Leviticus 19:19 kjv
Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woolen come upon thee.
Leviticus 19:19 nkjv
'You shall keep My statutes. You shall not let your livestock breed with another kind. You shall not sow your field with mixed seed. Nor shall a garment of mixed linen and wool come upon you.
Leviticus 19:19 niv
"?'Keep my decrees. "?'Do not mate different kinds of animals. "?'Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. "?'Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.
Leviticus 19:19 esv
"You shall keep my statutes. You shall not let your cattle breed with a different kind. You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor shall you wear a garment of cloth made of two kinds of material.
Leviticus 19:19 nlt
"You must obey all my decrees. "Do not mate two different kinds of animals. Do not plant your field with two different kinds of seed. Do not wear clothing woven from two different kinds of thread.
Leviticus 19 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 22:9 | “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest the yield… be defiled.” | Direct parallel prohibition. |
| Deut 22:10 | “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together.” | Similar prohibition against mismatched animals. |
| Deut 22:11 | “You shall not wear a garment of wool and linen mixed together.” | Direct parallel to the garment prohibition. |
| Gen 1:11-25 | God creates living things "according to their kinds." | Foundation for God's created order and distinctness. |
| Lev 19:2 | “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” | Overarching theme of the chapter; holiness means distinction. |
| Lev 19:37 | “Therefore you shall observe all My statutes and all My judgments…” | Command to obey all divine decrees. |
| Exod 28:6, 15 | Priestly ephod and breastplate were of gold, blue, purple, scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. | Priests wore mixtures for holy service, a unique divine exception. |
| Deut 7:3 | “You shall not make marriages with them [foreign nations]; you shall not give your daughter...” | Prohibition against spiritual/communal mixing with paganism. |
| 2 Cor 6:14 | “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers...” | New Covenant application of spiritual separation. |
| 2 Cor 6:17-18 | “Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate,’ says the Lord.” | Call to spiritual distinction and purity. |
| Matt 6:24 | “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other...” | Against mixed allegiance or spiritual compromise. |
| James 1:8 | “He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” | Inner spiritual inconsistency. |
| 1 Cor 14:33 | “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.” | God's character is one of order, not disorder. |
| Rom 12:2 | “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” | Call to distinction in character and mindset. |
| Eph 5:11 | “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” | Spiritual separation from evil practices. |
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct...” | Echoes Lev 19:2, general call to holiness and distinction. |
| Rom 13:8-10 | “Love is the fulfillment of the law.” | Love as the governing principle, fulfilling the essence of many laws. |
| Col 2:16-17 | “So let no one judge you in food or in drink... which are a shadow of things to come...” | Literal observance of certain ritual laws finds fulfillment in Christ. |
| Heb 10:1 | “For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things...” | The ritual laws pointed to greater spiritual realities. |
| Gal 3:24-25 | “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ... no longer under a tutor.” | The law's role as guidance before Christ's coming. |
Leviticus 19 verses
Leviticus 19 19 Meaning
Leviticus 19:19 mandates the Israelite community to uphold God's statutes, specifically prohibiting three forms of "mixed kinds" or "diverse seeds" (kil'ayim): allowing different species of livestock to breed, planting a field with two distinct types of seed, and wearing a garment woven from two kinds of material (specifically identified elsewhere as wool and linen). This verse encapsulates a divine command for maintaining order, distinctiveness, and the integrity of creation as part of a life set apart unto God.
Leviticus 19 19 Context
Leviticus 19 is often referred to as the "Holiness Code" or part of it, encompassing a wide range of commands that instruct Israel on how to live as a holy people set apart unto the Lord. Following the overarching command in verse 2, "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy," the chapter details practical applications of holiness in daily life. This includes moral and ethical instructions such as respecting parents (v. 3), observing the Sabbath (v. 3), shunning idolatry (v. 4), offering peace offerings correctly (v. 5-8), and laws of generosity toward the poor and sojourner (v. 9-10). The immediate preceding verses to 19 address honest dealing (e.g., v. 11-12, not stealing, swearing falsely, defaming). Verse 19 follows directly from ethical commands to uphold honesty and justice. Historically, these laws differentiated Israel from surrounding Canaanite cultures which engaged in various syncretic practices and likely lacked such defined moral and natural distinctions. The command to maintain distinct "kinds" reinforces a core biblical principle of divine order established at creation, resisting the chaotic mixtures and blurring of lines prevalent in pagan thought and practice.
Leviticus 19 19 Word analysis
- You shall keep my statutes (חֻקֹּתַי, chuqqotai): Refers to divine decrees or ordinances, often those whose reason may not be immediately obvious but are given by divine authority. They emphasize obedience to God's established order.
- You shall not let your livestock breed (lo' tagbia): Command against unnatural breeding or hybridizing animal species. This aims to preserve the integrity of God's created "kinds" (l'miyno in Gen 1).
- with a different kind (kil'ayim): Literally "two kinds" or "mixtures," emphasizing diversity or heterogeneous combinations. This term underpins all three prohibitions in the verse.
- You shall not plant your field (lo' tizra sadk'a): Prohibition against agricultural hybridization within a single plot.
- with two kinds of seed (kil'ayim): Reinforces the principle of maintaining distinct plant species. Mixing seeds could blur species distinctions or be associated with foreign agricultural fertility rites.
- Nor shall you wear a garment (u'beged sha'atnez lo' ya'aleh aleikha): Specifies the final prohibition regarding attire. The Hebrew term sha'atnez refers uniquely to a fabric blend of wool and linen.
- woven of two kinds of material (sha'atnez): This specific blend was forbidden. The precise reason is debated, but theories include avoiding common pagan cultic garments, maintaining distinctions between different elements of God's creation, or representing an inappropriate "crossing" of categories (wool from sheep, linen from plants). It suggests a distinction in purpose or origin. Priests, in the tabernacle service, were uniquely allowed/required to wear certain sha'atnez-like fabrics in sacred contexts (Exod 28:6, 15), indicating that the prohibition was not about inherent impurity, but rather maintaining boundaries in everyday life versus dedicated sacred use.
Word Groups / Phrases Analysis:
- "You shall keep my statutes. You shall not...": This structure highlights that observing the prohibitions is an act of keeping God's overall divine decree. The "not" clauses are direct commands following the general call to obey divine law.
- "livestock breed with a different kind / plant your field with two kinds of seed / wear a garment woven of two kinds of material": The repetition of the concept of "two kinds" (kil'ayim or its specific manifestation sha'atnez) across three distinct domains (animal husbandry, agriculture, apparel) emphasizes a foundational principle against confusing categories or blending distinct entities within creation. This suggests a theological principle beyond mere practical concern, relating to God's ordering of the cosmos and the separation inherent in holiness. It calls for integrity and purity across all aspects of life – a reflection of divine order in human conduct.
Leviticus 19 19 Bonus section
The specific prohibition against sha'atnez (wool and linen) is intriguing. Some scholars propose it might have been related to a belief that these two materials held spiritual significance in other ancient Near Eastern cults, and God forbade their mixing in everyday wear to distance Israel from such practices. Another view posits that wool (from an animal) and linen (from a plant) represent a fundamental separation between the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and their mixture would violate the created order. Alternatively, it could simply be one of many distinct rules God gave to emphasize difference and adherence to His unique way of life for His people, without needing a direct pagan counter-example. The fact that the Tabernacle priests wore a mixed fabric (Exod 28:6) highlights that the restriction was for common use, not an intrinsic impurity of the materials themselves. This exception signals that sacred contexts operate under different, divinely ordained rules, underscoring the purpose of distinction for everyday holiness rather than purity for specific rituals. This teaches that true holiness impacts all aspects of life, not just temple rituals.
Leviticus 19 19 Commentary
Leviticus 19:19 is part of the Holiness Code, guiding Israel to be distinct and consecrated to the Lord. While the immediate prohibitions relate to agriculture, animal husbandry, and textiles, their significance extends beyond the literal. At their core, these commands reflect God's nature as a God of order and distinction. From creation, God established categories—day and night, land and sea, distinct "kinds" of living things (Gen 1). To mix these "kinds" or "species" indiscriminately could be seen as an act of rebellion against the Creator's established order, blurring boundaries that God himself instituted.
The underlying principle is one of "purity of category" or "wholeness," resisting chaos and unholy amalgamation. This law aimed to set Israel apart from pagan nations, whose practices often involved fertility cults and syncretic rituals that might involve deliberate blending of categories or chaotic displays. While direct evidence linking every specific "mixed kind" prohibition to pagan practice is debated among scholars, the general principle certainly contributes to Israel's unique identity as God's separated people.
Beyond the physical, this verse can be seen as a profound symbol of spiritual and moral distinctiveness. Just as certain "kinds" were not to be mixed physically, so Israel was not to mix spiritually or morally with the world around them (Deut 7:3, 2 Cor 6:14-18). Holiness, therefore, requires a clear demarcation: a separation from all that is impure, unholy, or contrary to God's perfect order. While New Testament believers are not bound by these specific ceremonial laws (Acts 10, Col 2), the principle of maintaining spiritual integrity, living unmixed lives, and serving God wholeheartedly (Matt 6:24) remains profoundly relevant.
Practical usage includes:
- Maintaining clear moral and ethical boundaries in conduct.
- Avoiding spiritual compromise and syncretism in worship.
- Embracing one's identity as set apart for Christ, living distinctively in the world while engaging with it.