Lexical Summary seret: Incision, cut, gash Original Word: שֶׂרֶט Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cutting And sareteth {saw-reh'-teth}; from sarat; an incision -- cutting. see HEBREW sarat Brown-Driver-Briggs שֶׂ֫רֶט noun [masculine] incision; — absolute לָנֶפֶשׁ לֹא ׳וְשׂ תִתְּנוּ בִּבְשַׂרְכֶם Leviticus 19:28. [שָׂרֶ֫טֶת] noun feminine id. (Ba§ 93 α β; — שָׂרָ֑טֶת Leviticus 21:5, see verb Qal. שָׂרַי see below שׂרר. שְׂרָיָה(וּׅ see below I. שׂרה. above Topical Lexicon Definition and ScopeStrong’s 8296 refers to a deliberate incision or gouge made in the flesh. Scripture places it among the ritualized body-cutting customs of Israel’s pagan neighbors, practices linked to idolatry, mourning for the dead, and efforts to manipulate the gods. The verb idea stresses a purposeful mark rather than an accidental wound. Occurrences “You are not to make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.” (Berean Standard Bible) “They must not shave their heads or shave off the edges of their beards or make cuts in their bodies.” (Berean Standard Bible) Though limited to two explicit uses, the word stands within a larger Pentateuchal concern that God’s people remain distinct from Canaanite cultic rites (compare Deuteronomy 14:1). Cultural Background Ancient Near Eastern funerary and fertility worship often included self-laceration: • To appease or awaken a deity (see the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:28). These ceremonies assumed the gods would respond to extreme bodily sacrifice. Israel’s covenant code counters this worldview by grounding worship in divine revelation rather than human manipulation. Theological Significance 1. Sanctity of the Body By forbidding שֶׂרֶט, the Lord affirms that the body is His creation and possession (Genesis 1:27; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20). Self-harm for religious ends implies ownership humans do not possess. 2. Holiness and Separation Both contexts (the general populace in Leviticus 19 and the priesthood in Leviticus 21) embed the command within calls to be “holy, because I, the LORD, am holy.” External distinction mirrors internal consecration; Israel’s bodies become living testimonies of divine exclusivity. 3. Rejection of Works-Based Appeasement Physical mutilation presumes that enhanced suffering secures divine attention. Biblical revelation consistently negates such thinking, centering righteousness on God’s grace and prescribed sacrifice rather than human-engineered rituals (Micah 6:7–8; Ephesians 2:8–9). New Testament Parallels While שֶׂרֶט does not appear in the New Testament, parallel themes surface: • Colossians 2:23 warns against “self-imposed worship” and “harsh treatment of the body,” practices that “lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.” Pastoral and Ministry Implications 1. Human Worth and Self-Harm Modern self-cutting, though psychologically driven rather than cultic, still contradicts the truth that believers are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). Pastoral care should connect emotional pain with the gospel’s healing, steering sufferers from self-injury toward Christ’s woundedness on their behalf (Isaiah 53:4–5). 2. Discernment in Body Modification While contemporary tattoos differ contextually, Leviticus 19:28 cautions that body markings can carry theological messages. Believers must ask whether any permanent alteration glorifies God or blurs the distinction He intends for His people (1 Corinthians 10:31). 3. Worship That Honors God’s Design Church liturgy and personal devotion should avoid practices that echo manipulative or sensationalistic rites. Authentic worship flows from obedient hearts, not from bodily extremes designed to earn divine favor. Key Themes for Reflection • Holiness involves both inner devotion and outward practice. Forms and Transliterations וְשֶׂ֣רֶט ושרט שָׂרָֽטֶת׃ שרטת׃ śā·rā·ṭeṯ saRatet śārāṭeṯ veSeret wə·śe·reṭ wəśereṭLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Leviticus 19:28 HEB: וְשֶׂ֣רֶט לָנֶ֗פֶשׁ לֹ֤א NAS: You shall not make any cuts in your body KJV: any cuttings in your flesh INT: cuts the dead nor Leviticus 21:5 2 Occurrences |
    |