Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.
So you must follow my commands and not practice any of these disgusting customs that were done before you came here. Don't make yourselves unclean by doing these things. I am the LORD your God.
God is telling His people to obey His laws and avoid the sinful practices of the nations around them because He is their holy God.
📚 Historical Context
In the historical context, God was giving the Israelites laws through Moses in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt, as they prepared to enter the Promised Land and needed guidance to live differently from the surrounding pagan cultures. These "abominable customs" referred to immoral practices, particularly sexual sins, that were widespread among the Canaanites and other nations the Israelites had encountered or were about to displace. By commanding obedience to His ordinances, God aimed to keep His people holy and set apart, preventing them from adopting behaviors that would defile their relationship with Him.
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