's judicial decisions and established decrees, intending for these divine laws to be the guiding principle for their everyday lives and conduct. This divine imperative is grounded in the absolute authority and covenant relationship of God, expressed by the self-revelatory declaration, "I am the LORD your God."
Leviticus 18 4 Context
Leviticus 18:4 functions as a pivotal statement of principle within the broader legal framework of the book of Leviticus, specifically preceding a series of prohibitions against forbidden sexual relationships and detestable cultic practices (Lev 18:6-23). The verse immediately follows God's admonition to Israel (in 18:1-3) not to follow the defiling customs and statutes of the Egyptians, from whom they had departed, nor the Canaanites, into whose land they were about to enter. Historically, this command was given to the Israelites at Mount Sinai, preparing them for their life as a holy nation distinct from the pagan cultures surrounding them. Thus, Leviticus 18:4 establishes the divine imperative for Israel's unique identity, demanding exclusive obedience to God's own standards of holiness as opposed to the corrupt practices of their neighbors. It frames all the following detailed laws as a direct reflection of God's character and covenant demands.
Leviticus 18 4 Word analysis
- You (אַתֶּם - 'attem): This is the masculine plural pronoun, directly addressing the entire congregation of Israel, encompassing every individual and household. This emphasizes the communal responsibility for observing God's laws, not just for the priestly class, but for all people of the covenant.
- shall observe (תִּשְׁמְרוּ - tishm'ru): From the root shamare, meaning to guard, keep, watch over, or preserve. It implies careful and diligent adherence, active attentiveness, and protection of the divine precepts. It's not passive acknowledgment, but active observance.
- My judgments (מִשְׁפָּטַי - mishpatay): From mishpat, plural and suffixed with "My." These are God's ordinances, legal decisions, decrees, and rules of justice. They represent divine equity and the proper way for humans to relate to God and each other in righteousness. Mishpatim often refers to moral, civil, or judicial laws, those that establish right and wrong in practical matters.
- and keep (וְחֻקֹּתַי - v'chuqqotay): The conjunction "and" links mishpatim with chuqqim. The verb "keep" (also shamare) is understood from the previous phrase.
- My statutes (וְחֻקֹּתַי - v'chuqqotay): From choq, plural and suffixed with "My." These are God's prescribed laws, fixed decrees, or established rules. They are divine mandates that often embody the inherent will and nature of God, not necessarily always having an immediately obvious logical explanation from a human perspective (e.g., certain ceremonial laws), but are to be obeyed because God established them. The pairing of mishpatim (judgments) and chuqqim (statutes) is a common merism, collectively referring to the entire body of God's comprehensive law, encompassing both moral and ceremonial/ritual aspects. The "My" suffix indicates their divine origin and exclusive ownership.
- to walk (לָלֶכֶת - lalechet): This is the infinitive construct of the verb halakh, meaning "to go" or "to walk." In biblical contexts, "to walk" is a profound metaphor for one's manner of life, conduct, behavior, or moral journey. It denotes living in practical, active conformity to something. Here, it implies that the laws are not just for knowing, but for living out daily.
- in them (בָּהֶם - bahem): Literally "in them." This signifies that the laws are to be the framework or sphere within which Israel lives its corporate and individual life. It's an internalizing of the law that results in external conduct consistent with it.
- I am (אֲנִי יְהוָה - 'ani YHWH): "I am" ('ani) is emphatic. Directly following it is the Tetragrammaton, the proper covenant name of God, YHWH (Yahweh), rendered "the LORD." This self-identification, often called "the Sinai formula" or "I am Yahweh formula," establishes the ultimate ground of divine authority for the commands. It signifies God's self-existence, eternal being, and covenant faithfulness. It underpins the absolute demand for obedience.
- your God (אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - 'eloheychem): From Elohim (the general term for God) with the plural possessive suffix "your." This emphasizes the exclusive and personal covenant relationship between YHWH and the nation of Israel. He is not merely a God, but their specific God, who has delivered them and chosen them, placing a unique demand for exclusive worship and obedience. This highlights the distinctiveness of Israel's relationship with God compared to other nations and their deities.
Word Group Analysis:
- "observe My judgments and keep My statutes": This pairing encompasses the entire breadth and depth of God's revealed law. It signifies a comprehensive and diligent adherence to both God's righteous rulings in practical affairs and His established divine decrees in all areas of life, be it moral, social, or ritual.
- "to walk in them": This phrase moves beyond mere intellectual assent or external compliance, emphasizing the practical, lived dimension of obedience. It speaks of the law guiding one's entire conduct, shaping their worldview and actions daily. It implies an ongoing journey of faithfulness.
- "I am the LORD your God": This is the theological bedrock for all subsequent commands. It asserts divine sovereignty, unique covenant relationship, and the ultimate authority behind every commandment. Because He is Yahweh, their God, these laws are not negotiable human traditions, but absolute divine requirements that reveal His holy character and define Israel's consecrated existence. This phrase contrasts God's supreme authority with the baseless practices of pagan nations.
Leviticus 18 4 Bonus section
- The strategic placement of this verse, serving as a general, overarching command before the specific prohibitions on sexual morality, underscores that detailed regulations flow from foundational principles of obedience and the identity of God.
- The repetitive use of the formula "I am the LORD your God" throughout Leviticus, especially in this chapter (Lev 18:2, 5, 6, 21, 30), reinforces God's unique authority and underscores the imperative for total and unwavering adherence to His laws as an act of faith and covenant fidelity.
- This verse encapsulates the covenant demand for Israel to be holy as their God is holy, implying that their ethics and moral conduct should reflect His perfect nature, distinguishing them from all other peoples whose actions would displease Him.
- The negative contrast with the practices of Egypt and Canaan (mentioned in Lev 18:3) is essential: Israel's distinctiveness and well-being are secured not by conforming to external cultural norms, but by faithfully embodying God's revealed truth through obedience.
Leviticus 18 4 Commentary
Leviticus 18:4 acts as the crucial preamble to the specific moral regulations that follow, articulating the fundamental principle for Israel's entire national existence: exclusive obedience to God's commands. It highlights that living a life pleasing to God involves careful, practical adherence to all His revealed laws—encompassing both the moral-judicial (judgments) and the prescribed, divinely instituted (statutes) aspects of His will. This holistic obedience is not arbitrary; it is rooted in God's unassailable identity as "the LORD their God"—the self-existent, faithful Covenant Keeper who rescued them and set them apart. This declaration transforms the commands from mere legal codes into expressions of a relational covenant. To "walk in them" implies that these laws are to permeate every facet of Israelite life, setting them apart as a holy people distinct from the defiling practices of the nations around them. This command implicitly reminds Israel that their very identity and flourishing are intricately tied to their devoted submission to the divine standard, reflecting the character of their Holy God.