Leviticus 18:6-23
Lexham English Bible
6 “‘None[a] of you shall approach anyone who is his close relative[b] to expose nakedness; I am Yahweh. 7 You must not expose your father’s nakedness or[c] your mother’s nakedness—she is your mother; you must not expose her nakedness. 8 You must not expose the nakedness of your father’s wife—it is your father’s nakedness. 9 As for your sister’s nakedness, whether your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether born at home[d] or born abroad,[e] you must not expose their nakedness. 10 As for the nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, you must not expose their nakedness, because they are your nakedness. 11 As for the nakedness of the daughter of your father’s wife, she is your sister, a relative of your father; you must not expose her nakedness. 12 You must not expose the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s close relative.[f] 13 You must not expose the nakedness of your mother’s sister, because she is your mother’s close relative.[g] 14 You must not expose the nakedness of your father’s brother; you must not have sex with[h] his wife—she is your aunt. 15 You must not expose your daughter-in-law’s nakedness; she is your son’s wife; you must not expose her nakedness. 16 You must not expose the nakedness of your brother’s wife; she is your brother’s nakedness. 17 You must not expose the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, or her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter; you must not take her as wife[i] to expose her nakedness; they are close relatives[j]—that is wickedness. 18 And you must not take as wife[k] a woman with her sister, to be a rival-wife, to expose her nakedness before her during[l] her life.
19 “‘And you must not have sex with[m] a woman to expose her nakedness during[n] her menstrual uncleanness. 20 And you must not have sex[o] with your fellow citizen’s[p] wife, becoming unclean with her.
21 “‘And you shall not give any of[q] your offspring[r] in order to sacrifice them to Molech, nor[s] shall you profane the name of your God; I am Yahweh. 22 And you shall not lie with a male as lying with[t] a woman; that is a detestable thing. 23 And you shall not have sexual relations[u] with any animal, becoming unclean with it; and a woman shall not stand before[v] an animal to copulate with it—that is a perversion.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Leviticus 18:6 Literally “a man a man … not”
- Leviticus 18:6 Literally “the flesh of his body”
- Leviticus 18:7 Or “and”
- Leviticus 18:9 Literally “a relative of house”
- Leviticus 18:9 Literally “a relative of an outside place”
- Leviticus 18:12 Literally “the flesh of your father”
- Leviticus 18:13 Literally “the flesh of your mother”
- Leviticus 18:14 Literally “approach”
- Leviticus 18:17 The verb לקח is used to speak of marrying (“taking a wife”)
- Leviticus 18:17 Literally “flesh”; see vv. 6, 12, 13
- Leviticus 18:18 The verb לקח is used to speak of marrying (“taking a wife”)
- Leviticus 18:18 Literally “in”
- Leviticus 18:19 Literally “approach”
- Leviticus 18:19 Literally “in”
- Leviticus 18:20 Literally “you shall not give your lying down for semen”
- Leviticus 18:20 Or “neighbor’s”
- Leviticus 18:21 Literally “from”
- Leviticus 18:21 Or “descendants”
- Leviticus 18:21 Or “and not”
- Leviticus 18:22 Literally “of”
- Leviticus 18:23 Literally “give your lying down”
- Leviticus 18:23 Literally “to the faces of”
Leviticus 18:6-23
International Standard Version
6 “A person is not to approach a near blood relative for sexual relations.[a] I am the Lord.
7 “Neither your father’s nakedness nor your mother’s nakedness is to be exposed. She’s your mother, so you are not to have sexual relations with her.
8 “You are not to have sexual relations with your father’s wife. It’s your own father’s nakedness.
9 “You are not to have sexual relations with your sister, whether she’s your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she’s born in your home or outside your home. You are not to have sexual relations with her.
10 “You are not to have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter. You are not to have sexual relations with them, because their nakedness is your own nakedness.
11 “You are not to have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife. Born of your father, she’s your sister, so you are not to have sexual relations with her.
12 “You are not to have sexual relations with your father’s sister. She’s your father’s near blood relative.
13 “You are not to have sexual relations with your mother’s sister. She’s your mother’s near blood relative.
14 “You are not to expose the nakedness of your father’s brother by having sexual relations with his wife. She’s your aunt.
15 “You are not to expose the nakedness of your daughter-in-law. She’s the wife of your son. You are not to have sexual relations with her.
16 “You are not to have sexual relations with your brother’s wife. She’s the nakedness of your brother.
17 “You are not to have sexual relations with a woman and her daughter.
“You are not to have sexual relations with her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter. They’re near blood relatives. It’s wickedness.
18 “You are not to marry a woman and then have sexual relations with her sister as a rival when your wife[b] is still alive.
19 “You are not to approach a menstruating woman to have sexual relations with her.[c]
20 “You are not to have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife and thereby become ceremonially unclean with her.”
Child Sacrifice Prohibited
21 “You are not to present any of your children to Molech as a sacrifice.[d] That way, you won’t defile the name of your God.”
Same Sex Unions Prohibited
“I am the Lord. 22 You are not to have sexual relations[e] with a male as you would with a woman. It’s detestable.”
Sexual Relations with Animals Prohibited
23 “You are not to present yourself to an animal in order to have sexual relations with it and by doing so to defile yourself. A woman is not to present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it. It’s detestable.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Leviticus 18:6 Lit. relative to expose nakedness, and so throughout the chapter
- Leviticus 18:18 Lit. when she
- Leviticus 18:19 The Heb. lacks to have sexual relations with her
- Leviticus 18:21 Lit. to Molech to pass through; i.e. to incinerate an infant as a fire sacrifice
- Leviticus 18:22 Lit. to lie down, and so throughout the chapter
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