The Meaning of Leviticus 18:30 Explained

Leviticus 18:30

KJV: Therefore 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.

YLT: and ye have kept My charge, so as not to do any of the abominable statutes which have been done before you, and ye do not defile yourselves with them; I am Jehovah your God.'

Darby: And ye shall observe my charge, that ye commit not any of the abominable customs which were committed before you; and ye shall not make yourselves unclean therein: I am Jehovah your God.

ASV: Therefore shall ye keep my charge, that ye practise not any of these abominable customs, which were practised before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am Jehovah your God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore 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. 

What does Leviticus 18:30 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 18

1  Unlawful marriages and unlawful lusts

What do the individual words in Leviticus 18:30 mean?

Therefore you shall keep - My ordinance not so that [you] do commit [any] of these abominable customs which were committed before you that not you do defile yourselves by them I [am] Yahweh your God -
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֣ם אֶת־ מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֗י לְבִלְתִּ֨י עֲשׂ֜וֹת מֵחֻקּ֤וֹת הַתּֽוֹעֵבֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשׂ֣וּ לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תִֽטַּמְּא֖וּ בָּהֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם פ

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֣ם  Therefore  you  shall  keep 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֗י  My  ordinance 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מִשְׁמֶרֶת  
Sense: guard, charge, function, obligation, service, watch.
עֲשׂ֜וֹת  so  that  [you]  do  commit 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
מֵחֻקּ֤וֹת  [any] 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: חֻקָּה  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed.
הַתּֽוֹעֵבֹת֙  of  these  abominable  customs 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: תֹּועֵבָה  
Sense: a disgusting thing, abomination, abominable.
נַעֲשׂ֣וּ  were  committed 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם  before  you 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
וְלֹ֥א  that  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִֽטַּמְּא֖וּ  you  do  defile  yourselves 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: טָמֵא 
Sense: to be unclean, become unclean, become impure.
בָּהֶ֑ם  by  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
יְהוָ֥ה  [am]  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation