The Law · Chapter 18 of 27
Leviticus 18
God calls Israel to reject the practices of Egypt and Canaan and to keep his statutes, in which they will live. He forbids a long list of incestuous and unlawful sexual unions, adultery, child sacrifice to Molech, and other defilements. The land itself, he warns, vomits out nations that commit such things, and Israel must not defile it lest it spew them out too.
What happens in Leviticus 18
The LORD identifies himself as Israel's God and commands them not to imitate the doings of Egypt, where they lived, or of Canaan, where he is bringing them. Instead they must do his judgments, keep his ordinances, and walk in them, for the one who does them shall live in them. God then prohibits uncovering the nakedness of close relatives, spelling out many degrees of kinship, along with relations during a woman's separation, adultery with a neighbor's wife, giving children to Molech, homosexual acts, and bestiality.
He explains that the Canaanite nations defiled themselves in all these things, and so the land became defiled and is vomiting out its inhabitants. Israel, native and sojourner, must keep these statutes, or the land will spew them out as it did those before them. Whoever commits these abominations will be cut off from among the people.
Leviticus 18 in context
This chapter opens the Holiness Code of Leviticus 18 through 26, marked by the refrain I am the LORD. Israel stands between Egypt behind and Canaan ahead, two cultures whose sexual and religious practices God rejects.
The laws are grounded not in arbitrary taboo but in covenant relationship and the character of God, and in concern for the land, which is portrayed as reacting to moral corruption by expelling those who defile it.
Main themes of Leviticus 18
Leviticus 18 (KJV)
1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God. 3After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances. 4Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. 5Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD. 6None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD. 7The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. 8The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness. 9The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover. 10The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or of thy daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness. 11The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. 12Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s near kinswoman. 13Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister: for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman. 14Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt. 15Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son’s wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. 16Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness. 17Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness. 18Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time. 19Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness. 20Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour’s wife, to defile thyself with her. 21And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. 22Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. 23Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion. 24Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: 25And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. 26Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: 27(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) 28That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you. 29For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. 30Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.
Verses to carry from Leviticus 18
“Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.”Leviticus 18:4
“Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.”Leviticus 18:5
“Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:”Leviticus 18:24
New Testament quotation
How Leviticus 18 points to Jesus
Paul twice quotes verse 5, the man that doeth them shall live in them, to describe the righteousness that is of the law. He sets it against the righteousness of faith to show that no one actually keeps the law perfectly and so no one lives by it. The very promise of life through obedience exposes our need, for the standard is real and we fall short. Christ, Paul says, became a curse for us, redeeming us from the law's condemnation, that we might receive the promised life not by our doing but by faith.
So this chapter's high call to holiness is not abolished but honored: Jesus both fulfills it in our place and, by his Spirit, writes it on the hearts of his people, so they begin to live the holiness they could never earn.
Questions about Leviticus 18
Why does God keep repeating I am the LORD throughout this chapter?
The refrain grounds every command in relationship. Israel obeys not to earn God's favor but because he is already their God who redeemed them from Egypt. Morality here is not a list of rules floating free; it is the shape of belonging to a holy God. The repeated name reminds them, and us, that behavior flows from identity and covenant love.
How does the promise he shall live in them (verse 5) point beyond the law?
The promise is genuine but conditional on perfect obedience, which no sinner supplies. Paul cites it to show that seeking life by law-keeping leaves us condemned, since we cannot fully do it. That impasse drives us to Christ, who kept the law and bore its curse, giving as a gift the life the law could only promise to the flawless.
Reflection
God does not open this hard chapter with rules but with relationship: I am the LORD your God. Your holiness is meant to grow from belonging, not to earn it. Before you weigh any command, hear whose you are. The One who claims you also empowers the life he calls you to live.
A prayer from Leviticus 18
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