Leviticus 26:11 kjv
And I set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.
Leviticus 26:11 nkjv
I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you.
Leviticus 26:11 niv
I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you.
Leviticus 26:11 esv
I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you.
Leviticus 26:11 nlt
I will live among you, and I will not despise you.
Leviticus 26 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| God's Dwelling/Presence (OT) | ||
| Exod 25:8 | "And let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." | Purpose of Tabernacle: God's presence. |
| Exod 29:45-46 | "I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God..." | Assurance of presence with Israel. |
| Num 35:34 | "...that you may not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell, for I the LORD dwell in the midst of the people of Israel." | God's dwelling implies holiness of the land/people. |
| Zech 2:10-11 | "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD... And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day..." | Future expansion of God's dwelling to Gentiles. |
| Ezek 37:27-28 | "My dwelling place shall be with them... Then the nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is among them forevermore." | Future, eternal dwelling; restoration of Israel. |
| Ps 132:13-14 | "For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place: 'This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell...'" | God's choice of Jerusalem as His permanent dwelling. |
| 1 Kgs 6:13 | "I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake My people Israel." | God's promise during Solomon's Temple building. |
| God's Dwelling/Presence (NT Fulfillment) | ||
| Jn 1:14 | "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory..." | Jesus as the ultimate Tabernacle/dwelling place. |
| 2 Cor 6:16 | "For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, 'I will dwell in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.'" | New Covenant believer as God's dwelling place. |
| Eph 2:21-22 | "In Him the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit." | Believers, as a corporate body, become God's dwelling. |
| Rev 21:3 | "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God." | Eschatological fulfillment: God's eternal dwelling. |
| Col 1:27 | "...Christ in you, the hope of glory." | Christ's personal dwelling in believers. |
| God's Non-Abhorrence/Faithfulness | ||
| Deut 31:6 | "Be strong and courageous... For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not desert you nor will He abandon you." | God's commitment to never leave or forsake. |
| 1 Sam 12:22 | "For the LORD will not abandon His people for His great name’s sake..." | God's faithfulness tied to His character and name. |
| Ps 94:14 | "For the LORD will not abandon His people, nor will He forsake His inheritance." | God's covenant loyalty to His chosen. |
| Heb 13:5 | "...for He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you.'" | Reinforcement of God's unswerving faithfulness. |
| Rom 8:38-39 | "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life... will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." | Ultimate assurance of God's unwavering love. |
| Consequences of Abhorrence/Rejection (Contrast) | ||
| Lev 26:30 | "And I will destroy your high places and cut down your incense altars and cast your dead bodies upon the dead bodies of your idols, and My soul will abhor you." | God will abhor if Israel disobeys. |
| Deut 31:17 | "Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will abandon them and hide My face from them, and they will become a prey..." | Consequence of covenant breach: God's withdrawal. |
| Ps 78:59-60 | "When God heard, He was full of wrath, and He utterly rejected Israel. He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh..." | Historical instance of God's judgment and abandonment. |
| Zech 11:8 | "So I shepherded the flock destined for slaughter... My soul loathed them, and their soul also loathed Me." | Mutual rejection due to covenant breaking. |
Leviticus 26 verses
Leviticus 26 11 Meaning
Leviticus 26:11 declares a profound promise from God to His obedient people: He will establish His dwelling (Tabernacle) among them, signifying His permanent and intimate presence. Furthermore, He affirms that His very being ("My soul") will not turn away from them in disgust or rejection. This verse encapsulates the pinnacle of the covenant blessings promised by God, where His people's faithfulness results in divine fellowship, security, and approval, distinguishing them from all other nations.
Leviticus 26 11 Context
Leviticus 26 is a pivotal chapter often referred to as "the Blessings and Curses." It outlines the solemn consequences of obedience and disobedience to the Mosaic covenant. Following several chapters detailing various laws and ordinances, chapter 26 serves as an concluding address, emphasizing the choice presented to Israel: choose to obey God's statutes and experience unparalleled blessings, or disobey and incur severe judgment. Verse 11 falls within the blessing section (verses 3-13), which promises material prosperity (rain, bountiful harvest, peace), security, increase in numbers, and the ultimate blessing: God's direct presence among them, characterized by His continuous approval and absence of rejection. This specific promise builds upon previous assurances of divine presence by adding the crucial element of non-abhorrence, highlighting the intimate and enduring nature of God's commitment if Israel remains faithful.
Leviticus 26 11 Word analysis
- And I will set/make (וְנָתַתִּי֙ və·nā·ṯat·tî): From the root נָתַן (nāthan), meaning "to give, put, set, place." The imperfect tense here indicates a definite future action, a firm divine promise. It is God Himself actively establishing His presence. This isn't merely a permission, but an act initiated and sustained by God.
- my tabernacle (מִשְׁכָּנִ֖י miš·kā·nî): From מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan), meaning "dwelling place, habitation." This refers specifically to the Tent of Meeting, the portable sanctuary built according to God's exact specifications. It was the central point of Israel's worship and a visible symbol of God's presence among them. Its significance extends beyond a physical structure, representing God's active, communal residence with His people, a desire for intimacy.
- among you (בְּתוֹכְכֶֽם bə·ṯō·wḵ·ḵem): Literally "in your midst." This emphasizes not just proximity, but an internal, immersive presence. God doesn't just dwell near them, but within their community, deeply integrated into their lives. This close fellowship is a mark of true covenant relationship.
- and my soul (וְלֹא־תִגְעַל נַפְשִׁ֥י wə·lō-ṯiḡ·‘al naf·šî):
- and my soul (נַפְשִׁ֥י naf·šî): From נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh), meaning "soul, life, self, person, very being." This is an anthropomorphism, attributing human-like characteristics (a soul that feels/reacts) to God. It indicates God's deepest essence, His emotional core, His will and affection. This is not just a pragmatic arrangement, but an expression of divine preference and desire.
- shall not abhor (לֹא־תִגְעַל lo tig'al): From the root גָּעַל (ga'al), meaning "to loathe, abhor, detest, shrink from, reject with disgust." The negative particle "lo" (לא) negates the action. This word is strong, signifying intense revulsion or turning away due to impurity or moral offense. The promise "My soul shall not abhor you" is a guarantee that God will not be disgusted by them and will not withdraw His presence due to their failures, as long as they remain faithful to the covenant. This stands in stark contrast to His later declaration in Leviticus 26:30 regarding the consequences of disobedience, where His soul will abhor them. It speaks to God's desire for an undefiled relationship, free from the turning away caused by sin.
- you (אֶתְכֶֽם ’eṯ·ḵem): The direct object, specifying the recipients of God's non-abhorrence: the covenant community of Israel.
Leviticus 26 11 Bonus section
- Progressive Dwelling: Leviticus 26:11 represents an important step in the biblical narrative of God's dwelling with humanity. It progresses from the portable Tabernacle, to the Temple, to Christ (God Incarnate), to the indwelling Holy Spirit in believers (individual and corporate), culminating in the New Jerusalem where God's presence is immediate and eternal, without a need for a separate physical sanctuary (Rev 21:22-23).
- The Anthropomorphism of "Soul": God's "soul" not abhorring them stresses that His relationship with His people is not merely transactional or legislative but deeply personal and affective. While God does not have a human "soul," this expression communicates the intensity of His delight and commitment when His people are obedient. It underscores His relational nature and capacity for pleasure and displeasure.
- The Weight of "Abhor": The choice of "abhor" (גָּעַל, ga'al) is deliberate. It’s used elsewhere to describe extreme revulsion. For God to say His "soul will not abhor you" implies His willingness to overcome human uncleanness and moral failures through the covenant provisions, provided there is underlying covenant faithfulness. The fear, therefore, is not that God is fickle, but that their unfaithfulness could trigger this strong divine reaction of revulsion and withdrawal, as seen later in the curses of the chapter and throughout Israel's history.
Leviticus 26 11 Commentary
Leviticus 26:11 highlights the supreme blessing of the Mosaic Covenant: God's desire for intimate, enduring dwelling among His people and His unwavering affection for them, contingent upon their faithfulness. The "tabernacle" signifies God's tangible, manifest presence. The phrase "My soul shall not abhor you" conveys profound emotional commitment; God promises that He will not find them repulsive or withdraw in disgust, a truly remarkable declaration given humanity's sinfulness. This promise encapsulates the divine longing for unbroken communion. It foreshadows the ultimate fulfillment in Christ (John 1:14), who truly "tabernacled" among us, and in the New Covenant, where God, by His Spirit, dwells within believers corporately (2 Cor 6:16) and individually (Col 1:27). Ultimately, it points to the eternal reality of the New Heaven and New Earth, where "the tabernacle of God is with men" and God truly dwells among them without end (Rev 21:3). The warning, however, is clear from the broader chapter: this profound relational blessing is conditional upon obedience.