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.
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
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.
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.'
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.
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.'"
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 » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Leviticus 18
Commentary on Leviticus 18 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 18
Le 18:1-30. Unlawful Marriages.
2-4. I am the Lord your God—This renewed mention of the divine sovereignty over the Israelites was intended to bear particularly on some laws that were widely different from the social customs that obtained both in Egypt and Canaan; for the enormities, which the laws enumerated in this chapter were intended to put down, were freely practised or publicly sanctioned in both of those countries; and, indeed, the extermination of the ancient Canaanites is described as owing to the abominations with which they had polluted the land.
5. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them—A special blessing was promised to the Israelites on condition of their obedience to the divine law; and this promise was remarkably verified at particular eras of their history, when pure and undefiled religion prevailed among them, in the public prosperity and domestic happiness enjoyed by them as a people. Obedience to the divine law always, indeed, ensures temporal advantages; and this, doubtless, was the primary meaning of the words, "which if a man do, he shall live in them." But that they had a higher reference to spiritual life is evident from the application made of them by our Lord (Lu 10:28) and the apostle (Ro 10:2).
6. None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him—Very great laxity prevailed amongst the Egyptians in their sentiments and practice about the conjugal relation, as they not only openly sanctioned marriages between brothers and sisters, but even between parents and children. Such incestuous alliances Moses wisely prohibited, and his laws form the basis upon which the marriage regulations of this and other Christian nations are chiefly founded. This verse contains a general summary of all the particular prohibitions; and the forbidden intercourse is pointed out by the phrase, "to approach to." In the specified prohibitions that follow, all of which are included in this general summary, the prohibited familiarity is indicated by the phrases, to "uncover the nakedness" [Le 18:12-17], to "take" [Le 18:17, 18], and to "lie with" [Le 18:22, 23]. The phrase in this sixth verse, therefore, has the same identical meaning with each of the other three, and the marriages in reference to which it is used are those of consanguinity or too close affinity, amounting to incestuous connections.
18. Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her—The original is rendered in the Margin, "neither shalt thou take one wife to another to vex her," and two different and opposite interpretations have been put upon this passage. The marginal construction involves an express prohibition of polygamy; and, indeed, there can be no doubt that the practice of having more wives than one is directly contrary to the divine will. It was prohibited by the original law of marriage, and no evidence of its lawfulness under the Levitical code can be discovered, although Moses—from "the hardness of their hearts" [Mt 19:8; Mr 10:5]—tolerated it in the people of a rude and early age. The second interpretation forms the ground upon which the "vexed question" has been raised in our times respecting the lawfulness of marriage with a deceased wife's sister. Whatever arguments may be used to prove the unlawfulness or inexpediency of such a matrimonial relation, the passage under consideration cannot, on a sound basis of criticism, be enlisted in the service; for the crimes with which it is here associated warrant the conclusion that it points not to marriage with a deceased wife's sister, but with a sister in the wife's lifetime, a practice common among the ancient Egyptians, Chaldeans, and others.
21. thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, &c.—Molech, or Moloch, which signifies "king," was the idol of the Ammonites. His statue was of brass, and rested on a pedestal or throne of the same metal. His head, resembling that of a calf, was adorned with a crown, and his arms were extended in the attitude of embracing those who approached him. His devotees dedicated their children to him; and when this was to be done, they heated the statue to a high pitch of intensity by a fire within, and then the infants were either shaken over the flames, or passed through the ignited arms, by way of lustration to ensure the favor of the pretended deity. The fire-worshippers asserted that all children who did not undergo this purifying process would die in infancy; and the influence of this Zabian superstition was still so extensively prevalent in the days of Moses, that the divine lawgiver judged it necessary to prohibit it by an express statute.
neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God—by giving it to false or pretended divinities; or, perhaps, from this precept standing in close connection with the worship of Molech, the meaning rather is, Do not, by devoting your children to him, give foreigners occasion to blaspheme the name of your God as a cruel and sanguinary deity, who demands the sacrifice of human victims, and who encourages cruelty in his votaries.
24. Defile not yourselves in any of these things—In the preceding verses seventeen express cases of incest are enumerated; comprehending eleven of affinity [Le 18:7-16], and six of consanguinity [Le 18:17-20], together with some criminal enormities of an aggravated and unnatural character. In such prohibitions it was necessary for the instruction of a people low in the scale of moral perception, that the enumeration should be very specific as well as minute; and then, on completing it, the divine lawgiver announces his own views of these crimes, without any exception or modification, in the remarkable terms employed in this verse.
in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you, &c.—Ancient history gives many appalling proofs that the enormous vices described in this chapter were very prevalent, nay, were regularly practised from religious motives in the temples of Egypt and the groves of Canaan; and it was these gigantic social disorders that occasioned the expulsion, of which the Israelites were, in the hands of a righteous and retributive Providence, the appointed instruments (Ge 15:16). The strongly figurative language of "the land itself vomiting out her inhabitants" [Le 18:25], shows the hopeless depth of their moral corruption.
25. therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it; and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants—The Canaanites, as enormous and incorrigible sinners, were to be exterminated; and this extermination was manifestly a judicial punishment inflicted by a ruler whose laws had been grossly and perseveringly outraged. But before a law can be disobeyed, it must have been previously in existence; and hence a law, prohibiting all the horrid crimes enumerated above—a law obligatory upon the Canaanites as well as other nations—was already known and in force before the Levitical law of incest was promulgated. Some general Iaw, then, prohibiting these crimes must have been published to mankind at a very early period of the world's history; and that law must either have been the moral law, originally written on the human heart, or a law on the institution of marriage revealed to Adam and known to the Canaanites and others by tradition or otherwise.
29. the souls that commit them shall be cut off—This strong denunciatory language is applied to all the crimes specified in the chapter without distinction: to incest as truly as to bestiality, and to the eleven cases of affinity [Le 18:7-16], as fully as to the six of consanguinity [Le 18:17-20]. Death is the punishment sternly denounced against all of them. No language could be more explicit or universal; none could more strongly indicate intense loathing and abhorrence.
30. Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs—In giving the Israelites these particular institutions, God was only re-delivering the law imprinted on the natural heart of man; for there is every reason to believe that the incestuous alliances and unnatural crimes prohibited in this chapter were forbidden to all men by a law expressed or understood from the beginning of the world, or at least from the era of the flood, since God threatens to condemn and punish, in a manner so sternly severe, these atrocities in the practice of the Canaanites and their neighbors, who were not subject to the laws of the Hebrew nation.