Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.

LEVITICUS 19:26KJV
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Leviticus 19:26 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 19:26 mean?

Leviticus 19:26 tells the Israelites not to eat anything with blood in it and not to practice enchantment or try to tell the future by observing times. The verse gives two clear commands: one about food and one about avoiding certain spiritual practices.

In this verse, God is speaking to the people of Israel through Moses, giving them specific instructions for how to live as His set-apart people. The first part addresses eating habits, likely to set them apart from surrounding nations and for reasons of ritual purity. The second part warns against practices like divination or seeking omens, which were common in other cultures but forbidden for Israel.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 19:26

  • eat (אָכַל, 'akal'): This word means "to eat" in a general sense, but here it is paired with "blood" to specifically forbid consuming meat that still contains blood, a practice linked to pagan rituals or disregard for life in ancient times.
  • blood (דָּם, dam): "Blood" in this context refers to the life force of an animal. The command not to eat blood highlights the special respect for life and the sacredness of blood in Israelite law.
  • enchantment (נָחַשׁ, nachash): This word is often understood as practicing divination or attempting to gain secret knowledge through magical means. The verse forbids turning to such practices for guidance.
  • times (עָנַן, anan): This word is associated with soothsaying or interpreting omens, such as trying to predict the future by watching natural events. The command is to avoid these superstitious practices.

Why Leviticus 19:26 matters

  • Leviticus 19:26 clarifies that Israel was to be different from surrounding nations not just in worship, but in daily habits and spiritual practices.
  • The verse helps clear up that the commands are about both physical actions (eating) and spiritual choices (seeking guidance), showing that both matter to God.
  • This verse fits into a larger section where God gives practical instructions for holy living, emphasizing that obedience covers all areas of life, not just religious rituals.

Where else these words appear

“enchantment” Hebrew H5172 · used in 9 verses

  • Genesis 30:27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.
  • Genesis 44:15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?
  • 2 Kings 17:17 And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

“times” Hebrew H6049 · used in 11 verses

  • Genesis 9:14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
  • Judges 9:37 And Gaal spake again and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim.
  • Isaiah 2:6 Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.