Leviticus 18:29
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This verse emphasizes that "the souls that commit them" will be cut off, a phrase that can refer to punishment from human courts or, if that fails, by God directly. It's a stark reminder that these "abominations" carried severe consequences, meant to reflect God's deep abhorrence and protect the holiness of His people.
For everyone who does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse serves as a stark warning, concluding a chapter detailing various forbidden sexual acts and prohibitions against imitating the practices of surrounding nations. It emphasizes that engaging in any of these "abominations" would result in being "cut off" from the community, a consequence that could be either a civil punishment carried out by human authorities or a direct judgment from God Himself. This follows God's repeated commands throughout the chapter to maintain holiness and separate Israel from the corrupt practices of the Canaanites.
Leviticus lays out specific laws for Israel, setting them apart. What does this final warning in chapter 18 reveal about God's intentions for His people?
The laws in Leviticus 18 are about defining what it means to be holy, to be set apart for God. This chapter details sexual practices that were common in surrounding pagan cultures but were forbidden for the Israelites. The final verse, "shall be cut off from among their people," isn't just a casual threat. It signifies a severe consequence, a removal from the community, emphasizing the gravity of these specific sins and the importance of maintaining holiness within the covenant people.
The verse says "everyone who does" and "the persons who do them." What does this personal responsibility mean in the context of God's law?
This verse emphasizes individual accountability. It's not enough to be part of a community; each person is responsible for their own actions. The phrase "whosoever shall commit" and "the souls that commit them" make it clear that guilt is personal. Whether male or female, each person who engages in these forbidden acts faces this consequence. It highlights that God's law applies to each member of the community, and no one is exempt.
The consequence of being "cut off" is stark. What does this tell us about God's view of sin and His justice?
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The phrase "cut off" points to a serious judgment, signifying exclusion from the community, loss of covenant blessings, and in some interpretations, even death – either by human hands or God's direct intervention. This wasn't a light penalty; it communicated God's utter abhorrence for the "abominations" listed. It underscores that God takes sin, especially sexual sin and idolatry as described in this chapter, extremely seriously. The threat serves as a powerful deterrent and a reminder of the holy standards required by God.
Understand the original words
karath · Hebrew Verb
A severe covenantal judgment or sanction, involving either physical death, excommunication, or spiritual separation from the community of Israel. It denotes being removed from the covenant blessings and the people of God.
This passage establishes the principle of being 'cut off' for breaking the covenant, highlighting the serious consequences of disobedience within God's people, much like Leviticus 18:29.
Numbers 15:30-31This text echoes the severity of Leviticus 18:29 by stating that anyone who sins deliberately, 'profaning' the Lord, will be 'cut off,' emphasizing the intentionality and gravity of certain transgressions.
Ezekiel 14:8Ezekiel uses the concept of being 'cut off' and facing God's judgment for whoredoms and idolatry, reinforcing the severe spiritual and national consequences described in Leviticus for engaging in abominable practices.
1 Corinthians 5:13The New Testament applies a similar principle of 'removal' or exclusion from the community for grievous sin, showing how the concept of being 'cut off' from God's people has evolved but maintains its core idea of separation due to unrepentant sin.
bensonLeviticus 18:29: "For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people."
Leviticus 18:29 . Cut off — This phrase therefore, of cutting off, is to be understood variously, either of ecclesiastical or civil punishment, according to the differing natures of the offences for which it was inflicted.
pooleLeviticus 18:29: "For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people."
To wit, by death to be inflicted by the magistrates, as it is apparent in case of idolatry with Moloch or other false gods; and in case of the magistrates neglect, by God himself. This phrase therefore of cutting off is to be understood variously, as many other phrases are, either of ecclesiastical, or civil and corporal punishment, according to the…
This verse emphasizes that "the souls that commit them" will be cut off, a phrase that can refer to punishment from human courts or, if that fails, by God directly. It's a stark reminder that these "abominations" carried severe consequences, meant to reflect God's deep abhorrence and protect the holiness of His people.
This verse serves as a stark warning, concluding a chapter detailing various forbidden sexual acts and prohibitions against imitating the practices of surrounding nations. It emphasizes that engaging in any of these "abominations" would result in being "cut off" from the community, a consequence that could be either a civil punishment carried out by human authorities or a direct judgment from God Himself. This follows God's repeated commands throughout the chapter to maintain holiness and separate Israel from the corrupt practices of the Canaanites.
This verse serves as a stark warning, concluding a chapter detailing various forbidden sexual acts and prohibitions against imitating the practices of surrounding nations. It emphasizes that engaging in any of these "abominations" would result in being "cut off" from the community, a consequence that could be either a civil punishment carried out by human authorities or a direct judgment from God Himself. This follows God's repeated commands throughout the chapter to maintain holiness and separate Israel from the corrupt practices of the Canaanites.
"For everyone who does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people." — This verse emphasizes that "the souls that commit them" will be cut off, a phrase that can refer to punishment from human courts or, if that fails, by God directly. It's a stark reminder that these "…
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Last reviewed October 2026
