Leviticus 18:1-8

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

2 Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, I the Lord your God.

3 Ye shall not do according to the devices of Egypt, in which ye dwelt: and according to the devices of the land of Chanaan, into which I bring you, ye shall not do; and ye shall not walk in their ordinances.

4 Ye shall observe my judgments, and shall keep my ordinances, and shall walk in them: I the Lord your God.

5 So ye shall keep all my ordinances, and all my judgments, and do them; which if a man do, he shall live in them: I the Lord your God.

6 No man shall draw nigh to any of his near kindred to uncover their nakedness; I the Lord.

7 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, for she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

8 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's wife; it is thy father's nakedness.

Leviticus 18:1-8 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.