Walk in the customs: the verb “to walk” is frequently used in the Scriptures for “behavior” in general (see 18.3, 4). To “walk in the custom” of another people means to behave as they do or to practice their way of living. Some may wish to translate “do not start living the way other people live.”

The nation: as in 18.28, some versions have the plural here (New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible), but since the singular is probably used collectively, the meaning comes out the same.

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René and Ellington, John. A Handbook on Leviticus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1990. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .