Leviticus 18:3-13

3 ye shall not do by the custom of the land of Egypt, in which ye dwelled; ye shall not do by the custom of the land of Canaan, to which I shall bring you in, neither ye shall go in the lawful things of them, that is, in the(ir) custom of worshipping (nor shall ye follow their laws, or their custom of worshipping).
4 Ye shall do my dooms, and ye shall keep my behests, and ye shall go in them; I am your Lord God. (Ye shall follow my laws, or my judgements, and ye shall obey my commands, and ye shall walk in them; I am the Lord your God.)
5 Keep ye my laws and dooms, which a man shall do, and he shall live in those; I am your Lord God. (Obey ye my laws and judgements, for those who follow them, shall have life; I am the Lord your God.)
6 A man shall not nigh to a nigh woman of his blood, that he show her filthhood (that he uncover her nakedness/so that they have intercourse); I am the Lord.
7 Thou shalt not discover the filthhood of thy father, and the filthhood of thy mother; she is thy mother, thou shalt not show her filthhood. (Thou shalt not uncover thy father's nakedness, that is, thy mother's nakedness; for she is thy mother, and thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.)
8 Thou shalt not uncover the filthhood of the wife of thy father, for it is the filthhood of thy father. (Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's wife, for her nakedness is for thy father alone.)
9 Thou shalt not show the filthhood of thy sister, of father, either of mother (Thou shalt not uncover thy sister's nakedness, that is, thy father's daughter, or thy mother's daughter), which sister is begotten at home, that is, in wedlock, either withoutforth, that is, out of wedlock.
10 Thou shalt not show the filthhood of the daughter of thy son, either of thy niece, that is, the daughter of thy daughter, for it is thy filthhood. (Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy son's daughter, or thy daughter's daughter, for it is thy own nakedness, that is, they be of thy own flesh.)
11 Thou shalt not show the filthhood of the daughter of the wife of thy father, which she childed to thy father, and she is thy sister. (Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of the daughter of thy father's wife, whom she bare for thy father, for she is thy sister.)
12 Thou shalt not open the filthhood of thy father's sister, for she is the flesh of thy father. (Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister, for she is of thy father's flesh.)
13 Thou shalt not show the filthhood of the sister of thy mother, for she is the flesh of thy mother. (Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister, for she is of thy mother's flesh.)

Leviticus 18:3-13 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.