Leviticus 18:13

13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister, for she is near akin to thy mother.

Leviticus 18:13 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 18:13

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister,
&c.] Which is the same relation as before, an aunt by the mother's side; wherefore, if such a marriage was unlawful, this must also, and for the same reason: for she [is] thy mother's near kinswoman;
the same phraseology is used here as in the preceding verse; (See Gill on Leviticus 18:12); and by the same rule a woman might not marry her uncle, whether by father or mother's side, the relation being the same, and this reaches to great-uncle and great-aunt; instances of women marrying their uncles, and men their aunts, among the Heathens, have been given, as among the Persians and Lacedaemonians by Herodotus ^F12, and among the Romans by Tacitus ^F13, but were, in his time, new things with the latter.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 Erato, sive, l. 6. c. 71. Polymnia, sive, l. 7. c. 224, 239.
F13 Annal. l. 12. c. 5, 6, 7.

Leviticus 18:13 In-Context

11 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of the daughter of thy father's wife; she is thy sister by the same father: thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister, for she is near akin to thy father.

13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister, for she is near akin to thy mother.

14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, and thou shalt not go in to his wife; for she is thy relation.

15 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter-in-law, for she is thy son's wife, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.