Leviticus 19 28

Leviticus 19:28 kjv

Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19:28 nkjv

You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19:28 niv

"?'Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19:28 esv

You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19:28 nlt

"Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19 verses

Leviticus 19 28 Meaning

Leviticus 19:28 prohibits the people of Israel from engaging in two distinct, yet related, pagan practices: self-mutilation (making cuts on the body) and tattooing. Both were commonly associated with mourning rituals for the dead or religious devotion to false gods in the surrounding ancient Near Eastern cultures. The command underscores Israel's call to be holy and set apart, distinguished from the nations whose practices dishonored God and reflected a lack of hope or proper reverence for life and death.

Leviticus 19 28 Context

Leviticus 19 is often referred to as the "Holiness Code" or "Law of Holiness" (H). It immediately follows the instruction on various sacrifices in chapter 17-18 and sets forth a series of ethical and ritual commands that define what it means for Israel to be a holy people, set apart for the Lord. The overarching theme, stated explicitly in verse 2, is: "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy."

This chapter covers a wide range of social, moral, and cultic practices, linking seemingly disparate laws with this foundational principle of holiness. It includes laws about respecting parents, keeping the Sabbath, avoiding idolatry (19:3-4), specific guidelines for offerings (19:5-8), and social justice such as gleaning, honest dealings, not slandering, and loving one's neighbor (19:9-18). Leviticus 19:28 is embedded within a section dealing with cultic purity and avoiding pagan practices (19:26-31), including consuming blood, practicing divination, harlotry, sorcery, and defiling children. The historical and cultural context for the original audience, recently delivered from Egypt and positioned on the brink of entering Canaan, was crucial. The surrounding nations, including the Canaanites and Egyptians, regularly engaged in rituals that involved self-mutilation (such as gashing their bodies) as expressions of extreme grief for the dead, a means of appeasing deities, or demonstrating intense devotion (e.g., to Baal, see 1 Ki 18:28). Tattooing also was common, used for religious affiliation, identification, or magical protection. The prohibition in verse 28 was a direct polemic against these pagan practices, intended to prevent Israel from adopting the customs of those who did not know or worship the one true God, thus preserving their distinct identity as God's peculiar people. The practices reflected a worldview inconsistent with God's sovereignty over life and death and His ultimate ownership of the body.

Leviticus 19 28 Word analysis

• You shall not make any cuts: (וְשֶׂ֣רֶט לָנֶ֗פֶשׁ לֹ֤א תִתְּנוּ֙ בִּבְשַׂרְכֶ֔ם, v'seret lanefesh lo tittenoo bivisarekhem)

  • וְשֶׂ֣רֶט (seret): Hebrew for "incision," "gash," or "laceration." It implies a tearing or cutting of the skin, a deliberate act of mutilation. Its usage here highlights a specific type of marking—a wound.
  • לָנֶ֗פֶשׁ (lanefesh): Meaning "for a soul" or "for the dead (person/life)." The context firmly associates these cuts with mourning rituals, possibly to placate spirits of the deceased, to demonstrate intense grief, or in worship of chthonic (underworld) deities. This emphasizes the ritualistic, idolatrous purpose of the self-harm, not merely accidental cuts.
  • לֹ֤א תִתְּנוּ֙ (lo tittenoo): "you shall not give/make/place." A strong, absolute negative command prohibiting the action.
  • בִּבְשַׂרְכֶ֔ם (biv'sarchem): "on your flesh/body." This specifies the location, underscoring that the prohibition applies directly to personal physical form.

• or tattoo yourselves: (וּכְתֹ֣בֶת קַֽעֲקַ֔ע לֹ֥א תִתְּנ֖וּ בָּכֶ֑ם, u'k'tovet ka'aka lo tittenoo bakhem)

  • וּכְתֹ֣בֶת (u'k'tovet): "and writing," or "inscription." Derived from the Hebrew root "כתב" (katab), meaning "to write" or "to inscribe." This term points to permanent marks made with intent.
  • קַֽעֲקַ֔ע (ka'aka): This word is a hapax legomenon in the Hebrew Bible, meaning it appears only once. While its precise meaning has been debated, its connection with k'tovet and the overall context strongly suggests a form of "engraved mark," "branding," or "tattooing." The root might imply a deeply incised or burned mark that results in a permanent pattern. Ancient sources and archaeological findings indicate religious tattoos were common for various purposes, including devotion to specific deities or membership in cults.
  • לֹ֥א תִתְּנ֖וּ (lo tittenoo): "you shall not make/place/put." Again, an absolute prohibition.
  • בָּכֶ֑ם (bakhem): "on yourselves," or "among you." This indicates self-application or allowing it to be done to one's own body, as a personal mark of identity or allegiance.

• I am the LORD. (אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃, Ani YHVH)

  • אֲנִ֖י (Ani): "I" (emphatic). This puts emphasis on God as the speaker and promulgator of the law, highlighting His divine authority.
  • יְהוָֽה (YHWH): The personal, covenant name of God (Yahweh), the unchanging, self-existent One. This phrase serves as the ultimate rationale for the command. It grounds the prohibition not in mere societal norms or hygiene, but in God's holy character and His covenant relationship with Israel. He is the ultimate authority, the Creator, and the Owner of His people, dictating what is permissible for their bodies, which are His.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Cuts for the dead": This specific phrasing underscores that the issue is not general injury, but ritualistic mutilation performed as an act of mourning or devotion related to the deceased, often tied to pagan beliefs about the afterlife or underworld deities. It directly targets superstitious practices that lacked faith in the true God.
  • "or tattoo yourselves": While potentially a broader prohibition, its context with "cuts for the dead" suggests that the ka'aka was also related to pagan marks of identity, devotion to gods, or protective charms. These marks physically expressed an allegiance or belief system contrary to Yahweh worship.
  • "on your body/on yourselves": These phrases emphasize the physical person. The body, being created by God and belonging to Him (1 Cor 6:19-20), was not to be defiled or used in practices dedicated to false gods or expressing hopelessness in death. This signifies the body's sacredness as a vessel for God's purposes.
  • "I am the LORD": This concluding phrase provides the authoritative, non-negotiable reason for obedience. It asserts God's sovereignty over every aspect of His people's lives, distinguishing them from the surrounding nations who lacked such divine guidance. It implicitly contrasts the living, covenant-keeping God with the dead gods or spirits invoked by the practices being forbidden.

Leviticus 19 28 Bonus section

The core principle behind Leviticus 19:28 extends beyond the mere prohibition of specific ancient practices. It points to a broader theological truth: the body is not merely personal property to be used as one desires, but a sacred vessel belonging to God. The act of cutting or marking oneself for the dead expressed either hopelessness (grieving like those without God, see 1 Thes 4:13) or reliance on spiritual entities other than Yahweh for protection or blessings related to death. Both are fundamentally at odds with faith in the Living God.

The permanence of tattoos, especially, signified a deeper identification or allegiance, akin to branding ownership. For Israel, being "branded" or marked belonged to God alone, spiritually sealed and distinct. While modern tattoos may not always carry these original religious connotations, the verse still invites reflection on what one uses their body to represent, glorify, or commemorate, and whether those choices align with the call to live as God's holy people, not conformed to the world (Rom 12:1-2), but reflecting His image and glory. The prohibition also stands as a testament to God's care for the physical and spiritual well-being of His people, protecting them from practices that would ultimately bring them into spiritual bondage and physical harm.

Leviticus 19 28 Commentary

Leviticus 19:28 is a concise yet profound declaration of God's desire for His people to be holy and distinct. It forbids ritualistic self-mutilation (gashing for the dead) and tattooing (permanent body markings), practices widely observed by surrounding pagan cultures. The primary aim was to prevent Israel from adopting the idolatrous, superstitious, and despair-filled customs associated with ancestor worship, Baal worship, or other false deities, which involved placating or mourning the dead through physical expressions. These acts implicitly denied God's sovereignty over life and death and showed a lack of trust in His providence. The command emphasizes that the human body, created by God and intended for His glory, should not be desecrated by practices that signify allegiance to false gods or reflect pagan beliefs about death. The rationale "I am the LORD" serves as the ultimate foundation, reminding Israel that their unique relationship with the holy God demands a corresponding unique lifestyle, including the reverent treatment of their own bodies, set apart from the world's debased ways. It calls for an inner commitment that expresses itself outwardly, ensuring Israel's distinctive witness as a consecrated nation.