John Calvin Commentary Leviticus 18:24

"Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out from before you;" — Leviticus 18:24 (ASV)

Defile not yourselves in any of these things. An old proverb⁶² says that good laws have sprung from evil habits; and God reminds us that for this reason He has been specifically moved to address these disgusting and wicked things, because the monstrosities He mentions would have remained hidden in eternal silence if necessity had not compelled Him to bring them to light.

But since the Canaanite nations had advanced to such a level of licentiousness that the enormous sins, which otherwise would have been better hidden, had become all too familiar through their wicked habits, God warns His people to beware of their destructive examples. First, when He says that these abominations prevailed among the Gentiles, He indicates that evil habits are by no means an excuse; indeed, public agreement is uselessly claimed in defense of vice.

But to better deter His people from imitating these nations, He sets before their eyes the vengeance He is about to inflict. It is true, indeed, that the nations of Canaan were destroyed for other reasons, but it is not without cause that He highlights this reason among the others, for undoubtedly God was offended by such pollutions.

⁶² See vol. 2, p. 281, and , and note..