Moses, typically associated with obedience and divine law, here uniquely addresses marriage boundaries, making this one of only two passages where he explicitly regulates intimate family relationships.
Leviticus 18
Prohibited Sexual Relations
1The LORD said to Moses,
2“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘I am the LORD your God.
3You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived. You shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You shall not follow their statutes.
4You shall do my ordinances. You shall keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the LORD your God.
5You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in them. I am the LORD.
6“‘None of you shall approach any close relatives, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.
7“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, nor the nakedness of your mother: she is your mother. You shall not uncover her nakedness.
8“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife. It is your father’s nakedness.
9“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or born abroad.
10“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter, or of your daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness; for theirs is your own nakedness.
11“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, conceived by your father, since she is your sister.
12“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister. She is your father’s near kinswoman.
13“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s near kinswoman.
14“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother. You shall not approach his wife. She is your aunt.
15“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife. You shall not uncover her nakedness.
16“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife. It is your brother’s nakedness.
17“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter. You shall not take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness. They are near kinswomen. It is wickedness.
18“‘You shall not take a wife in addition to her sister, to be a rival, to uncover her nakedness, while her sister is still alive.
19“‘You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.
20“‘You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, and defile yourself with her.
21“‘You shall not give any of your children as a sacrifice to Molech. You shall not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
22“‘You shall not lie with a man as with a woman. That is detestable.
23“‘You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it. No woman may give herself to an animal, to lie down with it: it is a perversion.
24“‘Don’t defile yourselves in any of these things; for in all these the nations which I am casting out before you were defiled.
25The land was defiled. Therefore I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out her inhabitants.
26You therefore shall keep my statutes and my ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the native-born, nor the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you
27(for the men of the land that were before you had done all these abominations, and the land became defiled),
28that the land not vomit you out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.
29“‘For whoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people.
30Therefore you shall keep my requirements, that you do not practice any of these abominable customs which were practiced before you, and that you do not defile yourselves with them. I am the LORD your God.’”
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Theme
Leviticus 18 establishes God's standards for sexual conduct and family relationships, explicitly prohibiting various forms of sexual immorality including incest, adultery, homosexual relations, and bestiality. The chapter frames these laws as distinguishing Israel from the practices of Egypt and Canaan, emphasizing that obedience to God's statutes brings life while disobedience leads to defilement and expulsion from the land. The prohibitions serve to maintain family structure, community holiness, and covenant faithfulness as Israel prepares to enter the Promised Land.
Context
Following the Day of Atonement rituals in chapter 16-17, this chapter begins the Holiness Code that will continue through chapter 26, establishing moral and ethical standards for covenant living.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-5 Divine Authority and Covenant Distinction God commands Israel to reject Egyptian and Canaanite practices and follow His life-giving ordinances instead.
- 6-18 Prohibited Family Relations Detailed prohibitions against sexual relations with close relatives, including parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and in-laws.
- 19-23 Other Sexual Prohibitions Laws against relations during menstruation, adultery, child sacrifice to Molech, homosexual acts, and bestiality.
- 24-30 Consequences of Defilement Warning that these practices defile both people and land, leading to expulsion as happened to previous inhabitants.
Prohibited Sexual Relations
18:1–18:30 law instruction solemn
Comprehensive laws prohibiting various sexual relationships, particularly incestuous unions, distinguishing Israel from surrounding nations. These regulations establish boundaries for sexual conduct that reflect God's holiness and protect family structures.
person_contrast
Moses, typically associated with obedience and divine law, here uniquely addresses marriage boundaries, making this one of only two passages where he explicitly regulates intimate family relationships.
Insights
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Leviticus 18:6 1 reference
Leviticus 18:7 2 references
Lexicals 2
Leviticus 18:9 4 references
Lexicals 4
Leviticus 20:17 Lexical
“‘If a man takes his sister—his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter—and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nak…
Leviticus 20:19 Lexical
“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, nor of your father’s sister, for he has made his close re…
Ezekiel 23:18 Lexical
So she uncovered her prostitution and uncovered her nakedness. Then my soul was alienated from her, just like my soul wa…
Deuteronomy 27:22 Lexical
‘Cursed is he who lies with his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen…
Leviticus 18:10 1 reference
Leviticus 18:11 3 references
Lexicals 3
Leviticus 20:19 Lexical
“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, nor of your father’s sister, for he has made his close re…
Leviticus 20:17 Lexical
“‘If a man takes his sister—his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter—and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nak…
Ezekiel 23:18 Lexical
So she uncovered her prostitution and uncovered her nakedness. Then my soul was alienated from her, just like my soul wa…
Leviticus 18:12 3 references
Lexicals 3
Leviticus 20:19 Lexical
“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, nor of your father’s sister, for he has made his close re…
Leviticus 20:17 Lexical
“‘If a man takes his sister—his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter—and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nak…
Ezekiel 23:18 Lexical
So she uncovered her prostitution and uncovered her nakedness. Then my soul was alienated from her, just like my soul wa…
Leviticus 18:13 3 references
Lexicals 3
Leviticus 20:19 Lexical
“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, nor of your father’s sister, for he has made his close re…
Leviticus 20:17 Lexical
“‘If a man takes his sister—his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter—and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nak…
Ezekiel 23:18 Lexical
So she uncovered her prostitution and uncovered her nakedness. Then my soul was alienated from her, just like my soul wa…
Leviticus 18:14 1 reference
Leviticus 18:17 1 reference
Leviticus 18:18 3 references
Lexicals 3
Leviticus 20:19 Lexical
“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, nor of your father’s sister, for he has made his close re…
Leviticus 20:17 Lexical
“‘If a man takes his sister—his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter—and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nak…
Ezekiel 23:18 Lexical
So she uncovered her prostitution and uncovered her nakedness. Then my soul was alienated from her, just like my soul wa…
Leviticus 18:19 2 references
Leviticus 18:21 1 reference
Leviticus 18:22 1 reference
Leviticus 18:26 5 references
Lexicals 5
Leviticus 16:29 Lexical
“It shall be a statute to you forever: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls…
Numbers 9:14 Lexical
“‘If a foreigner lives among you and desires to keep the Passover to the LORD, then he shall do so according to the stat…
Ezekiel 47:22 Lexical
You shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you and to the aliens who live among you, who will father children amon…
Exodus 12:49 Lexical
One law shall be to him who is born at home, and to the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you.”
Numbers 15:29 Lexical
You shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel, a…
Interlinear
Word-by-word original language
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v. 2
v. 3
v. 4
v. 5
v. 6
v. 7
v. 8
v. 9
v. 10
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v. 21
v. 22
v. 23
v. 24
v. 25
v. 26
v. 27
v. 28
v. 29
v. 30
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