Leviticus 19:32
in Leviticus 19You are to rise in the presence of the elderly, honor the aged, and fear your God. I am the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and thou shalt fear thy God: I am Jehovah.
KJV
Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord.
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This verse in Leviticus 19
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThou shall rise up before the hoary head,.... Or "before old age" (q), which may be discerned by the hoary or grey hairs upon the head; that is, before a grey-headed man, or an old man, and one was reckoned so when he was of seventy years of age; for so it is said (r), one of sixty years is arrived to old age, and one of seventy to grey hairs.
This site's exposition
You must not turn to mediums or spiritists
on Leviticus 19:31-32
Mediums and spiritists are first named in Scripture here, and the stated result of seeking them is that "you will be defiled by them". In 1 Samuel 28 a king of Israel does what this verse forbids.
This site's exposition
rise in the presence of the elderly
John Gill reports the rabbinic reckoning that sixty years brought old age and seventy brought gray hair. Albert Barnes notes that the outward respect of standing is tied directly to the fear of God. Matthew Henry grounds it in God as the Ancient of Days.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Age is honourable, and he that is the Ancient of days requires that honour be paid to it. The hoary head is a crown of glory.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Before the hoary head - See Clarke’s note on Gen 48:12.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The outward respect due to old age is here immediately connected with the fear of God. Compare the margin reference.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מִפְּנֵ֤י | mipenei | from before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| שֵׂיבָה֙ | seivah | gray hair | H7872 → | |
| תָּק֔וּם | takum | you will arise | H6965 → | 628 times |
| וְהָדַרְתָּ֖ | vehadarta | and you will honor | H1921 → | |
| פְּנֵ֣י | penei | [the] face | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| זָקֵ֑ן | zaken | an old [person] | H2205 → | 178 times |
| וְיָרֵ֥אתָ | veyareta | and you will fear | H3372 → | 315 times |
| מֵּאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ | meeloheikha | from God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֲנִ֥י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ פ | yahweh | [am] Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
מִפְּנֵ֤יfrom before
mipeneiH6440 →2123 times
שֵׂיבָה֙gray hair
seivahH7872 →
תָּק֔וּםyou will arise
takumH6965 →628 times
וְהָדַרְתָּ֖and you will honor
vehadartaH1921 →
פְּנֵ֣י[the] face
peneiH6440 →2123 times
זָקֵ֑ןan old [person]
zakenH2205 →178 times
וְיָרֵ֥אתָand you will fear
veyaretaH3372 →315 times
מֵּאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָfrom God your
meeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
אֲנִ֥יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
יְהוָֽה׃ פ[am] Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Timothy 5:1Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men as brothers,
it leads to
- 1 Peter 5:5–6
Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Titus 2:2
Older men are to be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, and sound in faith, love, and perseverance.
- Galatians 6:1
Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
- 1 Peter 5:1
As a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and a partaker of the glory to be revealed, I appeal to the elders among you:
- 1 Peter 5:5–6
Through
Proverbs 16:31Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is attained along the path of righteousness.
it leads to
- Proverbs 20:29
The glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old.
- Proverbs 3:1–2
My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;
- Proverbs 20:29
Through
Proverbs 20:29The glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old.
it leads to
- 1 John 2:14
I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,…
- Proverbs 16:31
Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is attained along the path of righteousness.
- 1 John 2:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies24
- Gleaning and the corner of the field
- Overcome Evil with Good
- Be Holy, Because I Am Holy
- Hospitality in Israel and the Early Church
- The Words Philoxenia and Ger
- How Scripture Shapes Christian Ethics
Show the next 6 titles
About Leviticus

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
