Leviticus 20:8 kjv
And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.
Leviticus 20:8 nkjv
And you shall keep My statutes, and perform them: I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
Leviticus 20:8 niv
Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy.
Leviticus 20:8 esv
Keep my statutes and do them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
Leviticus 20:8 nlt
Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the LORD who makes you holy.
Leviticus 20 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 31:13 | "You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep My Sabbaths, for this is a sign between Me and you... that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you.'" | Sabbath as sign, God's sanctifying role |
| Lev 11:44-45 | "For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy... For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy." | Call to holiness based on God's nature |
| Lev 19:2 | "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.'" | God's holiness as the standard |
| Num 15:40 | "...so that you may remember and do all My commandments and be holy to your God." | Purpose of commands: to lead to holiness |
| Deut 4:6 | "Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples..." | Obedience as witness to nations |
| Deut 6:17 | "You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you." | Emphasis on diligent keeping of commands |
| Deut 28:1 | "And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth." | Blessings for obedience to commands |
| Josh 1:7-8 | "Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law... that you may be successful wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart..." | Diligence in the Law brings success |
| Psa 119:4 | "You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently." | Divine expectation of diligent obedience |
| Rom 2:13 | "For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified." | Doing the Law, not just hearing, is key |
| Rom 6:19 | "...just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity... so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification." | Presenting oneself for sanctification |
| Eph 1:4 | "...even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love." | God's prior choice for our holiness |
| Eph 2:10 | "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." | Good works are part of God's design |
| Tit 2:11-12 | "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives..." | Grace enables godly living |
| Tit 2:14 | "...who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works." | Purification and zeal for good works |
| Heb 12:14 | "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." | Holiness as essential for seeing God |
| Heb 13:12 | "So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through His own blood." | Christ's blood sanctifies |
| 1 Thess 4:3-4 | "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor..." | God's will: believer's sanctification |
| 1 Thess 5:23 | "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." | God as the ultimate sanctifier (all-encompassing) |
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | "But 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.'" | Echoes Levitical call to holiness (NT) |
Leviticus 20 verses
Leviticus 20 8 Meaning
Leviticus 20:8 proclaims a fundamental principle for ancient Israel: that they were to faithfully observe God's divine decrees and commands, for it is the Lord Himself who sets them apart and makes them holy. This verse encapsulates the covenantal relationship, highlighting both human responsibility in obedience and God's sovereign action in sanctification, making holiness a joint endeavor where God is the primary mover.
Leviticus 20 8 Context
Leviticus chapter 20 specifically lists severe violations of the covenant laws and their associated punishments, primarily the death penalty (by stoning). It details prohibited acts such as offering children to Molech (20:2-5), consulting mediums and necromancers (20:6-7), various incestuous relationships, bestiality, and sexual perversions (20:10-21), and blasphemy (20:27). The verse (20:8) acts as a concluding theological summary or re-affirmation, framing these stern injunctions within the broader covenantal call to holiness. It underscores why these laws are critical: they are given by a holy God to His set-apart people so that they might reflect His holiness and remain distinct from the surrounding pagan nations, particularly Canaan.
Historically and culturally, the people of Israel were to live as a distinct nation in contrast to the morally depraved practices prevalent among their Canaanite neighbors. The laws in Leviticus directly counter these pagan practices, functioning as polemics against the abominations of the surrounding cultures. This chapter, and verse 8 in particular, served as a foundational reminder of their unique identity and calling, warning against assimilation into idolatry and unholy living.
Leviticus 20 8 Word analysis
- And you shall keep (וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם - u-shemartem): From the root שׁמר (shamar), meaning to guard, observe, preserve, or take heed. It implies an active, diligent, and careful safeguarding of the statutes, not merely passive acquaintance. This isn't just about knowing; it's about constant watchfulness over God's commands.
- My statutes (חֻקֹּתַי - chukkotai): "Statutes" (חֻקִּים - chukkim) refers to engraved, fixed, or appointed decrees. These are binding, foundational laws or ordinances, often distinct from specific commandments (mitzvot) or judgments (mishpatim), emphasizing their unchanging and obligatory nature. The possessive suffix "My" highlights their divine origin and absolute authority, belonging to God Himself.
- and obey them (וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם - va'asitem otam): Literally "and you shall do them" or "you shall make them." The verb עשׂה ('asah) means to make, do, perform, or execute. It underscores the active application and practical implementation of the statutes. Obedience is demonstrated through concrete action, translating divine commands into daily living.
- I am the Lord (אֲנִי יְהוָה - Ani YHWH): This self-identification, using the covenant name of God (Yahweh), carries immense authority. It asserts God's identity as the self-existent, sovereign, covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. It is a powerful affirmation of His ultimate authority over Israel and His unique relationship with them. This phrase often punctuates commands in Leviticus, signaling divine warrant.
- who sanctifies you (מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם - mekaddishkhem): From the root קדשׁ (qadash), meaning to set apart, make holy, consecrate, or purify. The participial form emphasizes a continuous or ongoing action. This is a crucial theological point: Israel's holiness is not self-generated, but is derived from God. He is the active agent in separating them for Himself, imparting His holiness, and empowering them to live a holy life. Their obedience is a response to, and participation in, His sanctifying work.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "And you shall keep My statutes and obey them": This phrase highlights the two-fold expectation for Israel: both the guarding/preservation (cognitive and intentional) and the doing/performance (active and practical) of God's laws. It's a comprehensive demand for wholehearted commitment and obedience, underscoring the vital human response within the covenant.
- "I am the Lord who sanctifies you": This declaration firmly roots Israel's capacity for and state of holiness in God's divine character and initiative. It acts as both a powerful incentive for obedience (God is trustworthy and powerful enough to effect holiness) and a profound assurance that their separation unto God is His work, not solely their arduous effort. This emphasizes divine enablement rather than pure human merit. It is also a reminder that breaking these statutes pollutes the land and the people, counteracting God's sanctifying work.
Leviticus 20 8 Bonus section
The active participle mekaddishkhem ("who sanctifies you") highlights God as the continuous, active agent in Israel's holiness. It's not a one-time event but an ongoing divine work that enables and requires human response. This idea of progressive sanctification, where God continually works to make His people more like Him, finds a clear echo in New Testament teachings (e.g., Phil 1:6, 1 Thess 5:23). The concept of a holy people, set apart by God for God, runs as a central theme through the entire Bible, from Israel's calling to the church's identity. This verse serves as a concise encapsulation of that divine-human partnership in living out God's standard of holiness.
Leviticus 20 8 Commentary
Leviticus 20:8 provides a crucial theological framework for the demanding laws detailed in the preceding verses. It transforms a list of prohibitions and penalties into a profound statement about the very nature of Israel's relationship with God. The call to "keep My statutes and obey them" is not presented as an arbitrary burden but as a vital part of their identity as a people set apart. This required obedience flows from and contributes to their sanctification.
The emphatic declaration, "I am the Lord who sanctifies you," underscores several profound truths. Firstly, it affirms God's unique power and character as the source of holiness. True holiness for Israel could only come from Him, as He is inherently holy. Secondly, it signals that their chosenness was not merely for privilege but for a specific purpose: to be a holy nation reflecting God's character in the world (Exod 19:6). Their separation from pagan practices and moral decay was fundamental to this sanctification. Thirdly, it conveys that God's work of sanctification is ongoing. It is a continuous process of purification and dedication, empowered by His presence. Israel’s obedience, while essential, was not the means by which they became holy (as if earning it), but rather the response and expression of the holiness that God was imparting and preserving within them. Thus, walking in God's ways was their partnership with His sanctifying grace, ensuring their covenant fidelity and allowing them to dwell in His holy presence. This principle transcends the Old Covenant, finding its ultimate fulfillment in Christ, who perfectly embodies and empowers believers for sanctification (1 Pet 1:15-16, 1 Thess 5:23).