Leviticus 18:14-24

14 You may not have sex relations with the wife of your father's brother, for she is of your family;

15 Or with your daughter-in-law, for she is your son's wife, and you may not take her.

16 You may not have sex relations with your brother's wife, for she is your brother's.

17 You may not take as wife a woman and her daughter, or her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter, for they are of one family: it is an act of shame.

18 And you may not take as wife a woman and at the same time her sister, to be in competition with her in her life-time.

19 And you may not go near a woman or have sex relations with her when she is unclean, at her regular time.

20 And you may not have sex relations with your neighbour's wife, making yourself unclean with her.

21 And you may not make any of your children go through the fire as an offering to Molech, and you may not put shame on the name of your God: I am the Lord.

22 You may not have sex relations with men, as you do with women: it is a disgusting thing.

23 And you may not have sex relations with a beast, making yourself unclean with it; and a woman may not give herself to a beast: it is an unnatural act.

24 Do not make yourself unclean in any of these ways; for so have those nations whom I am driving out from before you made themselves unclean:

Leviticus 18:14-24 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.