Leviticus 18

1 ADONAI said to Moshe,
2 "Speak to the people of Isra'el; tell them, 'I am ADONAI your God.
3 You are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Egypt, where you used to live; and you are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Kena'an, where I am bringing you; nor are you to live by their laws.
4 You are to obey my rulings and laws and live accordingly; I am ADONAI your God.
5 You are to observe my laws and rulings; if a person does them, he will have life through them; I am ADONAI.
6 "'None of you is to approach anyone who is a close relative in order to have sexual relations; I am ADONAI.
7 You are not to have sexual relations with your father, and you are not to have sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother -do not have sexual relations with her.
8 You are not to have sexual relations with your father's wife; that is your father's prerogative.
9 You are not to have sexual relations with your sister, the daughter of your father or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or elsewhere. Do not have sexual relations with them.
10 You are not to have sexual relations with your son's daughter or with your daughter's daughter. Do not have sexual relations with them, because their sexual disgrace will be your own.
11 You are not to have sexual relations with your father's wife's daughter, born to your father, because she is your sister; do not have sexual relations with her.
12 You are not to have sexual relations with your father's sister, because she is your father's close relative.
13 You are not to have sexual relations with your mother's sister, because she is your mother's close relative.
14 You are not to disgrace your father's brother by having sexual relations with his wife, because she is your aunt.
15 You are not to have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law; because she is your son's wife. Do not have sexual relations with her.
16 You are not to have sexual relations with your brother's wife, because this is your brother's prerogative.
17 "'You are not to have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter, nor are you to have sexual relations with her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter; they are close relatives of hers, and it would be shameful.
18 You are not to take a woman to be a rival with her sister and have sexual relations with her while her sister is still alive.
19 You are not to approach a woman in order to have sexual relations with her when she is unclean from her time of niddah.
20 You are not to go to bed with your neighbor's wife and thus become unclean with her.
21 "'You are not to let any of your children be sacrificed to Molekh, thereby profaning the name of your God; I am ADONAI.
22 "'You are not to go to bed with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination.
23 "'You are not to have sexual relations with any kind of animal and thus become unclean with it; nor is any woman to present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; it is perversion.
24 "'Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, because all the nations which I am expelling ahead of you are defiled with them.
25 The land has become unclean, and this is why I am punishing it - the land itself will vomit out its inhabitants.
26 But you are to keep my laws and rulings and not engage in any of these disgusting practices, neither the citizen nor the foreigner living with you;
27 for the people of the land have committed all these abominations, and the land is now defiled.
28 If you make the land unclean, it will vomit you out too, just as it is vomiting out the nation that was there before you.
29 For those who engage in any of these disgusting practices, whoever they may be, will be cut off from their people.
30 So keep my charge not to follow any of these abominable customs that others before you have followed and thus defile yourselves by doing them. I am ADONAI your God.'"

Leviticus 18 Commentary

Chapter 18

Unlawful marriages and fleshly lusts.

- Here is a law against all conformity to the corrupt usages of the heathen. Also laws against incest, against brutal lusts, and barbarous idolatries; and the enforcement of these laws from the ruin of the Canaanites. God here gives moral precepts. Close and constant adherence to God's ordinances is the most effectual preservative from gross sin. The grace of God only will secure us; that grace is to be expected only in the use of the means of grace. Nor does He ever leave any to their hearts' lusts, till they have left him and his services.

Chapter Summary

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.

Leviticus 18 Commentaries

Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.