Leviticus 18:1-7

Unlawful Sexual Relations

1 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2 "Speak to the {Israelites}, and say to them, 'I [am] Yahweh your God.
3 You must not {carry out} the practices of the land of Egypt, in which you lived, and you must not {carry out} the practices of the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you; and you must not follow their statutes.
4 You must {carry out} my regulations, and you must observe my statutes by following them; I [am] Yahweh your God.
5 And you shall observe my statutes and my regulations {by which the person doing them shall live}; I [am] Yahweh.
6 " '{None} [of] you shall approach anyone [who is] {his close relative} to expose nakedness; I [am] Yahweh.
7 You must not expose your father's nakedness or your mother's nakedness--she [is] your mother; you must not expose her nakedness.

Leviticus 18:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 18

In this chapter the Israelites are directed in general not to imitate the customs and practices of the Egyptians and Canaanites, but to keep the ordinances, statutes, and judgments of the Lord, Le 18:1-5; and they are instructed particularly to avoid incestuous marriages, Le 18:6-18; carnal copulation with a menstruous woman, Le 18:19; adultery, Le 18:20; letting any of their seed pass through the fire to Molech, Le 18:21; sodomy, Le 18:22; and bestiality, Le 18:23; and they are deterred from these things by observing to them the pollution and destruction which they brought on the inhabitants of Canaan, and would bring the same on them should they commit them, Le 18:24-30.

Footnotes 11

Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.