Leviticus 19:31

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 19:30-37

Here is, I. A law for the preserving of the honour of the time and place appropriated to the service of God, Lev. 19:30. This would be a means to secure them both from the idolatries and superstitions of the heathen and from all immoralities in conversation. 1. Sabbaths must be religiously observed, and not those times mentioned (Lev. 19:26) to which the heathen had a superstitious regard. 2. The sanctuary must be reverenced: great care must be taken to approach the tabernacle with that purity... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 19:31

Regard not them that have familiar spirits ,.... The word used signifies "bottles", and that sort of diviners here intended go by this name, either because what they sat on when they divined was in the form of a bottle, or they divined by one, or they were swelled and inflated as bottles when they delivered out their answers, or spoke as out of a bottle or hollow place; hence they are called masters or mistresses of the bottle: they seem to be the same with the ventriloquists, and so the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 19:31

Regard not them that have familiar spirits - The Hebrew word אבות oboth probably signifies a kind of engastromuthoi or ventriloquists, or such as the Pythoness mentioned Acts 16:16 , Acts 16:18 ; persons who, while under the influence of their demon, became greatly inflated, as the Hebrew word implies, and gave answers in a sort of frenzy. See a case of this kind in Virgil, Aeneid, l. vi., ver. 46, etc.: - " - Deus ecce, Deus! cui talla fanti Ante fores, subito non vultus,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 19:1-37

These four laws are, in their positive aspects, In Leviticus 20:11 , Leviticus 20:14 , Leviticus 20:16 , 35, 36, obedience is inculcated to the eighth and the ninth commandments, which are the laws of honesty and of truthfulness; in Leviticus 20:12 to the third commandment, which is the law of reverence; in Leviticus 20:17 , Leviticus 20:18 , 33, 34, to the sixth commandment, which is the law of love; in Leviticus 20:20 , 29, to the seventh commandment, which is the law of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 19:1-37

Religion and superstition. It is not always easy or even possible to distinguish between religion and superstition. We may fall into the latter when we are seeking to practice the former; or we may, from undue fear of the latter, neglect the former. In this chapter the Jews were taught (and we are thereby encouraged) to avoid the one, and to perfect the other in the fear of God. I. THE SUPERSTITION WHICH WAS TO BE SHUNNED . 1 . Clearly and decisively everything that... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 19:1-37

Social morality. cf. Matthew 22:35-40 ; Romans 12:1-21 ; James, passim. From the primary principle of unworldliness, we now have to proceed to sundry details about social morality. Although these details are given indiscriminately, it is yet possible to discern certain great principles among them. And— I. ALL SOCIAL MORALITY IS MADE TO REST ON OUR RELATION TO GOD HIMSELF . In the Decalogue we have social morality, that is, our duty to man, based upon... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 19:3-32

Honour to whom honor. It is uncertain whether we shall receive the honour which is due to us. Possibly we may be denied some to which we are entitled; probably we have experienced this wrong already, in larger or smaller measure, and know the pain of heart which attends it. Let us, therefore, resolve that we will give that which is due to others. The two passages connected in the text remind us that we should pay deference to— I. THOSE WHO CARRY THE WEIGHT OF YEARS .... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 19:3-37

The holy Law in the holy life. I. REVERENCE FOR PARENTS . True religion is seen in common, everyday life. If we love God, we love man. Family peace and order is best preserved by appeal to deep, religious motives. Natural affection is not sufficient against fallen human nature. "God says, Thou shalt," must be the support of natural feeling. II. SABBATH KEEPING . Not as a Jewish regulation, but as both the demand of physical nature and the gracious provision of God for us.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Leviticus 19:11-36

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

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