“ ‘Don’t profane your daughter, to make her a prostitute; lest the land fall to prostitution, and the land become full of wickedness.
Parallel Translations
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“ ‘Don’t profane your daughter, to make her a prostitute; lest the land fall to prostitution, and the land become full of wickedness.
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Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.
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Profane not thy daughter, to make her a harlot, lest the land fall into harlotry, and the land become full of lewdness.
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Commandments (1)
The laws of the Torah, each cited and shown as a primary source.
Cross-references (4)
Passages linked to Leviticus 19:29 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Deuteronomy 23:17-18 There shall be no prostitute of the daughters of Israel, neither shall there be a sodomite of the sons of Israel. You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of a male prostitute, into the house of Yahweh your God for any vow; for both of these are an abomination to Yahweh your God.
- 1 Corinthians 6:15 Don’t you know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!
- Leviticus 21:7 “ ‘They shall not marry a woman who is a prostitute, or profane. A priest shall not marry a woman divorced from her husband; for he is holy to his God.
- Hosea 4:12-14 My people consult with their wooden idol, and answer to a stick of wood. Indeed the spirit of prostitution has led them astray, and they have been unfaithful to their God. They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because its shade is good. Therefore your daughters play the prostitute, and your brides commit adultery. I will not punish your daughters when they play the prostitute, nor your brides when they commit adultery; because the men consort with prostitutes, and they sacrifice with the shrine prostitutes; so the people without understanding will come to ruin.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain As did the Cyprians, and Locrians.
As did the Cyprians, and Locrians.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Lev 19:29 Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause…
Lev 19:29 Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.
Ver. 29. Do not prostitute thy daughter.] As some of the heathens did in honour of their gods. As the papists do at this day, in their stews and brothel houses. {a} Their casuists complain of some harlots there so boldly lascivious, as to solicit others, so as to prostitute themselves to all comers; yea, in some Spanish stews to an unnatural filthiness. But what a shameful thing is that which Espencaeus, a Papist, reports with detestation, that in Rome a Jewish maid might not be admitted into the stews of whoredom, unless she would be first baptized. Dici nequit, saith he, {b} quam incredibili Christianorum tum pudore, tum etiam eorum, qui vere tales sunt, cordollo, ut Iudae filiae scortari non liceat, Dei filiae liceat: What a shameful and sad thing is this, that a Jewess, unless she turn Christian, &c.
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{a} Martin. Vival., in Candelabro, Cap. de Confessione.
{b} Espenc., De Continent., lib. iii. cap. 4.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain This the Gentiles frequently did for the honour of…
This the Gentiles frequently did for the honour of some of their idols, to whom divers women were consecrated, and publicly prostituted.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to…
Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore,.... Not by delaying to marry her, which is the sense the Jews give (l), but it refers to a wicked practice among the Phoenicians or Canaanites, Athanasius (m) speaks of, whose women used to prostitute themselves in the temples of their idols; and to such filthy services, in a religious way, the Israelites, in imitation of them, are forbid to expose their daughters: such filthy practices, under a notion of religion, were committed at Babylon, Corinth, and other places; See Gill on Mic 1:7,
lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness: of the wickedness of whoredom, both corporeal and spiritual, fornication and idolatry; both of which would be promoted by such abominable practices, and in process of time the land be filled with them.
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(l) Targ. Jon. in loc. T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 76. 1. (m) Contra Gentes, p. 21.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Do not prostitute - As the Gentiles frequently did…
Do not prostitute - As the Gentiles frequently did for the honour of some of their idols, to whom women were consecrated, and publickly prostituted.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 29. Do not prostitute thy daughter] This was…
Verse 29. Do not prostitute thy daughter] This was a very frequent custom, and with examples of it writers of antiquity abound. The Cyprian women, according to Justin, gained that portion which their husbands received with them at marriage by previous public prostitution. And the Phoenicians, according to Augustine, made a gift to Venus of the gain acquired by the public prostitution of their daughters, previously to their marriage. "Veneri donum dabant, et prostitutiones filiarum, antequam jungerent eas viris." - De Civit. Del, lib. xviii., c. 5; and see Calmet.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Lev 19:29. Do not prostitute — As the Gentiles…
Lev 19:29. Do not prostitute — As the Gentiles frequently did for the honour of some of their idols, to whom women were consecrated, and publicly prostituted.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Strumpet, which was done formerly in the honour of…
CHAPTER XIX.
Strumpet, which was done formerly in the honour of idols. "They gave to Venus the prostitution of their daughters." (St. Augustine, City of God xviii. 5.) "In Cyprus they lead the unmarried women to the sea-shore, in order to acquire a dowry by these means on certain stated days, as a libation to Venus." (Justin.) --- Such things were common in the East. See Lucian de dea Syr.; Strabo xvi.) -- Joel (iii. 3,) reproaches the Jews with prostituting their sons and daughters for bread; for there were also effeminate men among them. (3 Kings xiv. 24.; 4 Kings xxiii. 7.) See Baruch vi. 42.; Osee iv. 14. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 29. Do not prostitute — The cursed thirst for…
29. Do not prostitute — The cursed thirst for gold was the motive which incited fathers to an act so unnatural. This prohibition aims at the practice which prevailed in Phenicia, Babylonia, and Syria, nations soon to be neighbours to Israel.
Full of wickedness — Licentiousness is a sin which so corrupts the moral nature that it arouses all the evil passions and breeds all crimes. Herodias was led by evil desire to plot the beheading of John.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 29. For ‘the land’ in the sense of its…
29. For ‘the land’ in the sense of its inhabitants, cp. Lev_18:25; Jdg_18:30; Hos_1:2.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (29) Do not prostitute thy daughter.—This refers to the…
(29) Do not prostitute thy daughter.—This refers to the degrading worship of Astarte which prevailed in ancient times, and which at times also broke out among the Jews.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Do not prostitute thy daughter. This is a peremptory…
Do not prostitute thy daughter. This is a peremptory prohibition, applying to every Jewish maiden, introduced in this place with a primary relation to the sanctification of lust by the dedication of young girls at some heathen temples; but by no means confined in its application to such practices. All legal sanction of the sin of prostitution is forbidden, for whatever purpose it may be given; and the certain result of such sanction is indicated in the final words of the verse, lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness. (cf. Deu_23:17)
Vers. 29-37. The fear of God.
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Of this excellent things are spoken by Solomon. It is the "beginning of knowledge," "hatred to evil," "strong confidence," a "fountain of life," "prolongs days," and "gives riches and honour." So here
I IT IS A SOURCE OF PURITY.
1. To the family.
(1) There is a connection between verses 29 and 30. Those who keep God"s sabbaths will not profane their daughters either to idolatry or for gain. The fear of God nourished by the one will prevent the other.
(2) In keeping God"s sabbaths his sanctuary is reverenced. This furnishes an additional motive to social purity. For the sanctuary, whether it be composed of canvas, or of stone, or of flesh and blood, is the temple of the Holy Ghost. Who then can properly reverence it under one form and desecrate it under another? (see 1Co_3:16, 17 6:18, 19 2Co_6:16)
2. To the nation. "Lest the land," etc. (verse 29).
(1) The family is the root of the nation. All nations extant are sprung from the family of Noah.
(2) Nations are blessed or cursed in their families.
(3) God asserts himself here, "I am Jehovah" (verse 30). The character of God is seen in his laws. It is pledged to maintain them.
II IT ARMS AGAINST THE POWER OF DEVILS.
1. Familiar spirits are more than myths.
(1) Their existence is not here challenged, but admitted (verse 31; see also Act_16:16, where the fact is put beyond question).
(2) Pretenders to the unenviable distinction, as well as persons actually possessed of such devils, are here held up to reprobation.
2. The fear of the Lord will preserve us from them.
(1) Their power is greatest over the "children of disobedience." The desperately wicked are given over by God to Satan. (Eph_2:2 1Ti_1:20) Such persons may seek wizards, or wise ones.
(2) But godly persons will avoid them. They could not so reflect upon the wisdom and goodness of God that he should leave anything for our advantage to be communicated by wicked spirits. Spiritualism is a devilish delusion. Pride and selfishness will lead men into the snare.
(3) In this prohibition God asserts himself, "I am Jehovah thy Elohim." He is our covenant Friend, who will so fully satisfy our lawful desires that we shall not need recourse to wicked expedients. He will also be our defense against the devices of the devil.
III IT INSPIRES COURTESY.
1. Respect for age (verse 32).
(1) With age there should be the wisdom of experience, and this should be honoured by youth. Caryl well says, "He that wears the silver crown, should be honoured in his capacity as well as he that wears the golden crown.
(2) In respecting age we are to "fear Jehovah Elohim," our covenant God, whose blessings are from father to son and from generation to generation. (Gen_17:7 Isa_51:8 Luk_1:50) In the aged mart we should see the representative of the "Ancient of days". (Dan_7:22)
(3) It is a sad sign of the degeneracy of a nation when the child behaves himself proudly against the ancient. (Job_30:1, 12 Isa_3:4, Isa_3:5)
2. Civility to strangers.
(1) "Thou shalt not vex," or oppress, "him;" but treat him as though he were a native. "Thou shalt love him as thyself." How tradition obscured this law when the question was prompted, viz. "Who is my neighbour?
(2) The Hebrew is reminded, in connection with this injunction, how bitterly he suffered in the land of Egypt from the operation of the opposite principle. He is also reminded how odious to God was that cruel oppression from which he brought him out, and therefore how, if he would conciliate his favour, he must act from a different principle.
IV IT PROMOTES JUSTICE.
1. In judgment.
a. In the administration of law.
b. In arbitration.
2. In dealings.
(1) Measures and weights must be true to the standards. These were kept in the tabernacle, and afterwards in the temple. (Lev_27:25 1Ch_23:29) Religion and business must not be divorced.
(2) To use false balances, or weights, or measures is worse than open robbery. It is abominable hypocrisy. It is robbing under the very colour of equity.
God claims the authorship of these laws (verses 36, 37).
1. They are worthy of him. He must be infatuated with ignorance or wickedness who would laud the "Roman virtue" in opposition to the "narrow spirit" of the Mosaic code.
2. They were eminently calculated to secure the happiness of the nation at home, and to promote its credit abroad.
3. Let us "observe" the Law of God to understand it, and, understanding, "keep" it. Then happy shall we be. J.A.M.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 the nation will fall to prostitution and the land…
the nation will fall to prostitution and the land will become full of wickedness
Here the words "nation" and "land" represent the people who live there. Many people practicing prostitution and other wicked deeds is spoken of as if the they have fallen into or become full of those things. AT: "the people will begin to practice prostitution and many wicked things" (See: Metonymy and Metaphor)
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translationWords
prostitute
nation
evil
Sabbath
honor
sanctuary
tabernacle
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 19:29 Cp. 21:9; Deut 23:17.
19:29 Cp. 21:9; Deut 23:17.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.