Saturday, April 19, 2014

Leviticus 18:27

Leviticus 18:27

(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)

a. NLT: “All these detestable activities are practiced by the people of the land where I am taking you, and this is how the land has become defiled.

b. NIV: for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled.

c. Amplified Bible:  For all these abominations have the men of the land done who were before you, and the land is defiled—

d. Septuagint: (for all these abominations the men of the land did who were before you, and the land was defiled,)

e. Stone Edition Torah/Writings/Prophets: For the inhabitants of the land who are before you committed all these abominations, and the land became contaminated.

1. “(For all these abominations have the men of the land done…”

a. abominations [8441 * tow ‘ebah][Strong: properly, something disgusting (morally), i.e. (as noun) an abhorrence; especially idolatry or (concretely) an idol:-- abominable (custom, thing), abomination.]

b. men [582 * ‘enowsh][Strong: properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain, chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age, husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some ( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in apposition with another word.]

c. land [776 * ‘erets][Strong: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.]

d. done [6213 * ‘asah][Strong:  a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be (warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.]

1). AMG The Complete Word Study Dictionary Old Testament: A verb meaning to do, to make, to accomplish, to complete. This frequently used Hebrew verb conveys the central notion of performing an activity with a distinct purpose, a moral obligation, or a goal in view (cf. Genesis 11:6). Particularly, it is used in conjunction with God’s commands (Deuteronomy 16:12).

2). I want to add with the above definition that this word adds a sort of “official obedience”. With the above in mind I wanted to explore the use of this Hebrew verb in examples of its use. According to Blue Letter Bible it is translated “commit” over 50 times. In fact it is used 5 times in the passage Leviticus 18:26-30. Other examples are:

a). Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

b). Leviticus 20:23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.

3). According to Blue Letter Bible it is translated “execute” in 50 different verses. In most of the verses it is referring to carrying out

a). Exodus12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I  am the LORD.

b). Deuteronomy 33:21 And he [Gad] provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.

c). 2 Samuel 8:15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.

4). Once it is translated “govern”.

a). 1 Kings 21:7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

e. All these nations, the nations of the Canannites, engaged in these sexual behaviors, all the sexual behaviors including the child sacrifice were in one form or another legislated by them, [See notes in Leviticus 18:3]. At least two of the Hebrew words used in these verses imply the meaning of official obedience such as obeying the laws of the land. The ones in particular were the ordinances, laws and statutes that were either compulsory laws or were statutes that gave license to practice the behavior.

2. “…which were before you, and the land is defiled;)”

a. before you [6440 * paniym][Strong: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh {paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time), against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of), + beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), + honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, + meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on, open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street, X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s) past, (un-)to(-ward), + upon, upside (+ down), with(- in, + -stand), X ye, X you.]]

b. land [776 * ‘erets][Strong: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.]

c. defiled [2930 * tame’][Strong: a primitive root; to be foul, especially in a ceremial or moral sense (contaminated):--defile (self), pollute (self), be (make, make self, pronounce) unclean, X utterly.][Gesenius: To be or become unclean, to be polluted]

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