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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Leviticus 18:5 Keep My statutes and My judgments, for the man who does these things will live by them. I am the LORD.</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/leviticus/18-5.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/19/03_Lev_18_05.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Leviticus 18:5 - Unlawful Sexual Relations" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="Keep My statutes and My judgments, for the man who does these things will live by them. 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I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/leviticus/18.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />If you obey my decrees and my regulations, you will find life through them. I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/leviticus/18.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/leviticus/18.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />Keep My statutes and My judgments, for the man who does these things will live by them. I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/leviticus/18.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I <i>am</i> the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/leviticus/18.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I <i>am</i> the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/leviticus/18.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, which, <i>if</i> a person follows them, then he will live by them; I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/leviticus/18.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />&#8216So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/leviticus/18.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />‘So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/leviticus/18.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does them, he shall live by them; I am Yahweh.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/leviticus/18.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which, if a person keeps them, he shall live; I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/leviticus/18.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Keep my statutes and ordinances; a person will live if he does them. I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/leviticus/18.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Keep My statutes and ordinances; a person will live if he does them. I am Yahweh.&#8221 <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/leviticus/18.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and mine ordinances; which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am Jehovah.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/leviticus/18.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />Obey them and you will live. I am the LORD. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/leviticus/18.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/leviticus/18.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />Live by my standards, and obey my rules. You will have life through them. I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/leviticus/18.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />Follow the practices and the laws that I give you; you will save your life by doing so. I am the LORD." <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/leviticus/18.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />Keep my statutes and my ordinances, which a person is to obey in order to live in them. I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/leviticus/18.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />Keep My statutes and My judgments, for the man who does these things will live by them. I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/leviticus/18.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />So you must keep my statutes and my regulations; anyone who does so will live by keeping them. I am the LORD. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/leviticus/18.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances; which if a man does, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/leviticus/18.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments: which if a man doeth, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/leviticus/18.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in them. I am Yahweh. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/leviticus/18.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />And you have kept My statutes and My judgments which man does and lives in them; I [am] YHWH.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/leviticus/18.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> and ye have kept My statutes and My judgments which man doth and liveth in them; I am Jehovah.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/leviticus/18.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And ye watched my laws and my judgments, which a man shall do them, and he lived in them: I am Jehovah.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/leviticus/18.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />Keep my laws and my judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them. I am the Lord. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/leviticus/18.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />Keep my laws and judgments; when a man does these, he shall live by them. I am the Lord.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/leviticus/18.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />Keep, then, my statutes and decrees, for the person who carries them out will find life through them. I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/leviticus/18.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />You shall keep my statutes and my ordinances; by doing so one shall live: I am the LORD.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/leviticus/18.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />You shall therefore keep my commandments and my judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them; I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/leviticus/18.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />Keep my commands and my judgments, for a son of man who does them lives in them; I AM LORD JEHOVAH.<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/leviticus/18.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />Ye shall therefore keep My statutes, and Mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them: I am the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/leviticus/18.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />So ye shall keep all my ordinances, and all my judgments, and do them; which if a man do, he shall live in them: I <i>am</i> the Lord your God.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/leviticus/18-5.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NWs_V1RyMFo?start=4751" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/leviticus/18.htm">Unlawful Sexual Relations</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">4</span>You are to practice My judgments and keep My statutes by walking in them. I am the LORD your God. <span class="reftext">5</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/8104.htm" title="8104: ū·šə·mar·tem (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConjPerf-2mp) -- To keep, watch, preserve. A primitive root; properly, to hedge about, i.e. Guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.">Keep</a> <a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: ’eṯ- (DirObjM) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self."></a> <a href="/hebrew/2708.htm" title="2708: ḥuq·qō·ṯay (N-fpc:: 1cs) -- Something prescribed, an enactment, statute. Feminine of choq, and meaning substantially the same.">My statutes</a> <a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: wə·’eṯ- (Conj-w:: DirObjM) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self.">and</a> <a href="/hebrew/4941.htm" title="4941: miš·pā·ṭay (N-mpc:: 1cs) -- Judgment. ">My judgments,</a> <a href="/hebrew/834.htm" title="834: ’ă·šer (Pro-r) -- Who, which, that. A primitive relative pronoun; who, which, what, that; also when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.">for</a> <a href="/hebrew/120.htm" title="120: hā·’ā·ḏām (Art:: N-ms) -- Man, mankind. From 'adam; ruddy i.e. A human being.">the man</a> <a href="/hebrew/6213.htm" title="6213: ya·‘ă·śeh (V-Qal-Imperf-3ms) -- To do, make. A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application.">who does these things</a> <a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: ’ō·ṯām (DirObjM:: 3mp) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self."></a> <a href="/hebrew/2421.htm" title="2421: wā·ḥay (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConjPerf-3ms) -- To live, to revive. A primitive root; to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive.">will live</a> <a href="/hebrew/bā·hem (Prep:: 3mp) -- ">by them.</a> <a href="/hebrew/589.htm" title="589: ’ă·nî (Pro-1cs) -- I. Contracted from 'anokiy; I.">I</a> <a href="/hebrew/3068.htm" title="3068: Yah·weh (N-proper-ms) -- The proper name of the God of Israel. From hayah; self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God.">am the LORD.</a> </span><span class="reftext">6</span>None of you are to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/10-5.htm">Romans 10:5</a></span><br />For concerning the righteousness that is by the law, Moses writes: “The man who does these things will live by them.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/galatians/3-12.htm">Galatians 3:12</a></span><br />The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/20-11.htm">Ezekiel 20:11</a></span><br />And I gave them My statutes and made known to them My ordinances—for the man who does these things will live by them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/20-13.htm">Ezekiel 20:13</a></span><br />Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not follow My statutes and they rejected My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they utterly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and put an end to them in the wilderness.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/20-21.htm">Ezekiel 20:21</a></span><br />But the children rebelled against Me. They did not walk in My statutes or carefully observe My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they profaned My Sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the wilderness.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/nehemiah/9-29.htm">Nehemiah 9:29</a></span><br />You admonished them to turn back to Your law, but they were arrogant and disobeyed Your commandments. They sinned against Your ordinances, by which a man will live if he practices them. They turned a stubborn shoulder; they stiffened their necks and would not obey.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/30-16.htm">Deuteronomy 30:16</a></span><br />For I am commanding you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, statutes, and ordinances, so that you may live and increase, and the LORD your God may bless you in the land that you are entering to possess.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/30-19.htm">Deuteronomy 30:19-20</a></span><br />I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life, so that you and your descendants may live, / and that you may love the LORD your God, obey Him, and hold fast to Him. For He is your life, and He will prolong your life in the land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/10-28.htm">Luke 10:28</a></span><br />“You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/19-17.htm">Matthew 19:17</a></span><br />“Why do you ask Me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/7-10.htm">Romans 7:10</a></span><br />So I discovered that the very commandment that was meant to bring life actually brought death.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/8-13.htm">Romans 8:13</a></span><br />For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/james/2-10.htm">James 2:10</a></span><br />Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/galatians/5-3.htm">Galatians 5:3</a></span><br />Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/4-1.htm">Deuteronomy 4:1</a></span><br />Hear now, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live and may enter and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">You shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.</p><p class="hdg">which if a man do</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/ezekiel/20-11.htm">Ezekiel 20:11,13,21</a></b></br> And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which <i>if</i> a man do, he shall even live in them… </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/luke/10-28.htm">Luke 10:28</a></b></br> And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/romans/10-5.htm">Romans 10:5</a></b></br> For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.</p><p class="hdg">I am the Lord</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/exodus/6-2.htm">Exodus 6:2,6,29</a></b></br> And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I <i>am</i> the LORD: … </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/malachi/3-6.htm">Malachi 3:6</a></b></br> For I <i>am</i> the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/leviticus/18-4.htm">Decisions</a> <a href="/leviticus/18-4.htm">Decrees</a> <a href="/leviticus/18-4.htm">Judgments</a> <a href="/leviticus/15-20.htm">Kept</a> <a href="/leviticus/18-4.htm">Live</a> <a href="/revelation/2-26.htm">Obeys</a> <a href="/leviticus/18-4.htm">Observe</a> <a href="/leviticus/18-3.htm">Ordinances</a> <a href="/leviticus/18-4.htm">Rules</a> <a href="/leviticus/18-4.htm">Statutes</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/leviticus/18-26.htm">Decisions</a> <a href="/leviticus/18-26.htm">Decrees</a> <a href="/leviticus/18-26.htm">Judgments</a> <a href="/leviticus/18-30.htm">Kept</a> <a href="/leviticus/20-2.htm">Live</a> <a href="/proverbs/19-16.htm">Obeys</a> <a href="/leviticus/18-26.htm">Observe</a> <a href="/leviticus/18-26.htm">Ordinances</a> <a href="/leviticus/18-26.htm">Rules</a> <a href="/leviticus/18-26.htm">Statutes</a><div class="vheading2">Leviticus 18</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/leviticus/18-1.htm">Unlawful marriages and unlawful lusts</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; 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The statutes and judgments refer to the specific laws and decrees that God provided to guide the moral, ceremonial, and civil life of His people. In the context of Leviticus, these laws were meant to set Israel apart from the surrounding nations, reflecting God's holiness. The call to keep these laws is a recurring theme throughout the Pentateuch, underscoring the covenant relationship between God and Israel. This obedience is not merely external but involves a heart commitment to God's will, as seen in <a href="/deuteronomy/6-5.htm">Deuteronomy 6:5</a>, which calls for loving God with all one's heart, soul, and strength.<p><b>for the man who does these things will live by them.</b><br>This phrase suggests that adherence to God's laws results in life, which can be understood both physically and spiritually. In the immediate context, it implies that following God's commandments would lead to a prosperous and healthy life in the Promised Land, as opposed to the death and destruction that come from sin. This concept is echoed in <a href="/deuteronomy/30-19.htm">Deuteronomy 30:19-20</a>, where choosing life is equated with loving and obeying God. The Apostle Paul references this verse in <a href="/galatians/3-12.htm">Galatians 3:12</a>, contrasting the law with faith in Christ, indicating that while the law promises life through obedience, it is ultimately through faith in Jesus that one receives eternal life. This points to the insufficiency of the law to bring about righteousness apart from Christ, who perfectly fulfilled the law on behalf of humanity.<p><b>I am the LORD.</b><br>This declaration serves as a divine signature, affirming God's authority and the binding nature of His commandments. It is a reminder of God's identity as Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God who delivered Israel from Egypt and established them as His people. This phrase appears frequently in Leviticus, reinforcing the idea that the laws are not arbitrary but are rooted in the character and holiness of God. It also serves as a call to reverence and trust in God's wisdom and goodness. The use of "I am the LORD" connects to the revelation of God's name to Moses in <a href="/exodus/3-14.htm">Exodus 3:14</a>, where God reveals Himself as "I AM WHO I AM," highlighting His eternal, self-existent nature. This phrase ultimately points to Jesus Christ, who in the New Testament identifies Himself with the "I AM" statements, revealing His divine nature and authority.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/m/moses.htm">Moses</a></b><br>The prophet and leader of the Israelites who received the laws from God on Mount Sinai, including the statutes and judgments mentioned in Leviticus.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/i/israelites.htm">Israelites</a></b><br>The chosen people of God to whom the laws were given. They were to live by these statutes as a sign of their covenant relationship with God.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/m/mount_sinai.htm">Mount Sinai</a></b><br>The place where God delivered the Law to Moses, including the statutes and judgments that the Israelites were to follow.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_lord.htm">The LORD (Yahweh)</a></b><br>The covenant name of God, emphasizing His authority and the divine origin of the laws given to Israel.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/c/canaan.htm">Canaan</a></b><br>The land promised to the Israelites, where they were to live out these statutes and judgments as a testimony to the nations around them.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/o/obedience_as_a_path_to_life.htm">Obedience as a Path to Life</a></b><br>The verse emphasizes that obedience to God's statutes is not merely a legalistic requirement but a path to true life and fulfillment.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_authority_of_god's_law.htm">The Authority of God’s Law</a></b><br>The phrase "I am the LORD" underscores the divine authority behind the statutes, reminding believers of the importance of submitting to God's will.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/c/covenant_relationship.htm">Covenant Relationship</a></b><br>The laws were given within the context of a covenant relationship, highlighting the relational aspect of obedience as an expression of love and commitment to God.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/m/moral_and_ethical_living.htm">Moral and Ethical Living</a></b><br>The statutes and judgments provide a framework for moral and ethical living, guiding believers in how to reflect God's character in their daily lives.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_role_of_faith_and_works.htm">The Role of Faith and Works</a></b><br>While the law points to the necessity of obedience, it also reveals the need for faith in Christ, who fulfills the law and empowers believers to live righteously.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_leviticus_18.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Leviticus 18</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/is_lev._18_5_vs._rom._3_20_a_contradiction.htm">Leviticus 18:5 promises life through obedience, yet Romans 3:20 says the Law can’t grant righteousness. Is this an irreconcilable contradiction? </a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/does_ignoring_leviticus_18_weaken_the_bible.htm">If modern society no longer enforces many of Leviticus 18’s prohibitions, does that undermine claims of the Bible’s timeless authority?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/does_amos_5_18_contradict_hopeful_texts.htm">Amos 5:18 - If the 'Day of the Lord' is described here as darkness, does this contradict other biblical texts that portray it as a time of hope or victory?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/how_does_god's_love_align_with_ot_punishments.htm">Psalm 86:5 - How can a God said to be 'abounding in steadfast love' align with the severity of punishments described elsewhere in the Old Testament?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/leviticus/18.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(5) <span class= "bld">Ye shall therefore keep my statutes. </span>Better, <span class= "ital">and ye shall keep my ordinances. </span>The word here rendered by "statutes" is the same which the Authorised Version translates <span class= "ital">ordinances </span>in <a href="/context/leviticus/18-3.htm" title="After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein you dwelled, shall you not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, where I bring you, shall you not do: neither shall you walk in their ordinances.">Leviticus 18:3-4</a>.<p><span class= "bld">He shall live in them.</span>--Better, <span class= "ital">he shall live by </span>or <span class= "ital">through them; </span>that is, by observing them the law abiding will live a happy and prosperous life, since disobedience will expose the offender to the penalty of death. The spiritual authorities in the time of the second Temple interpreted this clause to mean that he who obeys these laws shall have eternal life. Hence the ancient Chaldee Versions translate it, "Shall have life eternal." This passage is quoted both in the Prophets (<a href="/ezekiel/20-11.htm" title="And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.">Ezekiel 20:11</a>; <a href="/ezekiel/20-13.htm" title="But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them.">Ezekiel 20:13</a>; <a href="/ezekiel/20-21.htm" title="Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.">Ezekiel 20:21</a>; <a href="/nehemiah/9-29.htm" title="And testified against them, that you might bring them again to your law: yet they dealt proudly, and listened not to your commandments, but sinned against your judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.">Nehemiah 9:29</a>) and by St. Paul (<a href="/romans/10-5.htm" title="For Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which does those things shall live by them.">Romans 10:5</a>; <a href="/galatians/3-12.htm" title="And the law is not of faith: but, The man that does them shall live in them.">Galatians 3:12</a>), who contrasts this promise made to works with the promise of the Gospel made to faith. . . . <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/leviticus/18-5.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">Keep</span><br /><span class="heb">וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤ם</span> <span class="translit">(ū·šə·mar·tem)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_8104.htm">Strong's 8104: </a> </span><span class="str2">To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to</span><br /><br /><span class="word">My statutes</span><br /><span class="heb">חֻקֹּתַי֙</span> <span class="translit">(ḥuq·qō·ṯay)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2708.htm">Strong's 2708: </a> </span><span class="str2">Something prescribed, an enactment, statute</span><br /><br /><span class="word">and</span><br /><span class="heb">וְאֶת־</span> <span class="translit">(wə·’eṯ-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_853.htm">Strong's 853: </a> </span><span class="str2">Untranslatable mark of the accusative case</span><br /><br /><span class="word">My judgments,</span><br /><span class="heb">מִשְׁפָּטַ֔י</span> <span class="translit">(miš·pā·ṭay)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_4941.htm">Strong's 4941: </a> </span><span class="str2">A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style</span><br /><br /><span class="word">[for]</span><br /><span class="heb">אֲשֶׁ֨ר</span> <span class="translit">(’ă·šer)</span><br /><span class="parse">Pronoun - relative<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_834.htm">Strong's 834: </a> </span><span class="str2">Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the man</span><br /><span class="heb">הָאָדָ֖ם</span> <span class="translit">(hā·’ā·ḏām)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article | Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_120.htm">Strong's 120: </a> </span><span class="str2">Ruddy, a human being</span><br /><br /><span class="word">who does these things</span><br /><span class="heb">יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה</span> <span class="translit">(ya·‘ă·śeh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_6213.htm">Strong's 6213: </a> </span><span class="str2">To do, make</span><br /><br /><span class="word">will live</span><br /><span class="heb">וָחַ֣י</span> <span class="translit">(wā·ḥay)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2425.htm">Strong's 2425: </a> </span><span class="str2">To live, to revive</span><br /><br /><span class="word">by them.</span><br /><span class="heb">בָּהֶ֑ם</span> <span class="translit">(bā·hem)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition | third person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/.htm">Strong's Hebrew</a> </span><span class="str2"></span><br /><br /><span class="word">I</span><br /><span class="heb">אֲנִ֖י</span> <span class="translit">(’ă·nî)</span><br /><span class="parse">Pronoun - first person common singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_589.htm">Strong's 589: </a> </span><span class="str2">I</span><br /><br /><span class="word">am the LORD.</span><br /><span class="heb">יְהוָֽה׃</span> <span class="translit">(Yah·weh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - proper - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3068.htm">Strong's 3068: </a> </span><span class="str2">LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/leviticus/18-5.htm">Leviticus 18:5 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/leviticus/18-5.htm">Leviticus 18:5 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/leviticus/18-5.htm">Leviticus 18:5 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/leviticus/18-5.htm">Leviticus 18:5 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/leviticus/18-5.htm">Leviticus 18:5 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/leviticus/18-5.htm">Leviticus 18:5 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/leviticus/18-5.htm">Leviticus 18:5 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/leviticus/18-5.htm">Leviticus 18:5 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/leviticus/18-5.htm">Leviticus 18:5 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/leviticus/18-5.htm">Leviticus 18:5 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/leviticus/18-5.htm">OT Law: Leviticus 18:5 You shall therefore keep my statutes (Le Lv Lev.) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/leviticus/18-4.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Leviticus 18:4"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Leviticus 18:4" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/leviticus/18-6.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Leviticus 18:6"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Leviticus 18:6" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>