Leviticus 19:2 kjv
Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.
Leviticus 19:2 nkjv
"Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: 'You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.
Leviticus 19:2 niv
"Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.
Leviticus 19:2 esv
"Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.
Leviticus 19:2 nlt
"Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.
Leviticus 19 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| God's Holiness | ||
| Ex 15:11 | "Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? ...awesome in praises, doing wonders?" | God's unique and fearful holiness |
| 1 Sam 2:2 | "There is no one holy like the LORD..." | Emphasizes God's absolute uniqueness |
| Ps 99:5 | "Exalt the LORD our God and worship at His footstool; Holy is He." | Call to worship due to His holiness |
| Isa 6:3 | "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory." | God's absolute, overwhelming holiness |
| Hab 1:13 | "Your eyes are too pure to approve evil..." | God's moral purity |
| Rev 4:8 | "...Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come." | Divine, eternal holiness echoed |
| Old Testament Call to Holiness | ||
| Deut 7:6 | "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God..." | Israel chosen to be holy to the LORD |
| Deut 14:2 | "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God..." | Reiteration of Israel's holy status |
| Deut 26:19 | "...a holy people to the LORD your God, just as He has spoken." | Israel called to holiness in obedience |
| 1 Kgs 8:53 | "For You have singled them out from all the peoples of the earth as Your inheritance..." | Israel's separation for God's possession |
| Jer 2:3 | "Israel was holy to the LORD..." | Israel's early state of consecration |
| Ps 89:7 | "...God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones..." | Holiness expected in God's assembly |
| New Testament Call to Holiness | ||
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | "...as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" | Direct fulfillment and application to believers |
| Eph 1:4 | "...He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless..." | Chosen for holiness in Christ |
| Col 3:12 | "...as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion..." | Practical ethical holiness for believers |
| Rom 12:1-2 | "...present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world..." | Life as an act of worship and holiness |
| 2 Cor 7:1 | "...let's cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." | Progressive sanctification by purification |
| Heb 12:10 | "...that we might share His holiness." | Discipline leads to partaking in God's holiness |
| Heb 12:14 | "Pursue peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." | Holiness essential for seeing God |
| 1 Thess 4:3-7 | "...this is the will of God, your sanctification..." | God's will for practical sanctification |
| Phil 2:15 | "...so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation..." | Ethical purity in a fallen world |
| Tit 2:14 | "...to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds." | Purified people eager for good works |
| 2 Tim 2:21 | "Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work." | Prepared for service through sanctification |
| 1 Thess 5:23-24 | "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely..." | God's active role in sanctifying believers |
Leviticus 19 verses
Leviticus 19 2 Meaning
Leviticus 19:2 proclaims God's command for the entire Israelite community to embody holiness, not merely as an act, but as a direct reflection of His intrinsic nature. It asserts that human holiness is derived from, and a response to, God's perfect and set-apart character, forming the foundational principle for their conduct and identity as His covenant people.
Leviticus 19 2 Context
Leviticus 19 is a central chapter often referred to as the "Holiness Code" (Lev 17-26). This verse serves as the foundational declaration for the comprehensive moral, ethical, and ritual instructions that follow, illustrating what a holy life entails for God's covenant people. The chapter expands the concept of holiness beyond cultic purity to encompass everyday conduct, dictating behaviors related to social justice, integrity in commerce, care for the vulnerable, sexual morality, honest speech, proper worship, and respectful relations within the community. It explicitly connects inward reverence for God with outward actions towards neighbors and the wider community, demonstrating that true holiness impacts all facets of life.
Historically, Israel was called to be fundamentally distinct from the surrounding pagan nations whose religious practices often included idolatry, child sacrifice, divination, sexual immorality, and social injustice. The divine command for Israel to be holy acted as a powerful polemic against these prevailing polytheistic and immoral cultures. It asserted the unique nature of Yahweh as the one true God, inherently and morally perfect and utterly set apart from His creation. Consequently, He demanded a corresponding, distinctly holy lifestyle from His people, thereby contrasting sharply with the gods of their neighbors, who often did not demand ethical purity but sometimes even encouraged morally corrupt practices.
Leviticus 19 2 Word analysis
- Speak: The Hebrew term (daber) signifies a direct divine utterance, indicating a command from ultimate authority. It highlights the solemnity and pervasive nature of this declaration, intended for broad dissemination among the people.
- to all the congregation of the sons of Israel: This phrase emphasizes the universality of the command. Holiness is not a prerogative solely for the priests, prophets, or a religious elite, but an expectation for every single member of the Israelite community, young and old, male and female. It underlines that Israel's corporate identity as God's people is fundamentally linked to their collective and individual holiness.
- and say to them: This further stresses the directness and clarity of the message, leaving no ambiguity about God's will for His people.
- You shall be holy: The core imperative of the verse. The Hebrew word for "holy" (qadosh) fundamentally means "to be set apart," "consecrated," "distinct," or "pure." In this context, it implies a separation from common or profane usage and a dedication to God and His purposes. This encompasses moral purity, ethical integrity, ritual cleanness, and living a life that actively reflects God's own unique, set-apart nature. It is not merely an external observance but calls for an internal state that transforms actions.
- for I the LORD your God am holy: This provides the foundational reason and imperative for human holiness.
- I the LORD (Yahweh): This is the personal, covenantal name of God, emphasizing His unique relationship with Israel and His unchangeable, self-existent nature. His personal identity is intrinsically linked to His holiness.
- your God: This reinforces the intimate, possessive, and relational aspect of God's connection to Israel. Their God, with whom they have a covenant, is the One who is holy.
- am holy (qadosh): Reiterates God's intrinsic attribute. God's holiness is His very essence – His absolute moral purity, His transcendent otherness, His inherent perfection, and His separation from all imperfection and sin. Humanity's call to holiness is thus a call to mirror, however imperfectly, the moral perfection of their divine Creator and Redeemer. It establishes a causal and participatory link: because God is holy by nature, His people must reflect that holiness in their lives.
Leviticus 19 2 Bonus section
- The structure "You shall be X, for I the LORD your God am Y" is a common theological pattern in Leviticus, establishing God's character as the direct and sufficient basis for His commands to His people. This places all ethical instructions within a theological framework, rooting human action in divine being.
- This verse serves as a preamble to specific laws that illustrate practical holiness. It shows that holiness is not an abstract concept but finds concrete expression in relationships—with God, with other people (especially the vulnerable), and even with the land. The chapter seamlessly blends cultic holiness with ethical holiness.
- The repetitive use of "I the LORD your God" throughout Leviticus 19 emphasizes God's sovereign authority and covenant relationship as the continuous source and enforcer of these laws, constantly reminding Israel that their ethical distinctiveness flows from their unique relationship with the Holy God.
Leviticus 19 2 Commentary
Leviticus 19:2 stands as the cornerstone of biblical ethics, firmly anchoring humanity's call to moral conduct in God's intrinsic character. It profoundly transforms holiness from a mere ritualistic or ceremonial state to a pervasive moral obligation for every believer within the covenant community. The divine command for Israel to "be holy" does not stem from an arbitrary decree but is a direct consequence of God's own set-apart nature and moral perfection. This is not an abstract demand but an invitation for humanity to reflect the very character of the One who called them. This foundational imperative powerfully foreshadows New Testament teachings where believers, empowered by the Holy Spirit and redeemed through Christ's sacrifice, are called to grow in practical holiness. This journey of sanctification involves manifesting divine attributes in their daily lives, demonstrating a vital, ongoing process that is both a gift from God and a pursuit by His people, leading them into an ever-deepening participation in God's nature.