Focused Passage

Leviticus 18:6-18

Sexual Holiness, Covenant Distinction, and the Land That Vomits Out Defilement

The LORD commands Israel not to imitate Egypt or Canaan but to obey His laws and decrees. He then forbids a series of sexual unions and practices, including close-kin sexual relations, sexual relations during menstrual impurity, adultery, child sacrifice to Molek, male same-sex intercourse, and bestiality. The chapter concludes with a warning that these practices defile persons and land, leading the land to vomit out its inhabitants.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

6None of you are to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD.

7You must not expose the nakedness of your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have sexual relations with her.

8You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; it would dishonor your father.

9You must not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere.

10You must not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, for that would shame your family.

11You must not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister.

12You must not have sexual relations with your father’s sister; she is your father’s close relative.

13You must not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s close relative.

14You must not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations with her; she is your aunt.

15You must not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife; you are not to have sexual relations with her.

16You must not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; that would shame your brother.

17You must not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. You are not to marry her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter and have sexual relations with her. They are close relatives; it is depraved.

18You must not take your wife’s sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is still alive.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 6

Original words

None ofאִ֥ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular. . .אִישׁ֙H376Noun - masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413Prepositionyou are to approachתִקְרְב֖וּH7126Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralanyכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructלֹ֥אלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleclose relativeשְׁאֵ֣רH7607Noun - masculine singular construct. . .בְּשָׂר֔וֹH1320Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularto have sexual relationsלְגַלּ֣וֹתH1540Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct. . .עֶרְוָ֑הH6172Noun - feminine singularIאֲנִ֖יH589Pronoun - first person common singularam the LORDיְהוָֽה׃סH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Literally to uncover (their) nakedness; here and throughout this chapter
Verse 7

Original words

You must notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleexpose the nakednessעֶרְוַ֥תH6172Noun - feminine singular constructof your fatherאָבִ֛יךָH1Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular-וְעֶרְוַ֥תH6172Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular constructby having sexual relations withתְגַלֵּ֑הH1540Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyour motherאִמְּךָ֖H517Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularSheהִ֔ואH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularis your motherאִמְּךָ֣H517Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularyou must notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlehave sexual relations with herתְגַלֶּ֖הH1540Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular. . .עֶרְוָתָֽהּ׃סH6172Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 8

Original words

You must notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlehave sexual relations withעֶרְוַ֥תH6172Noun - feminine singular construct. . .תְגַלֵּ֑הH1540Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyour father’sאָבִ֖יךָH1Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularwifeאֵֽשֶׁת־H802Noun - feminine singular constructitהִֽוא׃סH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularwould dishonorעֶרְוַ֥תH6172Noun - feminine singular constructyour fatherאָבִ֖יךָH1Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 9

Original words

You must notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlehave sexual relations withתְגַלֶּ֖הH1540Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular. . .עֶרְוָתָֽן׃סH6172Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine plural-עֶרְוַ֨תH6172Noun - feminine singular constructyour sisterאֲחֽוֹתְךָ֤H269Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singulareither your father’sאָבִ֙יךָ֙H1Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singulardaughterבַת־H1323Noun - feminine singular constructorא֣וֹH176Conjunction. . .בַת־H1323Noun - feminine singular constructyour mother’s daughterאִמֶּ֔ךָH517Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularwhether she was bornמוֹלֶ֣דֶתH4138Noun - feminine singular constructin the same homeבַּ֔יִתH1004Noun - masculine singularorא֖וֹH176Conjunction-מוֹלֶ֣דֶתH4138Noun - feminine singular constructelsewhereח֑וּץH2351Noun - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

You must notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlehave sexual relations withתְגַלֶּ֖הH1540Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular. . .עֶרְוָתְךָ֖H6172Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularעֶרְוַ֤תעֶרְוַ֤תH6172Noun - feminine singular constructyour son’sבִּנְךָ֙H1121Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singulardaughterבַּת־H1323Noun - feminine singular constructorא֣וֹH176Conjunctionyour daughter’sבַֽת־H1323Noun - feminine singular constructdaughterבִּתְּךָ֔H1323Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularforכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionthatהֵֽנָּה׃סH2007Pronoun - third person feminine pluralwould shame your familyעֶרְוָתָ֑ןH6172Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine plural
Verse 11

Original words

You must notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlehave sexual relations withעֶרְוַ֨תH6172Noun - feminine singular construct. . .תְגַלֶּ֖הH1540Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular. . .עֶרְוָתָֽהּ׃סH6172Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singularthe daughterבַּת־H1323Noun - feminine singular constructof your father’sאָבִ֙יךָ֙H1Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularwifeאֵ֤שֶׁתH802Noun - feminine singular constructbornמוֹלֶ֣דֶתH4138Noun - feminine singular constructto your fatherאָבִ֔יךָH1Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularsheהִ֑ואH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularis your sisterאֲחוֹתְךָ֖H269Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

You must notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlehave sexual relations withעֶרְוַ֥תH6172Noun - feminine singular construct. . .תְגַלֵּ֑הH1540Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyour father’sאָבִ֖יךָH1Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularsisterאֲחוֹת־H269Noun - feminine singular constructsheהִֽוא׃סH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularis your father’sאָבִ֖יךָH1Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularclose relativeשְׁאֵ֥רH7607Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 13

Original words

You must notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlehave sexual relations withעֶרְוַ֥תH6172Noun - feminine singular construct. . .תְגַלֵּ֑הH1540Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyour mother’sאִמְּךָ֖H517Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularsisterאֲחֽוֹת־H269Noun - feminine singular constructforכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionsheהִֽוא׃סH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularis your mother’sאִמְּךָ֖H517Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularclose relativeשְׁאֵ֥רH7607Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 14

Original words

You must not {dishonor}לֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleyour father’sאָבִ֖יךָH1Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularbrotherאֲחִֽי־H251Noun - masculine singular constructby approachingתִקְרָ֔בH7126Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularאֶל־אֶל־H413Preposition-לֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlehis wifeאִשְׁתּוֹ֙H802Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularto have sexual relations with herתְגַלֵּ֑הH1540Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular. . .עֶרְוַ֥תH6172Noun - feminine singular constructshe [is]הִֽוא׃סH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularyour auntדֹּדָֽתְךָ֖H1733Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 15

Original words

You must notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlehave sexual relations withעֶרְוַ֥תH6172Noun - feminine singular construct. . .תְגַלֵּ֑הH1540Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyour daughter-in-lawכַּלָּֽתְךָ֖H3618Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularSheהִ֔ואH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularis your son’sבִּנְךָ֙H1121Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularwifeאֵ֤שֶׁתH802Noun - feminine singular constructyou are notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleto have sexual relations with herתְגַלֶּ֖הH1540Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular. . .עֶרְוָתָֽהּ׃סH6172Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 16

Original words

You must notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlehave sexual relations withעֶרְוַ֥תH6172Noun - feminine singular construct. . .תְגַלֵּ֑הH1540Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyour brother’sאָחִ֖יךָH251Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularwifeאֵֽשֶׁת־H802Noun - feminine singular constructthatהִֽוא׃סH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularwould shameעֶרְוַ֥תH6172Noun - feminine singular constructyour brotherאָחִ֖יךָH251Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 17

Original words

You must notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlehave sexual relations with bothעֶרְוַ֥תH6172Noun - feminine singular construct. . .תְגַלֵּ֑הH1540Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular-אֶֽת־H853Direct object markera womanאִשָּׁ֛הH802Noun - feminine singularand her daughterוּבִתָּ֖הּH1323Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singularYou are notלֹ֤אH3808Adverb - Negative particleto marryתִקַּח֙H3947Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularher son’sבְּנָ֞הּH1121Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerdaughterבַּת־H1323Noun - feminine singular constructor her daughter’sבַּת־H1323Noun - feminine singular constructdaughterבִּתָּ֗הּH1323Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singularand have sexual relations with herלְגַלּ֣וֹתH1540Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct. . .עֶרְוָתָ֔הּH6172Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singularTheyהֵ֖נָּהH2007Pronoun - third person feminine pluralare close relativesשַׁאֲרָ֥הH7608Noun - feminine singularitהִֽואH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularis depravedזִמָּ֥הH2154Noun - feminine singular
Verse 18

Original words

You must notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particletakeתִקָּ֑חH3947Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyour wife’sוְאִשָּׁ֥הH802Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular-אֶל־H413Prepositionsisterאֲחֹתָ֖הּH269Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singularas a rival wifeלִצְרֹ֗רH6887Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructand have sexual relations with herלְגַלּ֧וֹתH1540Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct. . .עֶרְוָתָ֛הּH6172Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singularעָלֶ֖יהָעָלֶ֖יהָH5921Preposition | third person feminine singularwhile your wife is still aliveבְּחַיֶּֽיהָ׃H2416Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.