Leviticus 20:11

11 And the man that lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s nakedness; both of them shall surely die; their blood shall be upon them.

Leviticus 20:11 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 20:11

And the man that lieth with his father's wife
Whether she be his mother, or another woman, as the Targum of Jonathan; that is, whether she is his own mother, or a stepmother, or whether he did this in the lifetime of his father, or after his death, or whether she was betrothed or married, it mattered not; according to the Jewish tradition F4, this is a breach of the law, ( Leviticus 18:8 ) ; and a man guilty of this

hath uncovered his father's nakedness;
and which is a foul and shameful piece of wickedness; the penalty follows:

both of them shall be put to death;
by casting stones on them, as the Targum of Jonathan adds; for, as before observed, wherever the following phrase,

their blood [shall be] upon them,
is used, stoning is meant; and so, according to the Misnah F5, all those were to be stoned, after mentioned, of whom this phrase is used.


FOOTNOTES:

F4 Misn. ut supra, (Sanhedrin, c. 7.) sect. 4.
F5 lbid.

Leviticus 20:11 In-Context

9 For any man that curses his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
10 And the man that commits adultery with another man’s wife, he that commits adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely die.
11 And the man that lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s nakedness; both of them shall surely die; their blood shall be upon them.
12 And if a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have wrought mixture; their blood shall be upon them.
13 If a man shall join himself with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010