Leviticus 18:12-22

12 Do not have intercourse with an aunt, whether she is your father's sister or your mother's sister. ¹

14 Do not have intercourse with your uncle's wife; she, too, is your aunt.

15 Do not have intercourse with your daughter-in-law ²

16 or with your brother's wife. ³

17 Do not have intercourse with the daughter or granddaughter of a woman with whom you have had intercourse; they may be related to you, and that would be incest. ⁴

18 Do not take your wife's sister as one of your wives, as long as your wife is living.

19 Do not have intercourse with a woman during her monthly period, because she is ritually unclean. ⁵

20 Do not have intercourse with another man's wife; that would make you ritually unclean. ⁶

21 Do not hand over any of your children to be used in the worship of the god Molech, because that would bring disgrace on the name of God, the Lord. ⁷

22 No man is to have sexual relations with another man; God hates that. ⁸

Leviticus 18:12-22 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.

Cross References

• 1. 18.12-14Leviticus 20.19, 20.
• 2. 18.15Leviticus 20.12.
• 3. 18.16Leviticus 20.21.
• 4. 18.17Leviticus 20.14;Deuteronomy 27.23.
• 5. 18.19Leviticus 20.18.
• 6. 18.20Leviticus 20.10.
• 7. 18.21Leviticus 20.1-5.
• 8. 18.22Leviticus 20.13.