Leviticus 19:1–2
God asks the whole people to be holy because he is holy
Study it word by word1And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying,
2“Speak to all the community of the sons of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, YHWH your Elohim, am holy.
In its context
…
3Each of you shall fear his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths. I am YHWH your Elohim.
4Do not turn to idols, and gods of cast metal you shall not make for yourselves. I am YHWH your Elohim.
Its words in the original
- יְדַבֵּרyedaber· speak
Speak, talk, say; also promise or command.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- מֹשֶׁהmoshe· Moses
Moses, the man God called to bring Israel out of Egypt and through whom he gave the Law. His name sounds like "draw out" (Exodus 2:10).
- אמֹרmor· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- עֲדַתadat· community
Community: the whole people of Israel gathered as one body; also any gathered group or band.
- בְּנֵיbene· son
Son. In the plural it can include sons and daughters, and also grandsons and descendants. "Son of..." also says what group someone belongs to ("sons of Israel" = Israelites).
- יִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael· Israel
Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.
- קְדֹשִׁיםkedoshim· holy, Holy One
Holy: set apart for God, different from what is common. As a noun, "the Holy One" (God) or holy ones.
- תִּהְיוּtihyu· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- אֱלֹהֵיelohe· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.