Leviticus 26:2
New International Version
“’Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD.

New Living Translation
You must keep my Sabbath days of rest and show reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD.

English Standard Version
You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible
You must keep My Sabbaths and have reverence for My sanctuary. I am the LORD.

King James Bible
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

New King James Version
You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
You shall keep My Sabbaths and revere My sanctuary; I am the LORD.

NASB 1995
‘You shall keep My sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary; I am the LORD.

NASB 1977
‘You shall keep My sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary; I am the LORD.

Legacy Standard Bible
You shall keep My sabbaths and fear My sanctuary; I am Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
You shall keep My Sabbaths and have reverence for My sanctuary. I am the LORD.

Christian Standard Bible
Keep my Sabbaths and revere my sanctuary; I am the LORD.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You must keep My Sabbaths and revere My sanctuary; I am Yahweh.”

American Standard Version
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am Jehovah.

Contemporary English Version
Respect the Sabbath and honor the place where I am worshiped, because I am the LORD.

English Revised Version
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Observe my days of worship and respect my holy tent. I am the LORD.

Good News Translation
Keep the religious festivals and honor the place where I am worshiped. I am the LORD.

International Standard Version
"You are to keep my Sabbath and fear my sanctuary. I am the LORD.

Majority Standard Bible
You must keep My Sabbaths and have reverence for My sanctuary. I am the LORD.

NET Bible
You must keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary. I am the LORD.

New Heart English Bible
"'You shall keep my Sabbaths, and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

World English Bible
“‘You shall keep my Sabbaths, and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am Yahweh.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
You keep My Sabbaths and you revere My sanctuary; I [am] YHWH.

Young's Literal Translation
My sabbaths ye do keep, and My sanctuary ye do reverence; I am Jehovah.

Smith's Literal Translation
Ye shall watch my Sabbaths, and ye shall fear my holy place: I Jehovah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Observe my Sabbaths, and be fearful toward my Sanctuary. I am the Lord.

New American Bible
Keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary. I am the LORD.

New Revised Standard Version
You shall keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
You shall keep my commandments and reverence my sanctuary; I am the LORD.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Keep my commands and reverence my Holy Place; I AM LORD JEHOVAH.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Ye shall keep My sabbaths, and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuaries: I am the Lord.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Blessings of Obedience
1“You must not make idols for yourselves or set up a carved image or sacred pillar; you must not place a sculpted stone in your land to bow down to it. For I am the LORD your God. 2 You must keep My Sabbaths and have reverence for My sanctuary. I am the LORD. 3If you follow My statutes and carefully keep My commandments,…

Cross References
Exodus 20:8-11
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. / Six days you shall labor and do all your work, / but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates. ...

Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. / Six days you shall labor and do all your work, / but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox or donkey or any of your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do. ...

Isaiah 56:2
Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

Ezekiel 20:12
I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between us, so that they would know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.

Ezekiel 20:20
Keep My Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us, so that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’

Matthew 12:8
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Mark 2:27-28
Then Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. / Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Luke 6:5
Then Jesus declared, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Hebrews 4:9-10
There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. / For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His.

Exodus 31:13
“Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep My Sabbaths, for this will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.

Exodus 31:16-17
The Israelites must keep the Sabbath, celebrating it as a permanent covenant for the generations to come. / It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’”

Nehemiah 9:14
You revealed to them Your holy Sabbath and gave them commandments and statutes and laws through Your servant Moses.

Isaiah 58:13-14
If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the LORD’s holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words, / then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Jeremiah 17:21-22
This is what the LORD says: Take heed for yourselves; do not carry a load or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. / You must not carry a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath day, but you must keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I commanded your forefathers.

Jeremiah 17:24-25
If, however, you listen carefully to Me, says the LORD, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, and keep the Sabbath day holy, and do no work on it, / then kings and princes will enter through the gates of this city. They will sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses with their officials, along with the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever.


Treasury of Scripture

You shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19:30
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

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Holy Honour Observe Reverence Sabbaths Sanctuary
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Holy Honour Observe Reverence Sabbaths Sanctuary
Leviticus 26
1. Of idolatry
2. Reverence
3. A blessing to those who keep the commandments
14. A curse to those who break them
40. God promises to remember those who repent














You must keep
The phrase "You must keep" is a directive that implies a continuous, active engagement. The Hebrew root word here is "שָׁמַר" (shamar), which means to guard, watch, or preserve. This suggests not just a passive observance but an active, intentional safeguarding of what follows. In the context of ancient Israel, this was a call to vigilance and dedication, ensuring that the practices and commandments given by God were upheld with sincerity and diligence.

My Sabbaths
The term "Sabbaths" comes from the Hebrew "שַׁבָּת" (shabbat), meaning rest or cessation. The Sabbath was instituted as a day of rest on the seventh day, commemorating God's rest after creation (Genesis 2:2-3). It was a sign of the covenant between God and Israel, a reminder of their deliverance from Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15). The plural form here indicates not only the weekly Sabbath but also the sabbatical years and other holy convocations. Observing the Sabbath was a declaration of trust in God's provision and a recognition of His sovereignty over time and creation.

and have reverence
The phrase "have reverence" is derived from the Hebrew "יָרֵא" (yare), which means to fear, respect, or stand in awe. This is not a fear of terror but a profound respect and honor. Reverence for God’s sanctuary was a reflection of the Israelites' relationship with God, acknowledging His holiness and their own need for purity and devotion. It was a call to approach God with humility and respect, recognizing His presence and authority.

for My sanctuary
"Sanctuary" in Hebrew is "מִקְדָּשׁ" (miqdash), meaning a holy place or sacred space. The sanctuary was the physical representation of God's dwelling among His people, first in the tabernacle and later in the temple. It was the center of worship and the place where sacrifices were made. Reverence for the sanctuary was essential because it symbolized God's holiness and His desire to be in relationship with His people. It was a place set apart for divine encounter and worship.

I am the LORD
This declaration, "I am the LORD," uses the Hebrew "יְהוָה" (YHWH), the personal name of God revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). It is a reminder of God's eternal, self-existent nature and His covenant relationship with Israel. This statement underscores the authority behind the commandments and the reason for obedience. It is a call to recognize God's ultimate authority and to respond in faithfulness and devotion. The phrase serves as a powerful reminder of God's identity and His rightful place as the sovereign ruler and redeemer of His people.

(2) Ye shall keep my sabbaths . . . --This is exactly the same precept laid down in chap 19:30, and is here repeated because of the danger of desecrating the Sabbath to which the Israelite is exposed who sells himself to a heathen. The Israelite will effectually guard against idol-worship, by keeping the Sabbath holy, and reverencing God's sanctuary.

Verse 2. - Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord. These words are repeated textually from chapter Leviticus 19:30.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You must keep
תִּשְׁמֹ֔רוּ (tiš·mō·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

My Sabbaths
שַׁבְּתֹתַ֣י (šab·bə·ṯō·ṯay)
Noun - common plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 7676: Intermission, the Sabbath

and show reverence for
תִּירָ֑אוּ (tî·rā·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

My sanctuary.
וּמִקְדָּשִׁ֖י (ū·miq·dā·šî)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4720: A consecrated thing, place, a palace, sanctuary, asylum

I
אֲנִ֖י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

am the LORD.
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT Law: Leviticus 26:2 You shall keep my Sabbaths and have (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 26:1
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