The Meaning of Leviticus 18:3 Explained

Leviticus 18:3

KJV: After 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.

YLT: according to the work of the land of Egypt in which ye have dwelt ye do not, and according to the work of the land of Canaan whither I am bringing you in, ye do not, and in their statutes ye walk not.

Darby: After 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 customs.

ASV: After 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 statutes.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

After 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. 

What does Leviticus 18:3 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 18

1  Unlawful marriages and unlawful lusts

What do the individual words in Leviticus 18:3 mean?

According to the doings of the land of Egypt which you dwelt in not you shall do and according to the doings of Canaan where I am bringing you - you shall do And in their ordinances nor shall you walk
כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֧ה אֶֽרֶץ־ מִצְרַ֛יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשַׁבְתֶּם־ בָּ֖הּ לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֑וּ וּכְמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה כְּנַ֡עַן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא אֶתְכֶ֥ם שָׁ֙מָּה֙ תַעֲשׂ֔וּ וּבְחֻקֹּתֵיהֶ֖ם לֹ֥א תֵלֵֽכוּ

כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֧ה  According  to  the  doings 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
אֶֽרֶץ־  of  the  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מִצְרַ֛יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
יְשַׁבְתֶּם־  you  dwelt 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
תַעֲשׂ֑וּ  you  shall  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וּכְמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה  and  according  to  the  doings 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
כְּנַ֡עַן  of  Canaan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כְּנַעַן 
Sense: the 4th son of Ham and the progenitor of the Phoenicians and of the various nations who peopled the seacoast of Palestine.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  where 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
מֵבִ֨יא  am  bringing 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
שָׁ֙מָּה֙  - 
Parse: Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁם  
Sense: there, thither.
תַעֲשׂ֔וּ  you  shall  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וּבְחֻקֹּתֵיהֶ֖ם  And  in  their  ordinances 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חֻקָּה  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed.
לֹ֥א  nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תֵלֵֽכוּ  shall  you  walk 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.