Leviticus 20:23 Meaning: When God Abhors a Nation's Ways
You shall not walk in the customs of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
And ye shall not walk in the customs of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
and ye walk not in the statutes of the nation which I am sending away from before you, for all these they have done, and I am wearied with them;
And ye shall not walk in the customs of the nation which I am casting out before you; for all these things have they done, and they became an abomination to me.
Meaning in one sentence
What does it mean that God abhorred the Canaanites? This devotional on Leviticus 20:23 explores holiness, judgment, and why God calls His people to be distinct.
Context
This verse sits in a chapter of Leviticus where God lays out punishments for serious sins, many of them sexual and religious. The chapter ends with a strong call to keep His statutes. Verse 23 is a warning not to copy the practices of the Canaanites, the people God is driving out before Israel. The surrounding verses (22, 26) make the reason clear: obeying God keeps the land from vomiting out its inhabitants the way it did those nations. And God reminds Israel that He separated them from all peoples to be His own holy nation. This is not a command to hate other ethnic groups. It is a command to reject the sinful ways that defined those nations and to live in a way that reflects the holiness of God. The same standard applied to Israel: if they adopted those customs, they too would be cast out.
Key Words
The Hebrew word for "walk" here is halakh, the same word used throughout Scripture for how you live your whole life. It is not about one decision but the direction you keep. The verse says, do not walk in the chuqqot (statutes or customs) of the nations. This word chuqqah means something prescribed, a pattern that becomes second nature. The caution is deep: do not let another way of life become your routine. And the reason given is that God quts, He loathed them. The verb carries the sense of feeling sick, of being repulsed. It is not a casual dislike. God was repulsed by what those nations practiced, and He wanted Israel to feel the same revulsion toward sin. The word points us to the seriousness of choosing our path. Our walk matters, not just our beliefs.
How Christians Read This Verse
Matthew Henry (Reformed) emphasizes that God abhorred the Canaanites because of their sins, and He warns Israel that the same could happen to them. Barnes (Anglican) connects this verse to Leviticus 18, where the land itself is defiled, stressing that God’s holiness requires separation. Gill (Baptist) notes that the "nation" likely refers to the Canaanites or Amorites, and their wickedness was notorious; God’s abhorrence was a just response. The Geneva Bible (Reformed) adds a margin note that the Canaanites were cast out for their abominations, so Israel must not follow them. Across these traditions, there is agreement that God’s abhorrence is rooted in justice and that the call to separation is about holiness, not ethnic pride.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
This week, pay attention to the customs you follow without thinking. Which patterns in your daily life come from the culture around you, and which come from your faith? It might be how you speak to your spouse, how you treat a coworker who wronged you, or what you watch for entertainment. This verse invites you to hold those habits up to God’s standard. Not to become isolated from everyone, but to walk in a way that honors Him. Sometimes that means being different in small, quiet ways. And that difference is not about being better; it is about belonging to a holy God who calls you His own.
Main takeaway: God calls His people to walk in His ways, not because we are better than others, but because He is holy and has set us apart for Himself.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God told His people not to copy the bad things other people did. He wanted them to follow Him instead. You can choose to do what is right, even when others don’t.
For ages 9, 12
In this verse, God tells Israel not to live like the nations around them, because those nations did terrible things and God was repulsed by their sin. God didn’t hate them as people, but He hated what they did. The same is true for us: God calls us to live in a way that is different from the world, not to look down on others, but because we belong to Him. That might mean being honest when it’s easier to lie, or being kind when others are mean. Your life can show what God is like.
Questions People Ask
Does God hate the Canaanites in Leviticus 20:23?
The verse uses the word 'abhorred,' which is very strong. God was repulsed by what the Canaanites did, not by their existence as people. He drove them out because of their persistent sin, not because He hated them as individuals. The same standard applied to Israel if they sinned.
What does 'abhorred' mean in this verse?
The Hebrew word is 'quts,' which means to loathe, to feel sickened or repulsed. It is a visceral reaction, like disgust. God felt this way toward the practices of the Canaanites. It shows how seriously God views sin.
Should Christians today avoid all contact with non-Christians because of this verse?
No. The New Testament teaches believers to be in the world but not of it. Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors. The separation this verse calls for is about not adopting the sinful practices of the surrounding culture. We are called to love people while rejecting sin.
What are the 'customs' or 'statutes' of the nations in Leviticus 20:23?
The context of chapters 18 and 20 shows these customs included things like child sacrifice to Molech, incest, adultery, and other sexual sins. They were practices that destroyed individuals and communities. God wanted Israel to live differently, in a way that honored Him and protected people.
Why does God drive out nations and give their land to Israel?
Deuteronomy 9:5 says it was not because Israel was righteous, but because of the wickedness of those nations. God used Israel as an instrument of judgment. This verse in Leviticus shows that judgment is based on sin, and the land itself was defiled by those practices.
For pastors & researchers
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