The Meaning of Leviticus 19:2 Explained

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.

YLT: Speak unto all the company of the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, Ye are holy, for holy am I, Jehovah, your God.

Darby: Speak unto all the assembly of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Holy shall ye be, for I Jehovah your God am holy.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Leviticus 19:2 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 19

1  A repetition of various laws

What do the individual words in Leviticus 19:2 mean?

speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them holy You shall be for [am] holy I Yahweh your God
דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־ כָּל־ עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵי־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֥ אֲלֵהֶ֖ם קְדֹשִׁ֣ים תִּהְי֑וּ כִּ֣י קָד֔וֹשׁ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם

דַּבֵּ֞ר  speak 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
עֲדַ֧ת  the  congregation 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֵדָה  
Sense: congregation, gathering.
בְּנֵי־  of  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וְאָמַרְתָּ֥  and  say 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵהֶ֖ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
קְדֹשִׁ֣ים  holy 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: קָדֹושׁ  
Sense: sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart.
תִּהְי֑וּ  You  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
קָד֔וֹשׁ  [am]  holy 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: קָדֹושׁ  
Sense: sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart.
יְהוָ֥ה  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).