What is the meaning of Leviticus 19:19?

You are to keep My statutes.

God begins with a sweeping call to obedience, anchoring every specific command that follows.

• This is not a suggestion but a mandate grounded in His authority and character (Leviticus 19:37).

• Jesus echoes the same principle: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

• Obedience is the believer’s practical response to God’s holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16).

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You shall not crossbreed two different kinds of livestock;

The Creator set fixed boundaries in Genesis 1, repeatedly stating that creatures reproduce “according to their kinds” (Genesis 1:24-25).

• Mixing species blurs those God-ordained lines, so Israel was told to refrain.

• A related command forbids yoking an ox and a donkey together (Deuteronomy 22:10), underscoring that differing natures produce hardship and disorder.

• Spiritually, the principle warns against alliances that compromise purity (2 Corinthians 6:14).

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you shall not sow your fields with two kinds of seed;

Agriculturally, mixed seed complicates harvest and weakens yield. God tied this prohibition to the health and holiness of the land (Deuteronomy 22:9).

• Practically, an Israelite farmer’s field testified to set-apart living; neighbors could see the difference.

• Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the weeds (Matthew 13:24-30) portrays the danger of mingling truth and error—an echo of this same concern for purity.

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and you shall not wear clothing made of two kinds of material.

Garments symbolized identity; mixed fabrics blurred visual distinctions established by God (Deuteronomy 22:11).

• Linen and wool, for instance, come from entirely different sources—plant and animal—mirroring the larger theme of separation.

• Revelation 19:8 pictures the church clothed in “fine linen, bright and pure,” illustrating that righteousness is unmixed and undefiled.

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summary

Leviticus 19:19 strings together ordinary-sounding rules that point to an extraordinary truth: God calls His people to visible, tangible holiness. From livestock and seed to fabric and daily obedience, He insists on clear lines that honor His created order, protect community health, and model spiritual integrity. The timeless lesson remains: wholehearted devotion avoids compromising mixtures, cherishes God’s boundaries, and delights in keeping His statutes.