Leviticus 19:1–18 (KJV) Part I

 

📖 Verse-by-Verse Bible Study

Leviticus 19:1–18 (KJV)

By: Pst. JK Woodall

Part I – A Call to Practical Holiness
Includes Full OT Verse (KJV), Key Hebrew Word Understanding, and Full NT Connection (KJV)

Background

The Book of Leviticus is often called the “Holiness Code” (chapters 17–26). In chapter 19, God moves from ceremonial instructions to practical, everyday holiness. This chapter shows that holiness is not abstract—it is relational, ethical, and visible.

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Verse 1

Leviticus 19:1 (KJV)

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Hebrew Understanding:

• LORD – YHWH (יהוה), the self-existent covenant God (from hayah, “to be”).

• Spake – dabar (דבר), to declare with authority.
  This is not casual speech; it is covenant legislation from the Eternal One.

NT Connection – Hebrews 1:1–2 (KJV)

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

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Verse 2

Leviticus 19:2 (KJV)

Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.

Hebrew Understanding:

• Congregation – ‘edah (עדה), the covenant assembly.

• Holy – qadosh (קדוש), set apart, sacred, belonging exclusively to God.

• Your God – Elohekem, covenant possession language.

Holiness is relational before it is behavioral.

NT Connection – 1 Peter 1:15–16 (KJV)

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

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Verse 3

Leviticus 19:3 (KJV)

Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.

Hebrew Understanding:

• Fear – yare (ירא), reverential awe.

• Keep – shamar (שמר), guard carefully.

• Sabbaths – Shabbatot, appointed covenant rest.

Reverence at home reflects reverence toward God.

NT Connection – Ephesians 6:1–2 (KJV)

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

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Verse 4

Leviticus 19:4 (KJV)

Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God.

Hebrew Understanding:

• Turn – panah, to face toward.

• Idols – elilim, “worthless nothings.”

• Molten – massekah, poured metal image.

Idolatry begins with redirected attention.

NT Connection – 1 Corinthians 10:14 (KJV)

Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

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Verses 9–10

Leviticus 19:9–10 (KJV)

And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field… thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.

Hebrew Understanding:

• Corners – pe’ah, edge or boundary.

• Poor – ani, afflicted or humble.

• Stranger – ger, covenant-protected foreigner.

God commands margin in prosperity.

NT Connection – James 1:27 (KJV)

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

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Verse 11

Leviticus 19:11 (KJV)

Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.

Hebrew Understanding:

• Steal – ganab.

• Deal falsely – kachash, deny or deceive.

• Lie – shaqer, speak falsehood against covenant truth.

NT Connection – Colossians 3:9 (KJV)

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

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Verse 13

Leviticus 19:13 (KJV)

Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour… the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.

Hebrew Understanding:

• Defraud/Oppress – ashaq, exploit by power.

Economic injustice violates covenant holiness.

NT Connection – James 5:4 (KJV)

Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

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Verse 15

Leviticus 19:15 (KJV)

Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment… but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

Hebrew Understanding:

• Judgment – mishpat, legal decision.

• Righteousness – tzedek, moral straightness.

Justice must mirror God’s character.

NT Connection – James 2:1 (KJV)

My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

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Verse 16

Leviticus 19:16 (KJV)

Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people…

Hebrew Understanding:

• Talebearer – rakhil, a trader in slander.

NT Connection – Ephesians 4:31 (KJV)

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

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Verses 17–18

Leviticus 19:17–18 (KJV)

Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart… Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge… but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

Hebrew Understanding:

• Hate – sane, internal hostility.

• Rebuke – yakach, reason or correct.

• Avenge – naqam, take revenge.

• Grudge – natar, guard anger.

• Love – ahav, covenant loyalty expressed in action.

Love is not emotion alone—it is covenant faithfulness.

NT Fulfillment – Jesus Christ in Matthew 22:37–39 (KJV)

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Further NT Confirmation – Romans 13:10 (KJV)

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

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🔎 Summary

Leviticus 19:1–18 teaches that holiness (qadosh) is covenant alignment with YHWH.
It governs:

• Reverence

• Worship

• Justice

• Economics

• Speech

• Inner attitudes

• Love

Holiness begins with God’s voice.
Holiness is guarded through obedience.
Holiness is perfected in love.