New International Version
Leviticus 19:16
16“ ‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. “ ‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.
Leviticus 19:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Do not spread slanderous gossip among your people. “Do not stand idly by when your neighbor’s life is threatened. I am the Lord.
Context of Leviticus 19:16
14“ ‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord. 15“ ‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. “ ‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. “ ‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord. 17“ ‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. 18“ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
Read all of Leviticus 19Leviticus 19:16 word by word
לֹא־תֵלֵ֤ךְ רָכִיל֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תַעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־דַּ֣ם רֵעֶ֑ךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Leviticus 19:16
- Exodus 23:1“Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.
- Psalms 15:3whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others;
- Proverbs 11:13A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
- Proverbs 20:19A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.
- Jeremiah 6:28They are all hardened rebels, going about to slander. They are bronze and iron; they all act corruptly.
- Jeremiah 9:4“Beware of your friends; do not trust anyone in your clan. For every one of them is a deceiver, and every friend a slanderer.
- Ezekiel 22:9In you are slanderers who are bent on shedding blood; in you are those who eat at the mountain shrines and commit lewd acts.
- 1 Timothy 3:11In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.
- 2 Timothy 3:3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
- 1 Peter 2:1Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
- Exodus 20:16“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
- 1 Kings 21:10But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them bring charges that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”
- Matthew 26:60But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward
- Matthew 27:4“I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
- Acts 6:11Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”
- Acts 24:4But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly.
Commentaries on Leviticus 19:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer - רכיל rachil signifies a trader, a peddler, and is here applied to the person who travels about dealing in scandal and calumny, getting the secrets of every person and family, and retailing them wherever he goes. A more despicable character exists not: such a person is a pest to society, and should be exiled from the habitations of men. Neither shalt thou stand against the blood, etc. - Thou shalt not be as…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Stand against the blood of thy neighbor - Either, to put his life in danger by standing up as his accuser (compare Matthew 26:60); or, to stand by idly when thy neighbor‘s life is in danger. Whichever interpretation we adopt, the clause prohibits that which might interfere with the course of justice.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16You must not go about spreading slander: Imagine a merchant who trades in damaging rumors and accusations. This behavior quickly weakens the valued community spirit in Israel (see Proverbs 11:13; 16:28; 20:19; 26:20; 2 Corinthians 12:20).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1611-16. Ye shall not steal--A variety of social duties are inculcated in this passage, chiefly in reference to common and little-thought-of vices to which mankind are exceedingly prone; such as committing petty frauds, or not scrupling to violate truth in transactions of business, ridiculing bodily infirmities, or circulating stories to the prejudice of others. In opposition to these bad habits, a spirit of humanity and brotherly kindness is strongly…Read the comment
Topics related to Leviticus 19:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Leviticus 19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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