Leviticus 20:22-27·~1 min

Distinguish between Clean and Unclean

Israel must keep the LORD’s statutes so the land will not vomit them out as it did the nations, for the LORD is giving them that land and has set them apart from other peoples.

Y²²ou are therefore to keep all My statutes and ordinances, so that the land where I am bringing you to live will not vomit you out. ²³You must not follow the statutes of the nations I am driving out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them. ²⁴But I have told you that you will inherit their land, since I will give it to you as an inheritance — a land flowing with milk and honey. I am the LORD your God, who has set you apart from the peoples.

Israel must distinguish between clean and unclean creatures and remain holy to the LORD, who has separated them for Himself; mediums and spiritists therefore remain under a sentence of death.

²⁵You are therefore to distinguish between clean and unclean animals and birds. Do not become contaminated by any animal or bird, or by anything that crawls on the ground; I have set these apart as unclean for you. ²⁶You are to be holy to Me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be My own. ²⁷A man or a woman who is a medium or spiritist must surely be put to death. They shall be stoned; their blood is upon them.’”

Section summaryThe LORD tells Israel to keep His statutes so the land will not cast them out as it did the nations before them. Their distinct life, including the distinction between clean and unclean, rests on the LORD’s choice to set them apart as His own.

Role in the chapterThis closing section gathers the chapter’s judgments into the larger purpose of Israel’s separation from the nations. It returns from individual penalties to covenant identity, land, and holiness, then ends by restating the sentence on occult practice.