The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 19:11
Stealing, cheating, and lying are classed together as kindred sins (see Leviticus 6:2 , where an example is given of theft performed by means of lying; cf. Ephesians 4:25 ; Colossians 3:9 ). read more
Stealing, cheating, and lying are classed together as kindred sins (see Leviticus 6:2 , where an example is given of theft performed by means of lying; cf. Ephesians 4:25 ; Colossians 3:9 ). read more
Stealing is forbidden by the law of man, and by the Law of God. It is forbidden by the law of man in order to prevent injury being done to a citizen, and its sanction is fear of punishment. Remove the fear of punishment, and the goods of another will no longer be respected. It is forbidden by the Law of God because it is displeasing to God; because honesty and uprightness are in themselves right; because to defraud another is in itself wrong. Take away the fear of punishment, and there... read more
Integrity. The Jews have always been considered a cunning and crafty race; they have been credited with a willingness to overreach in business dealings. Men would rather have transactions with others than with them, lest they should find themselves worsted in the bargain. This suspicion may be well founded; but if it be so, it ought to be remembered that it is the consequence of the long and cruel disadvantages under which they have suffered, and is not clue to anything in their own blood... read more
Leviticus 19:11 forbids injuries perpetrated by craft; Leviticus 19:13, those perpetrated by violence or power, the conversion of might into right. In Leviticus 19:13 “defraud” should rather be, oppress. read more
Miscellaneous matters (19:1-37)Probably the miscellaneous laws collected here were decisions or warnings given by Moses in cases where there was some doubt about what was right or wrong. Often all that was needed was a reminder of existing laws; for example, those concerning respect for parents, Sabbath-keeping, worship of idols and eating of sacrificial food (19:1-8).When harvesting, farmers were always to leave something for the poor (9-10). Employers had to pay wages promptly, and judges had... read more
DUTY TO ONE'S NEIGHBOR"Ye shall not steal; neither shall ye deal falsely, nor lie one to another. And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of thy God: I am Jehovah."a. Honesty read more
Leviticus 19:11. Ye shall not steal— Theft, whose parent generally is covetousness, is here forbidden, with its certain concomitants, fraud, lying, perjury, deceit, and inhumanity. read more
11-16. Ye shall not steal—A variety of social duties are inculcated in this passage, chiefly in reference to common and little-thought-of vices to which mankind are exceedingly prone; such as committing petty frauds, or not scrupling to violate truth in transactions of business, ridiculing bodily infirmities, or circulating stories to the prejudice of others. In opposition to these bad habits, a spirit of humanity and brotherly kindness is strongly enforced. read more
Holiness precepts 19:1-18"This section . . . consists of a list of twenty-one (3x7) laws. These laws are broken up into smaller units by the sevenfold repetition of the phrase ’I am the LORD (your God)’ (Leviticus 19:3-4; Leviticus 19:10; Leviticus 19:12; Leviticus 19:14; Leviticus 19:16; Leviticus 19:18)." [Note: Sailhamer, p. 349.] The clause "I am the Lord" reminded the Israelites that God was their ultimate judge. read more
The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 19:9-34
Considerateness. We gather from these verse— I. THAT THE FEAR OF GOD WILL SURELY LEAD TO THE LOVE OF MAN . That piety which begins and ends in acts of devotion is one that may be reasonably suspected: it is not of the scriptural order. True piety is in consulting the will of the heavenly Father ( Matthew 7:21 ), and his will is that we should love and be kind to one another ( Ephesians 4:32 ). Philanthropy is a word which may not have its synonym in the... read more