Leviticus 18:15-25

15 "'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law: she is your son's wife. You shall not uncover her nakedness.

16 "'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife: it is your brother's nakedness.

17 "'You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter. You shall not take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are near kinswomen: it is wickedness.

18 "'You shall not take a wife to her sister, to be a rival, to uncover her nakedness, while her sister is yet alive.

19 "'You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.

20 "'You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor's wife, and defile yourself with her.

21 "'You shall not give any of your children to sacrifice to Molekh; neither shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.

22 "'You shall not lie with a man, as with a woman. That is detestible.

23 "'You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it; neither shall any woman give herself to an animal, to lie down with it: it is a perversion.

24 "'Don't defile yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations which I am casting out before you were defiled.

25 The land was defiled: therefore I punished its iniquity, and the land vomitted out her inhabitants.

Leviticus 18:15-25 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.