Leviticus 19:28

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

You must not slash your body for a dead person or incise a tattoo on yourself. I am the LORD.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְשֶׂ֣רֶט לָנֶ֗פֶשׁ לֹ֤א תִתְּנוּ֙ בִּבְשַׂרְכֶ֔ם וּכְתֹ֣בֶת קֽ͏ַעֲקַ֔ע לֹ֥א תִתְּנ֖וּ בָּכֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה

Transliteration

wə-śereṭ lanepeš lōʾ ṯittənû biḇśarḵem û-ḵəṯōḇeṯ qaʿăqaʿ lōʾ ṯittənû bāḵem ʾănî YHWH

Grammar Details

• *wə-śereṭ*: conjunction + noun, masculine singular - and cutting
• *lanepeš*: preposition + definite article + noun, feminine singular - for the dead/soul
• *lōʾ*: negative particle - not
• *ṯittənû*: Qal imperfect, 2nd masculine plural - you shall make/put
• *biḇśarḵem*: preposition + noun, masculine singular + 2nd masculine plural suffix - in your flesh
• *û-ḵəṯōḇeṯ*: conjunction + noun, feminine singular construct - and writing/marking of
• *qaʿăqaʿ*: noun, masculine singular - tattoo/incision/imprint
• *bāḵem*: preposition + 2nd masculine plural suffix - in you
• *ʾănî*: 1st person singular independent pronoun - I
• *YHWH*: proper noun - the LORD

Word Meanings

• *śereṭ* *lanepeš*: cutting for the dead/incision for a soul/ritual cutting for mourning
• *ḵəṯōḇeṯ* *qaʿăqaʿ*: tattoo marking/permanent writing/indelible inscription

Referenced Verses

• Deut 14:1 : 1 The Holy and the Profane You are children of the LORD your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave your forehead bald for the sake of the dead.
• 1 Kgs 18:28 : 28 So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual, mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood.
• Jer 16:6 : 6 Rich and poor alike will die in this land. They will not be buried or mourned. People will not cut their bodies or shave off their hair to show their grief for them.
• Jer 48:37 : 37 For all of them will shave their heads in mourning. They will all cut off their beards to show their sorrow. They will all make gashes in their hands. They will all put on sackcloth.
• Lev 21:5 : 5 Priests must not have a bald spot shaved on their head, they must not shave the corner of their beard, and they must not cut slashes in their body.
• Lev 21:1 : 1 Rules for the Priests The LORD said to Moses:“Say to the priests, the sons of Aaron– say to them,‘For a dead person no priest is to defile himself among his people,
• Rev 15:2 : 2 Then I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and his image and the number of his name. They were standing by the sea of glass, holding harps given to them by God.
• Rev 16:2 : 2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Then ugly and painful sores appeared on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.
• Rev 19:20 : 20 Now the beast was seized, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf– signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur.
• Rev 20:4 : 4 Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
• Mark 5:5 : 5 Each night and every day among the tombs and in the mountains, he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
• Rev 13:16-17 : 16 He also caused everyone(small and great, rich and poor, free and slave) to obtain a mark on their right hand or on their forehead. 17 Thus no one was allowed to buy or sell things unless he bore the mark of the beast– that is, his name or his number.
• Rev 14:9 : 9 A third angel followed the first two, declaring in a loud voice:“If anyone worships the beast and his image, and takes the mark on his forehead or his hand,
• Rev 14:11 : 11 And the smoke from their torture will go up forever and ever, and those who worship the beast and his image will have no rest day or night, along with anyone who receives the mark of his name.”