You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Leviticus 19:28
What does Leviticus 19:28 mean?
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Leviticus 19:28
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This prohibition isn't just about avoiding physical pain; it's a radical call to distinguish Israel from surrounding nations, who marked themselves for idols or in pagan mourning rituals. The verse insists that the only mark of belonging and devotion for God's people is His own presence and Lordship, not self-inflicted wounds or permanent symbols of other allegiances.
You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse appears in the midst of Leviticus chapter 19, a chapter that lays out a comprehensive code of holiness for the Israelites, detailing how they are to live distinctively as God's people. Just before this command, God instructs them about how to show proper respect and care for the deceased, but this verse shifts to prohibit specific pagan mourning practices, like self-inflicted wounds or markings, that were common among surrounding nations. The chapter continues by addressing various aspects of ethical and social behavior, all emphasizing the call to reflect God's own holiness.
The Bible paints a picture of intense, even violent, expressions of grief in the ancient Near East. What were these practices, and why did God prohibit them for His people?
Ancient cultures often engaged in extreme physical acts to express sorrow and appease deities.
Tattooing and permanent markings were also forbidden. What deeper spiritual issues were at play beyond simple body art?
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The prohibition against "tattooing yourselves" was about more than just aesthetics; it was about allegiance and identity.
This passage directly mentions the practice of making cuttings in the flesh for the dead, aligning with the prohibition in Leviticus.
1 Kings 18:28This verse describes the prophets of Baal cutting themselves, illustrating the pagan practices that Israel was commanded to separate from.
Revelation 13:16-17This New Testament passage uses the concept of a 'mark' on the hand or forehead, which echoes the prohibition against marking the body in Leviticus, now in a spiritual context related to allegiance.
Galatians 6:17Paul mentions bearing the 'marks' of Jesus, contrasting the prohibited pagan markings with the 'stigmata' that signify a believer's dedication to Christ.
bensonLeviticus 19:28: "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD."
Leviticus 19:28 . Cuttings in your flesh — Which the Gentiles commonly did, both in the worship of their idols and in their solemn mournings, Jeremiah 16:6 .
pooleLeviticus 19:28: "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD."
Any cuttings in your flesh, which the Gentiles commonly did both in the worship of their idols, and in their solemn mournings, Jeremiah 16:6 . For the dead; Heb. for a soul , i.e. either, 1. Improperly, for a dead body; as that word is sometimes used, as Leviticus 19:28 21:1 Numbers 6:6 : or, 2. Properly, for the soul ; Ye shall not cut your flesh or your bodies, for your s…
This prohibition isn't just about avoiding physical pain; it's a radical call to distinguish Israel from surrounding nations, who marked themselves for idols or in pagan mourning rituals. The verse insists that the only mark of belonging and devotion for God's people is His own presence and Lordship, not self-inflicted wounds or permanent symbols of other allegiances.
This verse appears in the midst of Leviticus chapter 19, a chapter that lays out a comprehensive code of holiness for the Israelites, detailing how they are to live distinctively as God's people. Just before this command, God instructs them about how to show proper respect and care for the deceased, but this verse shifts to prohibit specific pagan mourning practices, like self-inflicted wounds or markings, that were common among surrounding nations. The chapter continues by addressing various aspects of ethical and social behavior, all emphasizing the call to reflect God's own holiness.
This verse appears in the midst of Leviticus chapter 19, a chapter that lays out a comprehensive code of holiness for the Israelites, detailing how they are to live distinctively as God's people. Just before this command, God instructs them about how to show proper respect and care for the deceased, but this verse shifts to prohibit specific pagan mourning practices, like self-inflicted wounds or markings, that were common among surrounding nations. The chapter continues by addressing various aspects of ethical and social behavior, all emphasizing the call to reflect God's own holiness.
"You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the LORD." — This prohibition isn't just about avoiding physical pain; it's a radical call to distinguish Israel from surrounding nations, who marked themselves for idols or in pagan mourning rituals. The verse i…
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Last reviewed October 2026