Leviticus 19 29

Leviticus 19:29 kjv

Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.

Leviticus 19:29 nkjv

'Do not prostitute your daughter, to cause her to be a harlot, lest the land fall into harlotry, and the land become full of wickedness.

Leviticus 19:29 niv

"?'Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.

Leviticus 19:29 esv

"Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land fall into prostitution and the land become full of depravity.

Leviticus 19:29 nlt

"Do not defile your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will be filled with prostitution and wickedness.

Leviticus 19 verses

Leviticus 19 29 Meaning

Leviticus 19:29 instructs the Israelites not to make their daughters available for prostitution. This command serves to preserve the sanctity of the family and the purity of the community, as such actions lead to moral degradation and defile the land, drawing the entire nation into wickedness. It underscores the profound responsibility parents have in upholding ethical and spiritual standards for their children, recognizing that individual sin has collective repercussions, causing the whole society to fall into depravity and profanity.

Leviticus 19 29 Context

Leviticus 19 is often called the "Holiness Code," emphasizing the command for Israel to be holy as the LORD their God is holy (Lev 19:2). It follows a series of laws regarding worship, justice, and moral conduct. This specific verse (19:29) immediately follows a prohibition against giving children to Molech (child sacrifice, Lev 19:21) and the law regarding eating from new fruit trees. The broader context of chapter 19 outlines a vast array of ethical, social, and ritual commands, from tithing and Sabbath observance to honesty in business and love for one's neighbor. The command against prostituting daughters fits squarely within the LORD's instruction for a distinct, holy society, separate from the morally corrupt practices of the surrounding Canaanite nations. These nations frequently practiced temple prostitution as part of their fertility cults, seeing it as a way to gain favor from their deities or for economic profit. The verse, therefore, highlights a specific aspect of the sexual immorality rampant in pagan societies, contrasting it with the purity required of Israel.

Leviticus 19 29 Word analysis

• Do not prostitute (תְחַלֵּל - təḥallel):
  • Originates from the Hebrew root חלל (chalal), meaning "to profane," "to defile," "to desecrate," or "to make common."
  • This is not merely about sending a daughter into sexual slavery for profit but about profaning her, stripping her of her honor, and desecrating her inherent dignity and the sanctity of the family.
  • It speaks to the breaking of a covenant relationship, analogous to how idolatry profanes the covenant with God.
  • The term emphasizes that making one's daughter a prostitute is a profound act of moral and spiritual defilement that renders holy things unholy.
• your daughter (בִּתְּךָ - bittəḵā):
  • Highlights the parental responsibility. The command is addressed directly to the father or guardian, who would traditionally have authority over the daughter.
  • It emphasizes the vulnerability of the daughter and the duty of protection, rather than exploitation, that parents owe their children.
• to make her a harlot (לְהַזְנוֹתָהּ - ləhaznôtāh):
  • Derived from זנה (zanah), which means "to commit fornication," "to play the harlot," or "to go astray."
  • This clarifies the explicit act being prohibited: to cause her to become one who habitually engages in illicit sexual activity, whether for economic gain (common prostitution) or as part of religious rites (cultic prostitution).
  • The form of the verb suggests "causing to be prostituted," emphasizing active involvement or complicity.
• lest the land (הָאָרֶץ - hāʾāreṣ):
  • Refers to the land of Canaan, the inheritance promised by God to Israel.
  • In biblical thought, the land itself is intimately connected to the moral and spiritual state of its inhabitants. It can "vomit out" its inhabitants if it becomes defiled by their wickedness.
• fall into harlotry (תִּזְנֶה - tizneh):
  • Again uses the root zanah. Here, the land itself is personified as committing harlotry.
  • This connects the literal act of prostitution with a broader societal or national moral corruption, akin to Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness (idolatry) which is frequently termed "harlotry" in the Prophets (e.g., Jer 3, Eze 16).
  • The idea is that individual acts of defilement can corrupt the very fabric of society and its divinely appointed land.
• and become full of wickedness (זִמָּה - zimmah):
  • Zimmah refers to lewdness, depravity, maliciousness, or villainy. It signifies a profound moral corruption and degenerate conduct, particularly associated with sexual perversion or incest.
  • The consequence of this act is not just localized defilement but a pervasive spread of profound moral depravity throughout the land. It becomes filled to the brim with depravity.

Words-group analysis:

• Do not prostitute your daughter to make her a harlot: This phrase emphasizes an active, deliberate choice on the part of the parent or guardian to exploit their child sexually. It signifies a betrayal of trust and responsibility, undermining the sanctity of family and lineage. This was often driven by economic desperation or pagan cultic practices, which the law explicitly condemns as a profanation.
• lest the land fall into harlotry and become full of wickedness: This clause connects the personal sin of exploitation and moral degradation with national catastrophe. It illustrates the corporate responsibility of the community. Individual acts of profanity contribute to systemic corruption, leading to the spiritual and moral defilement of the entire nation and its divinely-given inheritance. This teaches that true holiness must pervade all aspects of life, from individual behavior to national policy, impacting not just spiritual health but also the very ground they stand upon.

Leviticus 19 29 Bonus section

The concept of the "land falling into harlotry" reinforces the deep connection between Israel's moral state and its relationship with the land as God's covenant people. The land itself is depicted as responsive to human behavior, metaphorically becoming "sick" or "defiled" by grave sins. This isn't merely a consequence but a theological truth that holiness must be pervasive, not confined to rituals. Any practice that profaned human dignity, especially the most vulnerable, inherently profaned the God who created humanity in His image. This principle extends into the New Testament through the calls for sexual purity and the sanctity of the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19-20), maintaining the sacredness of human life against any form of exploitation.

Leviticus 19 29 Commentary

Leviticus 19:29 stands as a stark reminder that personal morality has profound communal and national consequences. It moves beyond merely forbidding a specific act of sin (prostituting one's daughter) to articulate its devastating impact on society, leading the entire land into moral depravity (zimmah). The word "prostitute" (chalal) signifies not just an immoral sexual act but an act of desecration, a profaning of what God considers holy – the family unit, the daughter's inherent dignity, and ultimately, the consecrated land.

In ancient Near Eastern cultures, child exploitation, including prostitution, was sometimes tied to fertility cults or economic survival. This divine command directly counters such pagan practices, establishing a standard of holiness distinct from surrounding nations. It also emphasizes the unique responsibility parents hold for the moral upbringing and protection of their children. The command transcends simple legalism, urging a deeper understanding of holiness that infiltrates family life and societal ethics.

Furthermore, this verse holds deep theological significance by paralleling literal prostitution with spiritual harlotry – the nation's unfaithfulness to God through idolatry. Just as prostituting a daughter profanes the family, idolizing false gods or worldly pursuits profanes the covenant relationship with the LORD. The consequences are equally severe: spiritual defilement leading to judgment and a "vomiting out" from the land (as seen in Lev 18:25-28). It underscores the biblical principle that righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

• Practical Usage Example:
  • A parent actively safeguarding their child from exploitation (online or physical) for gain or influence, understanding the broader societal defilement this brings.
  • A community rejecting cultural norms that normalize sexual objectification or commodification of individuals, recognizing it as profaning the moral fabric.