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What is Leviticus 19 28?

Per Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves.” Historically, scholars have often understood this as a warning against pagan practices of mourning.

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Tattoos have been around for millennia. People got them at least five thousand years ago. Today they’re common everywhere from Maori communities in New Zealand to office parks in Ohio. But in the ancient Middle East, the writers of the Hebrew Bible forbade tattooing. Per Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves.” Historically, scholars have often understood this as a warning against pagan practices of mourning. But language scholar John Huehnergard and ancient-Israel expert Harold Liebowitz argue that tattooing was understood differently in ancient times. Egyptian captives were branded with the name of a god, marking them as belongings of the priests or pharaoh. Huehnergard and Liebowitz note that the appearance of the ban on incisions—or tattoos—comes right after words clearly related to mourning, perhaps confirming the original theory. And yet, looking at what’s known about death rituals in ancient Mesopotamia, Syria, Israel, and Egypt, they find no references to marking the skin as a sign of mourning. They also note that there are other examples in Leviticus and Exodus where two halves of a verse address different issues. So that could be the case here, too. What tattoos were apparently often used for in ancient Mesopotamia was marking enslaved people (and, in Egypt, as decorations for women of all social classes). Egyptian captives were branded with the name of a god, marking them as belongings of the priests or pharaoh. But devotees might also be branded with the name of the god they worshiped. Huehnergard and Liebowitz suggest that, given the key role of the escape from Egyptian bondage in ancient Jewish law, the Torah originally banned tattooing because it was “the symbol of servitude.” Interestingly, though, they write that there’s one other apparent reference to tattooing in the Hebrew Bible. Isaiah 44:5 describes the children of Jacob committing themselves to God: “One shall say, ‘I am the LORD’s’… Another shall mark his arm ‘of the LORD.’” Here a tattoo appears to be allowable as a sign of submission, not to a human master but to God. You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the provided link on any marketing message. Δ Ancient rabbinic debates produced a variety of different theories about the meaning of the prohibition on tattooing. Some authorities believed that tattoos were only disallowed if they had certain messages, such as the name of God, the phrase “I am the Lord,” or the name of a pagan deity. Talmudic law developed around 200 CE says that a tattoo is only disallowed if it is done “for the purpose of idolatry”—but not if it’s intended to mark a person’s enslaved status. The meaning of the prohibition on tattooing may have shifted over time, of course. But in ancient times, it might never have been about mourning practices at all.

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What does God say about depression?

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” The Good News: While depression can make you feel lonely, God is still there with you. And he's not going anywhere.

When you're dealing with depression, it can sometimes be overwhelming or intimidating to seek help. After all, not everyone who has depression has the same symptoms. Whether you're experiencing sadness, a loss of interest in life, or noticing changes in your sleep, appetite, or energy levels, being honest and open about your mental health is often the first step to finding relief. And what's more: Having depression is nothing to be ashamed of. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 6.7 percent of the adult population has likely dealt with depression at some point in their lives. It's important to know you're not alone and that there are valuable, effective resources out there that can help treat depression, from therapy to medication. There are also crisis hotlines available via chat, text, and phone that can help guide you to resources as well. If you are a religious person, turning to the Bible in times of struggle might come naturally to you, too. If reading Bible verses for inspiration, looking to Bible verses about anxiety, or saying prayers to help ease anxiety has helped you in the past, knowing there are Bible verses that address depression could be helpful as well. Memorizing, reciting, or reflecting on these verses could be a great addition to seeking mental health counseling from professionals. No matter what, knowing that God loves you just as you are, regardless of what you are feeling or experiencing in life, is the most important thing. Here are 18 Bible verses to remind you of just that.

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