Leviticus 20:11

11 If a man sleepeth with his step-dame, and showeth his father's shame, both they die by death; their blood be on them. (If a man sleepeth with his step-mother, and uncovereth her nakedness, which is for his father alone, they both shall be put to death; their blood be on 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 Therefore he that curseth his father, either mother, die he by death; if a man curseth his father and mother, his blood be on him. (He who curseth his father, or his mother, shall be put to death; if a man curseth his father, or his mother, his blood be on him.)

10 If a man doeth lechery with another man's wife, and doeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, both the adulterer and the adulteress die they by death. (If a man doeth lechery with another man's wife, yea, if he doeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death.)

11 If a man sleepeth with his step-dame, and showeth his father's shame, both they die by death; their blood be on them. (If a man sleepeth with his step-mother, and uncovereth her nakedness, which is for his father alone, they both shall be put to death; their blood be on them.)

12 If any man sleepeth with his son's wife, ever either die, for they have wrought great sin (they both shall be put to death, for they have done a great sin); their blood be on them.

13 If a man sleepeth with a man, by lechery of a woman, ever either hath wrought unleaveful thing, die they by death; their blood be on them. (If a man sleepeth with a man, like in fleshly coupling with a woman, they both have done an unlawful thing, and they both shall be put to death; their blood be on them.)