Leviticus 20:11

11 Yf a man lye with his fathers wife ad vncouer his fathers secrettes, they shall both dye for it, their bloude be apon their heedes.

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 Whosoeuer curseth his father or mother, shall dye for it, his bloude on his heed, because he hath cursed his father or mother.
10 He that breaketh wedlocke with another mans wife shall dye for it: because he hath broke wedlocke with his neghbours wife, and so shall she likewise.
11 Yf a man lye with his fathers wife ad vncouer his fathers secrettes, they shall both dye for it, their bloude be apon their heedes.
12 Yf a man lye with his doughter in lawe thei shall dye both of them: they haue wrought abhominacion, their bloud vpon their heedes.
13 Yf a man lye with the mankynde after the maner as with woma kynd, they haue both comitted an abhominacion and shall dye for it. Their bloude be apon their heed.
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