Worthy.Bible » Parallel » Leviticus » Chapter 18

Leviticus 18:1-30 King James Version (KJV)

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God.

3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.

4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.

5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.

6 None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.

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

8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.

9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

10 The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness.

11 The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kinswoman.

13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy mother's near kinswoman.

14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.

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

16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness.

17 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness.

18 Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.

19 Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.

20 Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbor's wife, to defile thyself with her.

21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:

25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:

27 (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)

28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.

29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 18:1-30 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559

2 Speak H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and say H559 unto them, I am the LORD H3068 your God. H430

3 After the doings H4639 of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 wherein ye dwelt, H3427 shall ye not do: H6213 and after the doings H4639 of the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 whither I bring H935 you, shall ye not do: H6213 neither shall ye walk H3212 in their ordinances. H2708

4 Ye shall do H6213 my judgments, H4941 and keep H8104 mine ordinances, H2708 to walk H3212 therein: I am the LORD H3068 your God. H430

5 Ye shall therefore keep H8104 my statutes, H2708 and my judgments: H4941 which H834 if a man H120 do, H6213 he shall live H2425 in them: I am the LORD. H3068

6 None of you shall approach H7126 to any H376 that is near H7607 of kin H1320 to him, to uncover H1540 their nakedness: H6172 I am the LORD. H3068

7 The nakedness H6172 of thy father, H1 or the nakedness H6172 of thy mother, H517 shalt thou not uncover: H1540 she is thy mother; H517 thou shalt not uncover H1540 her nakedness. H6172

8 The nakedness H6172 of thy father's H1 wife H802 shalt thou not uncover: H1540 it is thy father's H1 nakedness. H6172

9 The nakedness H6172 of thy sister, H269 the daughter H1323 of thy father, H1 or daughter H1323 of thy mother, H517 whether she be born H4138 at home, H1004 or born H4138 abroad, H2351 even their nakedness H6172 thou shalt not uncover. H1540

10 The nakedness H6172 of thy son's H1121 daughter, H1323 or of thy daughter's H1323 daughter, H1323 even their nakedness H6172 thou shalt not uncover: H1540 for theirs H2007 is thine own nakedness. H6172

11 The nakedness H6172 of thy father's H1 wife's H802 daughter, H1323 begotten H4138 of thy father, H1 she is thy sister, H269 thou shalt not uncover H1540 her nakedness. H6172

12 Thou shalt not uncover H1540 the nakedness H6172 of thy father's H1 sister: H269 she is thy father's H1 near kinswoman. H7607

13 Thou shalt not uncover H1540 the nakedness H6172 of thy mother's H517 sister: H269 for she is thy mother's H517 near kinswoman. H7607

14 Thou shalt not uncover H1540 the nakedness H6172 of thy father's H1 brother, H251 thou shalt not approach H7126 to his wife: H802 she is thine aunt. H1733

15 Thou shalt not uncover H1540 the nakedness H6172 of thy daughter in law: H3618 she is thy son's H1121 wife; H802 thou shalt not uncover H1540 her nakedness. H6172

16 Thou shalt not uncover H1540 the nakedness H6172 of thy brother's H251 wife: H802 it is thy brother's H251 nakedness. H6172

17 Thou shalt not uncover H1540 the nakedness H6172 of a woman H802 and her daughter, H1323 neither shalt thou take H3947 her son's H1121 daughter, H1323 or her daughter's H1323 daughter, H1323 to uncover H1540 her nakedness; H6172 for they are her near kinswomen: H7608 it is wickedness. H2154

18 Neither shalt thou take H3947 a wife H802 to her sister, H269 to vex H6887 her, to uncover H1540 her nakedness, H6172 beside the other in her life H2416 time.

19 Also thou shalt not approach H7126 unto a woman H802 to uncover H1540 her nakedness, H6172 as long as she is put apart H5079 for her uncleanness. H2932

20 Moreover thou shalt not H5414 lie H7903 carnally H2233 with thy neighbour's H5997 wife, H802 to defile H2930 thyself with her.

21 And thou shalt not H5414 let any of thy seed H2233 pass H5674 through the fire to Molech, H4432 neither shalt thou profane H2490 the name H8034 of thy God: H430 I am the LORD. H3068

22 Thou shalt not lie H7901 with mankind, H2145 as with H4904 womankind: H802 it is abomination. H8441

23 Neither shalt thou H5414 lie H7903 with any beast H929 to defile H2930 thyself therewith: neither shall any woman H802 stand H5975 before H6440 a beast H929 to lie down H7250 thereto: it is confusion. H8397

24 Defile H2930 not ye yourselves in any of these things: H428 for in all these the nations H1471 are defiled H2930 which I cast out H7971 before H6440 you:

25 And the land H776 is defiled: H2930 therefore I do visit H6485 the iniquity H5771 thereof upon it, and the land H776 itself vomiteth out H6958 her inhabitants. H3427

26 Ye shall therefore keep H8104 my statutes H2708 and my judgments, H4941 and shall not commit H6213 any of these abominations; H8441 neither any of your own nation, H249 nor any stranger H1616 that sojourneth H1481 among H8432 you:

27 (For all these H411 abominations H8441 have the men H582 of the land H776 done, H6213 which were before H6440 you, and the land H776 is defiled;) H2930

28 That the land H776 spue not you out H6958 also, when ye defile H2930 it, as it spued out H6958 the nations H1471 that were before H6440 you.

29 For whosoever shall commit H6213 any of these abominations, H8441 even the souls H5315 that commit H6213 them shall be cut off H3772 from among H7130 their people. H5971

30 Therefore shall ye keep H8104 mine ordinance, H4931 that ye commit H6213 not any one of these abominable H8441 customs, H2708 which were committed H6213 before H6440 you, and that ye defile H2930 not yourselves therein: I am the LORD H3068 your God. H430

Leviticus 18:1-30 American Standard (ASV)

1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am Jehovah your God.

3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do; neither shall ye walk in their statutes.

4 Mine ordinances shall ye do, and my statutes shall ye keep, to walk therein: I am Jehovah your God.

5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and mine ordinances; which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am Jehovah.

6 None of you shall approach to any that are near of kin to him, to uncover `their' nakedness: I am Jehovah.

7 The nakedness of thy father, even the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.

9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or the daughter of thy mother, whether born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

10 The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness.

11 The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kinswoman.

13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy mother's near kinswoman.

14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.

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

16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness.

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

18 And thou shalt not take a wife to her sister, to be a rival `to her', to uncover her nakedness, besides the other in her life-time.

19 And thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.

20 And thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbor's wife, to defile thyself with her.

21 And thou shalt not give any of thy seed to make them pass through `the fire' to Molech; neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am Jehovah.

22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

23 And thou shalt not lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith; neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out from before you;

25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land vomiteth out her inhabitants.

26 Ye therefore shall keep my statutes and mine ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the home-born, nor the stranger that sojourneth among you;

27 (for all these abominations have the men of the land done, that were before you, and the land is defiled);

28 that the land vomit not you out also, when ye defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.

29 For whosoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people.

30 Therefore shall ye keep my charge, that ye practise not any of these abominable customs, which were practised before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am Jehovah your God.

Leviticus 18:1-30 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,

2 `Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, I `am' Jehovah your God;

3 according to the work of the land of Egypt in which ye have dwelt ye do not, and according to the work of the land of Canaan whither I am bringing you in, ye do not, and in their statutes ye walk not.

4 `My judgments ye do, and My statutes ye keep, to walk in them; I `am' Jehovah your God;

5 and ye have kept My statutes and My judgments which man doth and liveth in them; I `am' Jehovah.

6 `None of you unto any relation of his flesh doth draw near to uncover nakedness; I `am' Jehovah.

7 `The nakedness of thy father and the nakedness of thy mother thou dost not uncover, she `is' thy mother; thou dost not uncover her nakedness.

8 `The nakedness of the wife of thy father thou dost not uncover; it `is' the nakedness of thy father.

9 `The nakedness of thy sister, daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, born at home or born without; thou dost not uncover their nakedness.

10 `The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter: thou dost not uncover their nakedness; for theirs `is' thy nakedness.

11 `The nakedness of a daughter of thy father's wife, begotten of thy father, she `is' thy sister; thou dost not uncover her nakedness.

12 `The nakedness of a sister of thy father thou dost not uncover; she `is' a relation of thy father.

13 `The nakedness of thy mother's sister thou dost not uncover; for she `is' thy mother's relation.

14 `The nakedness of thy father's brother thou dost not uncover; unto his wife thou dost not draw near; she `is' thine aunt.

15 `The nakedness of thy daughter-in-law thou dost not uncover; she `is' thy son's wife; thou dost not uncover her nakedness.

16 `The nakedness of thy brother's wife thou dost not uncover; it `is' thy brother's nakedness.

17 `The nakedness of a woman and her daughter thou dost not uncover; her son's daughter, and her daughter's daughter thou dost not take to uncover her nakedness; they `are' her relations; it `is' wickedness.

18 `And a woman unto another thou dost not take, to be an adversary, to uncover her nakedness beside her, in her life.

19 `And unto a woman in the separation of her uncleanness thou dost not draw near to uncover her nakedness.

20 `And unto the wife of thy fellow thou dost not give thy seed of copulation, for uncleanness with her.

21 `And of thy seed thou dost not give to pass over to the Molech; nor dost thou pollute the name of thy God; I `am' Jehovah.

22 `And with a male thou dost not lie as one lieth with a woman; abomination it `is'.

23 `And with any beast thou dost not give thy copulation, for uncleanness with it; and a woman doth not stand before a beast to lie down with it; confusion it `is'.

24 `Ye are not defiled with all these, for with all these have the nations been defiled which I am sending away from before you;

25 and the land is defiled, and I charge its iniquity upon it, and the land vomiteth out its inhabitants:

26 and ye -- ye have kept My statutes and My judgments, and do not `any' of all these abominations, the native and the sojourner who is sojourning in your midst,

27 (for all these abominations have the men of the land done who `are' before you, and the land is defiled),

28 and the land doth not vomit you out in your defiling it, as it hath vomited out the nation which `is' before you;

29 for any one who doth `any' of all these abominations -- even the persons who are doing `so', have been cut off from the midst of their people;

30 and ye have kept My charge, so as not to do `any' of the abominable statutes which have been done before you, and ye do not defile yourselves with them; I `am' Jehovah your God.'

Leviticus 18:1-30 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am Jehovah your God.

3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do; and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do; neither shall ye walk in their customs.

4 Mine ordinances shall ye do and my statutes shall ye observe to walk therein: I am Jehovah your God.

5 And ye shall observe my statutes and my judgments, by which the man that doeth them shall live: I am Jehovah.

6 No one shall approach to any that is his near relation, to uncover his nakedness: I am Jehovah.

7 The nakedness of thy father, and the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother: thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.

9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, born at home, or born abroad -- their nakedness shalt thou not uncover.

10 The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter -- their nakedness shalt thou not uncover; for theirs is thy nakedness.

11 The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father: she is thy sister: thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

12 The nakedness of thy father's sister shalt thou not uncover: she is thy father's near relation.

13 The nakedness of thy mother's sister shalt thou not uncover; for she is thy mother's near relation.

14 The nakedness of thy father's brother shalt thou not uncover; thou shalt not approach his wife: she is thine aunt.

15 The nakedness of thy daughter-in-law shalt thou not uncover: she is thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

16 The nakedness of thy brother's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy brother's nakedness.

17 The nakedness of a woman and her daughter shalt thou not uncover; thou shalt not take her son's daughter, nor her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness: they are her near relations: it is wickedness.

18 And thou shalt not take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness beside her, during her life.

19 And thou shalt not approach a woman in the separation of her uncleanness to uncover her nakedness.

20 And thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife, to become unclean with her.

21 And thou shalt not give of thy seed to let them pass through [the fire] to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am Jehovah.

22 And thou shalt not lie with mankind as one lieth with a woman: it is an abomination.

23 And thou shalt lie with no beast to become unclean therewith; and a woman shall not stand before a beast to lie down with it: it is confusion.

24 Make not yourselves unclean in any of these things; for in all these have the nations which I am casting out before you made themselves unclean.

25 And the land hath become unclean; and I visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land vomiteth out its inhabitants.

26 But *ye* shall observe my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of all these abominations: the home-born, and the stranger that sojourneth among you;

27 (for all these abominations have the men of the land done, who were before you, and the land hath been made unclean);

28 that the land vomit you not out, when ye make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.

29 For whoever committeth any of these abominations, ... the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

30 And ye shall observe my charge, that ye commit not [any] of the abominable customs which were committed before you; and ye shall not make yourselves unclean therein: I am Jehovah your God.

Leviticus 18:1-30 World English Bible (WEB)

1 Yahweh said to Moses,

2 "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, 'I am Yahweh your God.

3 You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived: and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you; neither shall you walk in their statutes.

4 You shall do my ordinances, and you shall keep my statutes, and walk in them: I am Yahweh your God.

5 You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances; which if a man does, he shall live in them: I am Yahweh.

6 "'None of you shall approach anyone who are his close relatives, to uncover their nakedness: I am Yahweh.

7 "'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, nor the nakedness of your mother: she is your mother. You shall not uncover her nakedness.

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

9 "'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home, or born abroad.

10 "'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son's daughter, or of your daughter's daughter, even their nakedness: for theirs is your own nakedness.

11 "'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife's daughter, conceived by your father, since she is your sister. "'

12 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's sister: she is your father's near kinswoman.

13 "'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister: for she is your mother's near kinswoman.

14 "'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's brother, you shall not approach his wife: she is your aunt.

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 Molech; neither shall you profane the name of your God: I am Yahweh.

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.

26 You therefore shall keep my statutes and my ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the native-born, nor the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you;

27 (for all these abominations have the men of the land done, that were before you, and the land became defiled);

28 that the land not vomit you out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.

29 "'For whoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people.

30 Therefore you shall keep my charge, that you do not practice any of these abominable customs, which were practiced before you, and that you do not defile yourselves with them: I am Yahweh your God.'"

Leviticus 18:1-30 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 And the Lord said to Moses,

2 Say to the children of Israel, I am the Lord your God.

3 You may not do those things which were done in the land of Egypt where you were living; and you may not do those things which are done in the land of Canaan where I am taking you, or be guided in your behaviour by their rules.

4 But you are to be guided by my decisions and keep my rules, and be guided by them: I am the Lord your God.

5 So keep my rules and my decisions, which, if a man does them, will be life to him: I am the Lord.

6 You may not have sex connection with anyone who is a near relation: I am the Lord.

7 You may not have sex relations with your father or your mother: she is your mother, you may not take her.

8 And you may not have sex relations with your father's wife: she is your father's.

9 You may not take your sister, the daughter of your father or of your mother, wherever her birth took place, among you or in another country.

10 You may not have sex relations with your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter, for they are part of yourself;

11 Or your father's wife's daughter, the child of your father, for she is your sister.

12 You may not have sex connection with your father's sister, for she is your father's near relation.

13 You may not have sex connection with your mother's sister, for she is your mother's near relation.

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:

25 And the land itself has become unclean; so that I have sent on it the reward of its wrongdoing, and the land itself puts out those who are living in it.

26 So then keep my rules and my decisions, and do not do any of these disgusting things, those of you who are Israelites by birth, or any others who are living with you:

27 (For all these disgusting things were done by the men of this country who were there before you, and the land has been made unclean by them;)

28 So that the land may not put you out from it, when you make it unclean, as it put out the nations which were there before you.

29 For all those who do any of these disgusting things will be cut off from among their people.

30 So then, keep my orders, so that you may not do any of these disgusting things which were done before you, or make yourselves unclean through them: I am the Lord your God.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Leviticus 18

Commentary on Leviticus 18 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Keil & Delitzsch   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Chapter 18

Here is,

  • I. A general law against all conformity to the corrupt usages of the heathen (v. 1-5).
  • II. Particular laws,
    • 1. Against incest (v. 6-18).
    • 2. Against beastly lusts, and barbarous idolatries (v. 19-23).
  • III. The enforcement of these laws from the ruin of the Canaanites (v. 24-30).

Lev 18:1-5

After divers ceremonial institutions, God here returns to the enforcement of moral precepts. The former are still of use to us as types, the latter still binding as laws. We have here,

  • 1. The sacred authority by which these laws are enacted: I am the Lord your God (v. 1, 4, 30), and I am the Lord, v. 5, 6, 21. "The Lord, who has a right to rule all; your God, who has a peculiar right to rule you.' Jehovah is the fountain of being, and therefore the fountain of power, whose we are, whom we are bound to serve, and who is able to punish all disobedience. "Your God to whom you have consented, in whom you are happy, to whom you lie under the highest obligations imaginable, and to whom you are accountable.'
  • 2. A strict caution to take heed of retaining the relics of the idolatries of Egypt, where they had dwelt, and of receiving the infection of the idolatries of Canaan, whither they were now going, v. 3. Now that God was by Moses teaching them his ordinances there was aliquid dediscendum-something to be unlearned, which they had sucked in with their milk in Egypt, a country noted for idolatry: You shall not do after the doings of the land of Egypt. It would be the greatest absurdity in itself to retain such an affection for their house of bondage as to be governed in their devotions by the usages of it, and the greatest ingratitude to God, who had so wonderfully and graciously delivered them. Nay, as if governed by a spirit of contradiction, they would be in danger, even after they had received these ordinances of God, of admitting the wicked usages of the Canaanites and of inheriting their vices with their land. Of this danger they are here warned, You shall not walk in their ordinances. Such a tyrant is custom that their practices are called ordinances, and they became rivals even with God's ordinances, and God's professing people were in danger of receiving law from them.
  • 3. A solemn charge to them to keep God's judgments, statutes, and ordinances, v. 4, 5. To this charge, and many similar ones, David seems to refer in the many prayers and professions he makes relating to God's laws in the 119th Psalm. Observe here,
    • (1.) The great rule of our obedience-God's statutes and judgments. These we must keep to walk therein. We must keep them in our books, and keep them in our hands, that we may practise them in our hearts and lives. Remember God's commandments to do them, Ps. 103:18. We must keep in them as our way to travel in, keep to them as our rule to work by, keep them as our treasure, as the apple of our eye, with the utmost care and value.
    • (2.) The great advantage of our obedience: Which if a man do, he shall live in them, that is, "he shall be happy here and hereafter.' We have reason to thank God,
      • [1.] That this is still in force as a promise, with a very favourable construction of the condition. If we keep God's commandments in sincerity, though we come short of sinless perfection, we shall find that the way of duty is the way of comfort, and will be the way to happiness. Godliness has the promise of life, 1 Tim. 4:8. Wisdom has said, Keep my commandments and live: and if through the Spirit we mortify the deeds of the body (which are to us as the usages of Egypt were to Israel) we shall live.
      • [2.] That it is not so in force in the nature of a covenant as that the least transgression shall for ever exclude us from this life. The apostle quotes this twice as opposite to the faith which the gospel reveals. It is the description of the righteousness which is by the law, the man that doeth them shall live ev autois-in them (Rom. 10:5), and is urged to prove that the law is not of faith, Gal. 3:12. The alteration which the gospel has made is in the last word: still the man that does them shall live, but not live in them; for the law could not give life, because we could not perfectly keep it; it was weak through the flesh, not in itself; but now the man that does them shall live by the faith of the Son of God. He shall owe his life to the grace of Christ, and not to the merit of his own works; see Gal. 3:21, 22. The just shall live, but they shall live by faith, by virtue of their union with Christ, who is their life.

Lev 18:6-18

These laws relate to the seventh commandment, and, no doubt, are obligatory on us under the gospel, for they are consonant to the very light and law of nature: one of the articles, that of a man's having his father's wife, the apostle speaks of as a sin not so much as named among the Gentiles, 1 Co. 5:1. Though some of the incests here forbidden were practised by some particular persons among the heathen, yet they were disallowed and detested, unless among those nations who had become barbarous, and were quite given up to vile affections. Observe,

  • I. That which is forbidden as to the relations here specified is approaching to them to uncover their nakedness, v. 6.
    • 1. It is chiefly intended to forbid the marrying of any of these relations. Marriage is a divine institution; this and the sabbath, the eldest of all, of equal standing with man upon the earth: it is intended for the comfort of human life, and the decent and honourable propagation of the human race, such as became the dignity of man's nature above that of the beasts. It is honourable in all, and these laws are for the support of the honour of it. It was requisite that a divine ordinance should be subject to divine rules and restraints, especially because it concerns a thing wherein the corrupt nature of man is as apt as in any thing to be wilful and impetuous in its desires, and impatient of check. Yet these prohibitions, besides their being enacted by an incontestable authority, are in themselves highly reasonable and equitable.
      • (1.) By marriage two were to become one flesh, therefore those that before were in a sense one flesh by nature could not, without the greatest absurdity, become one flesh by institution; for the institution was designed to unite those who before were not united.
      • (2.) Marriage puts an equality between husband and wife. "Is she not thy companion taken out of thy side?' Therefore, if those who before were superior and inferior should intermarry (which is the case in most of the instances here laid down), the order of nature would be taken away by a positive institution, which must by no means be allowed. The inequality between master and servant, noble and ignoble, is founded in consent and custom, and there is no harm done if that be taken away by the equality of marriage; but the inequality between parents and children, uncles and nieces, aunts and nephews, either by blood or marriage, is founded in nature, and is therefore perpetual, and cannot without confusion be taken away by the equality of marriage, the institution of which, though ancient, is subsequent to the order of nature.
      • (3.) No relations that are equals are forbidden, except brothers and sisters, by the whole blood or half blood, or by marriage; and in this there is not the same natural absurdity as in the former, for Adam's sons must of necessity have married their own sisters; but it was requisite that it should be made by a positive law unlawful and detestable, for the preventing of sinful familiarities between those that in the days of their youth are supposed to live in a house together, and yet cannot intermarry without defeating one of the intentions of marriage, which is the enlargement of friendship and interest. If every man married his own sister (as they would be apt to do from generation to generation if it were lawful), each family would be a world to itself, and it would be forgotten that we are members one of another. It is certain that this has always been looked upon by the more sober heathen as a most infamous and abominable thing; and those who had not this law yet were herein a law to themselves. The making use of the ordinance of marriage for the patronizing of incestuous mixtures is so far from justifying them, or extenuating their guilt, that it adds the guilt of profaning an ordinance of God, and prostituting that to the vilest of purposes which was instituted for the noblest ends. But,
    • 2. Uncleanness, committed with any of these relations out of marriage, is likewise, without doubt, forbidden here, and no less intended than the former: as also all lascivious carriage, wanton dalliance, and every thing that has the appearance of this evil. Relations must love one another, and are to have free and familiar converse with each other, but it must be with all purity; and the less it is suspected of evil by others the more care ought the persons themselves to take that Satan do not get advantage against them, for he is a very subtle enemy, and seeks all occasions against us.
  • II. The relations forbidden are most of them plainly described; and it is generally laid down as a rule that what relations of a man's own he is bound up from marrying the same relations of his wife he is likewise forbidden to marry, for they two are one. That law which forbids marrying a brother's wife (v. 16) had an exception peculiar to the Jewish state, that, if a man died without issue, his brother or next of kin should marry the widow, and raise up seed to the deceased (Deu. 25:5), for reasons which held good only in that commonwealth; and therefore now that those reasons have ceased the exception ceases, and the law is in force, that a man must in no case marry his brother's widow. That article (v. 18) which forbids a man to take a wife to her sister supposes a connivance at polygamy, as some other laws then did (Ex. 21:10; Deu. 21:15), but forbids a man's marrying two sisters, as Jacob did, because between those who had before been equal there would be apt to arise greater jealousies and animosities than between wives that were not so nearly related. If the sister of the wife be taken for the concubine, or secondary wife, nothing can be more vexing in her life, or as long as she lives.

Lev 18:19-30

Here is,

  • I. A law to preserve the honour of the marriage-bed, that it should not be unseasonably used (v. 19), nor invaded by an adulterer, v. 20.
  • II. A law against that which was the most unnatural idolatry, causing their children to pass through the fire to Moloch, v. 21. Moloch (as some think) was the idol in and by which they worshipped the sun, that great fire of the world; and therefore in the worship of it they made their own children either sacrifices to this idol, burning them to death before it, or devotees to it, causing them to pass between two fires, as some think, or to be thrown through one, to the honour of this pretended deity, imagining that the consecrating of but one of their children in this manner to Moloch would procure good fortune for all the rest of their children. Did idolaters thus give their own children to false gods, and shall we think any thing too dear to be dedicated to, or to be parted with for, the true God? See how this sin of Israel (which they were afterwards guilty of, notwithstanding this law) is aggravated by the relation which they and their children stood in to God. Eze. 16:20, Thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these thou hast sacrificed. Therefore it is here called profaning the name of their God; for it looked as if they thought they were under greater obligations to Moloch than to Jehovah; for to him they offered their cattle only, but to Moloch their children.
  • III. A law against unnatural lusts, sodomy and bestiality, sins not to be named nor thought of without the utmost abhorrence imaginable, v. 22, 23. Other sins level men with the beasts, but these sink them much lower. That ever there should have been occasion for the making of these laws, and that since they are published they should ever have been broken, is the perpetual reproach and scandal of human nature; and the giving of men up to these vile affections was frequently the punishment of their idolatries; so the apostle shows, Rom. 1:24.
  • IV. Arguments against these and the like abominable wickednesses. He that has an indisputable right to command us, yet because he will deal with us as men, and draw with the cords of a man, condescends to reason with us.
    • 1. Sinners defile themselves with these abominations: Defile not yourselves in any of these things, v. 24. All sin is defiling to the conscience, but these are sins that have a peculiar turpitude in them. Our heavenly Father, in kindness to us, requires of us that we keep ourselves clean, and do not wallow in the dirt.
    • 2. The souls that commit them shall be cut off, v. 29. And justly; for, if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, 1 Co. 3:17. Fleshly lusts war against the soul, and will certainly be the ruin of it if God's mercy and grace prevent not.
    • 3. The land is defiled, v. 25. If such wickednesses as these be practised and connived at, the land is thereby made unfit to have God's tabernacle in it, and the pure and holy God will withdraw the tokens of his gracious presence from it. It is also rendered unwholesome to the inhabitants, who are hereby infected with sin and exposed to plagues and it is really nauseous and loathsome to all good men in it, as the wickedness of Sodom was to the soul of righteous Lot.
    • 4. These have been the abominations of the former inhabitants, v. 24, 27. Therefore it was necessary that these laws should be made, as antidotes and preservatives from the plague are necessary when we go into an infected place. And therefore they should not practise any such things, because the nations that had practised them now lay under the curse of God, and were shortly to fall by the sword of Israel. They could not but be sensible how odious those people had made themselves who wallowed in this mire, and how they stank in the nostrils of all good men; and shall a people sanctified and dignified as Israel was make themselves thus vile? When we observe how ill sin looks in others we should use this as an argument with ourselves with the utmost care and caution to preserve our purity.
    • 5. For these and the like sins the Canaanites were to be destroyed; these filled the measure of the Amorites' iniquity (Gen. 15:16), and brought down that destruction of so many populous kingdoms which the Israelites were now shortly to be not only the spectators, but the instruments of: Therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, v. 25. Note, The tremendous judgments of God, executed on those that are daringly profane and atheistical, are intended as warnings to those who profess religion to take heed of every thing that has the least appearance of, or tendency towards, profaneness or atheism. Even the ruin of the Canaanites is an admonition to the Israelites not to do like them. Nay, to show that not only the Creator is provoked, but the creation burdened, by such abominations as these, it is added (v. 25), The land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. The very ground they went upon did, as it were, groan under them, and was sick of them, and not easy till it had discharged itself of these enemies of the Lord, Isa. 1:24. This bespeaks the extreme loathsomeness of sin; sinful man indeed drinks in iniquity like water, but the harmless part of the creation even heaves at it, and rises against it. Many a house and many a town have spued out the wicked inhabitants, as it were, with abhorrence, Rev. 3:16. Therefore take heed, saith God, that the land spue not you out also, v. 28. It was secured to them, and entailed upon them, and yet they must expect that, if they made the vices of the Canaanites their own, with their land their fate would be the same. Note, Wicked Israelites are as abominable to God as wicked Canaanites, and more so, and will be as soon spued out, or sooner. Such a warning as was here given to the Israelites is given by the apostle to the Gentile converts, with reference to the rejected Jews, in whose room they were substituted (Rom. 11:19, etc.); they must take heed of falling after the same example of unbelief, Heb. 4:11. Apply it more generally; and let it deter us effectually from all sinful courses to consider how many they have been the ruin of. Lay the ear of faith to the gates of the bottomless pit, and hear the doleful shrieks and outcries of damned sinners, whom earth has spued out and hell has swallowed, that find themselves undone, for ever undone, by sin; and tremble lest this be your portion at last. God's threatenings and judgments should frighten us from sin.
  • V. The chapter concludes with a sovereign antidote against this infection: Therefore you shall keep my ordinance that you commit not any one of these abominable customs, v. 30. This is the remedy prescribed. Note,
    • 1. Sinful customs are abominable customs, and their being common and fashionable does not make them at all the less abominable nor should we the less abominate them, but the more; because the more customary they are the more dangerous they are.
    • 2. It is of pernicious consequence to admit and allow of any one sinful custom, because one will make way for many, Uno absurdo dato, mille sequuntur-Admit but a single absurdity, you invite a thousand. The way of sin is downhill.
    • 3. A close and constant adherence to God's ordinances is the most effectual preservative from the infection of gross sin. The more we taste of the sweetness and feel of the power of holy ordinances the less inclination we shall have to the forbidden pleasures of sinners' abominable customs. It is the grace of God only that will secure us, and that grace is to be expected only in the use of the means of grace. Nor does God ever leave any to their own hearts' lusts till they have first left him and his institutions.