Leviticus 23:31 kjv
Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Leviticus 23:31 nkjv
You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Leviticus 23:31 niv
You shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.
Leviticus 23:31 esv
You shall not do any work. It is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.
Leviticus 23:31 nlt
You must not do any work at all! This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation wherever you live.
Leviticus 23 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 16:29-30 | ...you shall afflict your souls... a statute for ever. | Requirement to afflict soul (fast) & perpetual statute for Yom Kippur. |
| Lev 23:27-28 | ...Day of Atonement... hold a holy convocation... | Defines the Day of Atonement and its sacred status. |
| Num 29:7-8 | ...on the tenth day of this seventh month ye shall have... no manner of servile work... | Reiterates the prohibition of work on the Day of Atonement. |
| Lev 23:3 | Six days shall work be done... but the seventh day is the sabbath... | Foundation for the principle of ceasing from work on a holy day. |
| Ex 20:10 | But the seventh day is the Sabbath... in it thou shalt not do any work... | The Ten Commandments' specific instruction against work on the Sabbath. |
| Ex 31:15 | ...whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. | Highlights the severity of the 'no work' command on sacred days. |
| Ex 12:16 | ...the first day there shall be a holy convocation... ye shall do no manner of work... | Similar command for the Feast of Unleavened Bread. |
| Lev 23:7-8 | ...on the first day ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work... | Command for Unleavened Bread. |
| Lev 23:21 | ...on the selfsame day it shall be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work... | Similar command for the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost). |
| Lev 23:25 | Ye shall do no servile work therein... | Similar command for the Feast of Trumpets. |
| Lev 23:35-36 | ...on the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work... | Similar command for the Feast of Tabernacles. |
| Lev 16:34 | This shall be an everlasting statute unto you... | Explicitly states other aspects of Yom Kippur as "everlasting statute." |
| Ex 12:14 | And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations... a statute for ever. | Command to observe Passover as a perpetual statute through generations. |
| Ex 27:21 | ...Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the Lord: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations... | Example of another perpetual statute ("statute for ever unto their generations"). |
| Ex 28:43 | And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons... a statute for ever. | Priestly garments commanded as a perpetual statute. |
| Num 10:8 | ...the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. | Another example of a perpetual ordinance across generations. |
| Num 15:15 | ...ye and the stranger... shall be one ordinance for ever throughout your generations... | Equality of law for Israelite and stranger as a perpetual ordinance. |
| Num 18:23 | ...they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations... | Duties of Levites as a perpetual statute. |
| Gen 17:7 | And I will establish my covenant... for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. | Foreshadows perpetual covenant principles applied to specific laws. |
| Heb 4:9-10 | There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. | New Testament concept of spiritual Sabbath rest through Christ, echoing the cessation from works. |
| Matt 11:28 | Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. | Jesus offering spiritual rest, which points to His finished work of atonement. |
| Col 2:16-17 | Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. | Ceremonial laws, including sabbath/holy day observance, are fulfilled in Christ. |
Leviticus 23 verses
Leviticus 23 31 Meaning
Leviticus 23:31 mandates a complete cessation of all manner of work on the Day of Atonement, a solemn command given as a permanent statute. This divine decree was to be observed perpetually by the Israelites across all their generations and in every place they dwelled, emphasizing the day's singular focus on affliction of soul and atonement before God.
Leviticus 23 31 Context
Leviticus chapter 23 meticulously details the appointed feasts (moedim) of the Lord, also known as the Lord's "appointed times" or "set times," which serve as divine appointments for Israel to meet with God and remember His acts of salvation and provision. Following the weekly Sabbath (verses 1-3), the chapter outlines seven annual feasts: Passover (4-5), Unleavened Bread (6-8), Firstfruits (9-14), Weeks/Pentecost (15-22), Trumpets (23-25), the Day of Atonement (26-32), and Tabernacles (33-44). Verse 31 specifically pertains to the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the tenth day of the seventh month (Tishrei), emphasizing its unique solemnity as a day requiring a complete cessation of all labor, much like the weekly Sabbath. This day was pivotal for national atonement and purification, differing markedly from the celebratory feasts that often permitted some forms of work. The demand for absolute rest ensured full focus on the spiritual discipline and penitence inherent to the day.
Leviticus 23 31 Word analysis
Ye shall do: A direct command, indicative of God's authoritative instruction to the whole community.
no manner of work: The Hebrew word is melakah (מְלָאכָה). This term generally refers to ordinary, professional, or skilled labor and economic activity. It prohibits any gainful or creative occupation. It is a comprehensive prohibition, designed to ensure total cessation from the usual rhythm of life to dedicate the day entirely to God's purpose. This differs from other days where only "servile" work might be forbidden.
it shall be: Indicates a declaration of a fixed truth or requirement.
a statute: From the Hebrew chuqqah (חֻקָּה), meaning a fixed custom, ordinance, or prescribed rule. It conveys a strong sense of a non-negotiable, divine decree that is binding. It's not a suggestion but a law.
for ever: From the Hebrew olam (עוֹלָם), denoting perpetuity, eternity, or an indefinite period. It underscores the unchangeable and lasting nature of this commandment for the Mosaic covenant.
throughout your generations: From the Hebrew dorot (דּוֹרֹת), meaning generations or ages. This emphasizes the intergenerational transfer and continuity of this command. It's a perpetual obligation for every successive generation of Israelites.
in all your dwellings: From the Hebrew moshavot (מוֹשָׁבֹת), meaning habitations or dwelling places. This extends the applicability of the law universally to where the Israelites resided, whether in the wilderness, the land of Canaan, or any place of dispersion. It highlights the pervasive nature of God's law.
Words-group analysis:
- "no manner of work": This phrase strongly indicates that any form of work, regardless of its perceived holiness or secular nature, is strictly forbidden. This intensity highlights the uniqueness and holiness of Yom Kippur.
- "a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings": This phrase encapsulates the enduring, binding, and universally applicable nature of the command within the context of the Mosaic Covenant. It signifies that the instruction is not temporary or localized, but foundational to Israel's covenant identity wherever and whenever they exist. It underlines the unwavering permanence of divine law.
Leviticus 23 31 Bonus section
The strictness regarding "no manner of work" on the Day of Atonement is significant because violating this command, along with failing to afflict one's soul, was punishable by being "cut off from among his people" (Lev 23:29-30). This suggests exclusion from the covenant community, indicating the extreme seriousness God attached to observing the sanctity of this particular day and its emphasis on national repentance and divine atonement. It underscores that participation in the benefits of atonement required obedience to its specified requirements.
Leviticus 23 31 Commentary
Leviticus 23:31 crystallizes the essence of the Day of Atonement by declaring an absolute prohibition of work. This wasn't merely about physical rest; it mandated a profound spiritual engagement through abstinence and introspection. The rigorous demand to "do no manner of work" (melakah) served to remove all distractions, forcing the community to depend entirely on God for atonement, rather than on their own labor or accomplishments. It mirrored the weekly Sabbath in its complete cessation from productive labor, yet intensified it for this solemn day of purification.
The decree "a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings" elevates this command beyond a temporary observance. It is an unchangeable divine ordinance, meant to be perpetuated from generation to generation, regardless of their geographical location. This ensures the foundational importance of atonement and God's holiness remains central to Israel's identity and worship across time and space. The annual observance, stripped of work, taught reliance on God's provision for forgiveness. This act of "afflicting one's soul" (v. 29), combined with complete cessation from work, powerfully prefigured the ultimate rest found in the finished work of Christ. His sacrifice provides the perfect, once-for-all atonement (Hebrews 9:12) that renders human striving for righteousness futile, calling believers instead to "cease from their own works" and enter into His perfect rest (Hebrews 4:10).