Leviticus 26:11-12
I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
God's promise to "set His tabernacle among you" isn't just about a physical dwelling, but a deep commitment to remain present and not turn away, even when His people are flawed. This reveals that His love isn't based on their perfection, but on His steadfast decision to dwell with them and find them worthy of His attention.
This passage is part of a covenant agreement where God lays out the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Following instructions for proper worship and a warning against idolatry, God promises to dwell among His people and accept them, signifying His favor and presence through the Tabernacle. This intimate divine presence and lack of abhorrence are presented as a direct result of their faithfulness to His commands.
Imagine God not just watching from afar, but choosing to live right there, with you. What does it mean for God's presence to be this intimate?
The promise, 'I will set my dwelling among you,' is incredibly profound. It's not just about God being present in a general sense, but about Him establishing His 'tabernacle' or 'dwelling-place' right in the midst of His people.
A Physical and Spiritual Reality
In the Old Testament context, this pointed to the Tabernacle and later the Temple, a physical place where God's glory would reside. But it was always more than just bricks and mortar. It symbolized God's commitment to be with His people, to be accessible and known to them.
The Ultimate Fulfillment
This promise finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The Apostle John tells us, 'The Word became flesh and dwelt among us' (John 1:14). Jesus is Immanuel, 'God with us.' And through the Holy Spirit, God continues to dwell within believers today, making us His temple.
Even when we fail, God promises not to turn away in disgust. How is this possible, and what does it reveal about God's unfailing heart?
The second part of the verse, 'my soul shall not abhor you,' is a staggering declaration of God's steadfast love and acceptance. 'Abhor' carries a sense of loathing, of being utterly disgusted. God is saying that despite the people's imperfections and potential for sin, His heart will not turn away from them in revulsion.
A Covenantal Commitment
This isn't a blank check for sin, but a deep, covenantal commitment. God chose Israel, and His love is persistent. Even when they faltered, His desire was reconciliation, not rejection.
The Ground of Acceptance
Our acceptance with God isn't based on our perfect performance, but on His unchanging character and the finished work of Christ. He sees us through the lens of His Son, and in Him, we are fully accepted, never to be abhorred.
Understand the original words
mishkan · Hebrew Noun
The state of God actively residing or manifesting His presence among His people, symbolizing intimacy, communion, and divine protection.
ga'al · Hebrew Verb
To hate, detest, or loathe with intense repulsion; in Scripture, it often refers to God’s reaction to sin or, as here, the negation of such a reaction toward His obedient people.
Elohim · Hebrew Noun
A divine-human relational arrangement where God commits Himself to be the covenant protector and provider for a chosen people, who in turn commit to exclusive loyalty and obedience to Him.
This passage beautifully parallels God's dwelling among His people by stating 'the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,' directly echoing the idea of God's presence established in Leviticus.
2 Corinthians 6:16Paul directly references this promise, calling us to separation from sin so that God can 'make his dwelling among you and walk among you,' highlighting the spiritual reality of God's presence.
Revelation 21:3This verse provides a future fulfillment, envisioning God's tabernacle with humanity in the new Jerusalem, where He declares, 'He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them.'
Malachi 3:17This passage speaks to God's regard for those who serve Him, stating 'They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I gather up my treasured possessions,' which resonates with God's promise not to abhor His people.
clarkeLeviticus 26:11: "And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you."
I will set my tabernacle among you - This and the following verse contain the grand promise of the Gospel dispensation, viz. the presence, manifestation, and indwelling of God in human nature, and his constant in dwelling in the souls of his followers. So John 1:14 the Word was made flesh, και εσκηνωσεν εν ἡμιν, and Made His Tabernacle among us. And to this promise of the law St. Paul evidently refers,…
calvinLeviticus 26:3-13: "If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;"
- If ye walk in my statutes. We have now to deal with two remarkable passages, in which he professedly treats of the rewards which the servants of God may expect, and of the punishments which await the transgressors. I have indeed already observed, that whatever God promises us on the condition of our walking in His commandments would be ineffectual if He should be extreme in examining our works. Hence it ar…
God's promise to "set His tabernacle among you" isn't just about a physical dwelling, but a deep commitment to remain present and not turn away, even when His people are flawed. This reveals that His love isn't based on their perfection, but on His steadfast decision to dwell with them and find them worthy of His attention.
This passage is part of a covenant agreement where God lays out the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Following instructions for proper worship and a warning against idolatry, God promises to dwell among His people and accept them, signifying His favor and presence through the Tabernacle. This intimate divine presence and lack of abhorrence are presented as a direct result of their faithfulness to His commands.
This passage is part of a covenant agreement where God lays out the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Following instructions for proper worship and a warning against idolatry, God promises to dwell among His people and accept them, signifying His favor and presence through the Tabernacle. This intimate divine presence and lack of abhorrence are presented as a direct result of their faithfulness to His commands.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Leviticus 26:11-12 is available in the Sola app.
"I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people." — God's promise to "set His tabernacle among you" isn't just about a physical dwelling, but a deep commitment to remain present and not turn away, even when His people are flawed. This reveals that His…
