Leviticus 19:17 kjv
Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him.
Leviticus 19:17 nkjv
'You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
Leviticus 19:17 niv
"?'Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt.
Leviticus 19:17 esv
"You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him.
Leviticus 19:17 nlt
"Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives. Confront people directly so you will not be held guilty for their sin.
Leviticus 19 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 19:18 | "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." | Context of love, fulfillment of the command. |
| Deut 24:16 | "Fathers shall not be put to death for their children..." | Principle of individual accountability for sin. |
| Ps 141:5 | "Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness..." | Value of correction from the righteous. |
| Prov 9:8-9 | "Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you... Reprove a wise man..." | Importance of discerning when and to whom to offer correction. |
| Prov 10:17 | "Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life..." | Benefit of receiving and accepting correction. |
| Prov 15:32 | "Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gets understanding." | Wisdom in accepting instruction. |
| Prov 27:5-6 | "Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend..." | Direct rebuke is an act of genuine care. |
| Ezek 3:18-19 | "If I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning..." | Watchman's responsibility to warn, avoid shared guilt. |
| Ezek 33:8 | "If I say to the wicked, 'O wicked one, you shall surely die,' and you do not speak..." | Responsibility of the prophet/leader to speak truth. |
| Mal 2:6 | "True instruction was in his mouth, and no iniquity was found on his lips..." | Priestly responsibility for righteous instruction. |
| Mt 5:21-22 | "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother without cause..." | Jesus broadens hatred to internal anger. |
| Mt 5:43-44 | "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies..." | Jesus extends love beyond the "brother" to enemies. |
| Mt 7:1-5 | "First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." | Prerequisite of self-examination before rebuke. |
| Mt 18:15-17 | "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault..." | Structured church discipline for correction. |
| Lk 17:3 | "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him." | Simple command to rebuke a sinning brother. |
| Rom 13:8-10 | "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." | Love as the foundation for ethical conduct. |
| 1 Cor 8:9-12 | "But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak." | Concern for the brother's conscience to avoid causing sin. |
| Gal 6:1 | "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness." | Manner of correction: gentle restoration. |
| Jas 5:19-20 | "My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back..." | Duty to convert a sinner, saving a soul. |
| Titus 2:15 | "Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you." | Command for pastoral rebuke. |
| 1 Jn 2:9-11 | "Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness." | Hating a brother demonstrates spiritual darkness. |
| 1 Jn 3:15 | "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." | Links hatred directly to murder in God's eyes. |
Leviticus 19 verses
Leviticus 19 17 Meaning
Leviticus 19:17 forbids secret hatred within the community and instead commands open, loving correction of a fellow Israelite when they sin. This active responsibility ensures that the one who witnesses sin does not incur guilt himself by neglecting to address the wrongdoing, thus preserving the holiness of both the individual and the community. It teaches that true love involves confrontation and intervention for another's well-being.
Leviticus 19 17 Context
This verse is found within the Holiness Code (Lev 17-26), a section of Leviticus emphasizing ethical and ritual purity expected of Israel as God's covenant people. Leviticus 19 is particularly rich in moral and social commands, often paralleling the Ten Commandments, which collectively define how Israel is to be holy ("You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy," Lev 19:2). The immediate preceding verses forbid partaking in pagan practices (divination, magic), while subsequent verses call for proper treatment of the disabled and the elderly. This verse specifically addresses intra-communal relationships, preventing animosity and promoting brotherly love and accountability, key tenets of a righteous society living under God's law. The commands are a radical departure from the common ethical practices of surrounding cultures, establishing a higher standard for human interaction centered on holiness and love for God and neighbor.
Leviticus 19 17 Word analysis
- "You shall not hate": The Hebrew word sana (שָׂנֵא) means to hate, detest, or be an enemy of. It encompasses strong animosity. This command forbids not just outward actions of hostility but the underlying negative emotion and intent held in one's heart, which often precedes destructive behavior. It's a foundational ethical principle that prevents festering bitterness and animosity within the community, ensuring genuine unity and peace.
- "your brother": The Hebrew word 'ach (אָח) refers literally to a brother, but contextually, especially in the Old Testament, it expands to include a kinsman, a fellow Israelite, or anyone within the covenant community. In a broader sense, by implication in later scripture, it points to a fellow human being. This highlights the familial bond within the Israelite nation, underscoring the severity of internal strife.
- "in your heart": The Hebrew word levav (לֵבָב) signifies the core of a person—their intellect, will, emotions, and moral character. This specifies that the prohibition is not just against outwardly expressing hatred, but against harboring it internally. God judges the intentions and attitudes of the heart, recognizing that all action springs from inner disposition. This echoes Jesus' teachings later regarding internal motivations for sin.
- "you shall surely rebuke": The Hebrew verb yakach (יָכַח) implies more than simple reprimand; it carries the sense of convicting, reasoning with, or bringing to light a fault with the intention of correction and reconciliation. The emphatic doubling ("surely rebuke") underlines the importance and necessity of this action. It's a command for active intervention, driven by love, to help a fellow believer turn from wrong.
- "your neighbor": The Hebrew word rea' (רֵעַ) commonly refers to a friend, associate, or fellow human being, typically within the covenant community in this context. It broadens the scope of responsibility beyond immediate family or literal brothers, encompassing anyone close in relationship within the society. This is the very person one is commanded to love in the next verse.
- "and not bear sin because of him": The phrase nasa' chet' (נָשָׂא חֵטְא) means "to bear guilt" or "to incur sin/punishment." This part of the verse presents the compelling reason for active rebuke: by failing to rebuke a sinning neighbor, one shares in the guilt or becomes responsible for the unaddressed sin. This responsibility arises because remaining silent allows the sin to continue, bringing potential harm to the sinner, the community, and potentially defiling the community's holiness. It emphasizes a collective responsibility for moral integrity; inaction is not neutrality but a form of complicity or tacit approval that accrues guilt to the silent witness.
Leviticus 19 17 Bonus section
The command to rebuke implies specific ethical conditions. It must be done in a spirit of love and humility (Gal 6:1), not superiority or vengeance. The goal is reconciliation and restoration, not shaming or condemning. Rabbinic tradition often elaborated on tochachah (rebuke), teaching that it must be delivered respectfully, privately at first, and without public humiliation. This verse thus lays the groundwork for mature communal accountability, demanding that individuals invest in one another's spiritual purity, reflecting the character of a holy God who desires not hatred but love, and not silent complicity but righteous intervention among His people.
Leviticus 19 17 Commentary
Leviticus 19:17 reveals God's expectation for internal purity and active brotherly responsibility within His covenant community. It begins by prohibiting secret hatred, recognizing that such internal animosity contaminates the heart and relationships. Instead of allowing hatred to fester, God commands proactive, loving rebuke. This isn't an invitation to judgment, but a directive to gently, yet firmly, confront a sinning "neighbor." The purpose of this rebuke is redemptive, aimed at restoring the individual and protecting the community's holiness. The potent concluding phrase, "and not bear sin because of him," clarifies the motivation: failure to rebuke effectively makes the silent observer complicit in the unaddressed sin, incurring guilt himself. This highlights a profound communal solidarity where each member bears a responsibility for the moral integrity of the whole. This command beautifully demonstrates that true love for a neighbor sometimes requires challenging confrontation, prioritizing their spiritual well-being over social comfort, and preventing both individual downfall and communal defilement. It underlines the interconnectedness of believers and their mutual obligation to uphold God's righteous standards.