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

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

7 You 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.

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

9 You 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.

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

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

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

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

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

15 You 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.

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

17 You 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.

18 You 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 of אִ֥ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular . . . אִישׁ֙ H376 Noun - masculine singular . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition you are to approach תִקְרְב֖וּ H7126 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural any כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct לֹ֥א לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle close relative שְׁאֵ֣ר H7607 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . בְּשָׂר֔וֹ H1320 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular to have sexual relations לְגַלּ֣וֹת H1540 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct . . . עֶרְוָ֑ה H6172 Noun - feminine singular I אֲנִ֖י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular am the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ס H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

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

Original words

You must not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle expose the nakedness עֶרְוַ֥ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct of your father אָבִ֛יךָ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular - וְעֶרְוַ֥ת H6172 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct by having sexual relations with תְגַלֵּ֑ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular your mother אִמְּךָ֖ H517 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular She הִ֔וא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular is your mother אִמְּךָ֣ H517 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular you must not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle have sexual relations with her תְגַלֶּ֖ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular . . . עֶרְוָתָֽהּ׃ס H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 8

Original words

You must not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle have sexual relations with עֶרְוַ֥ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct . . . תְגַלֵּ֑ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular your father’s אָבִ֖יךָ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular wife אֵֽשֶׁת־ H802 Noun - feminine singular construct it הִֽוא׃ס H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular would dishonor עֶרְוַ֥ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct your father אָבִ֖יךָ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 9

Original words

You must not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle have sexual relations with תְגַלֶּ֖ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular . . . עֶרְוָתָֽן׃ס H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine plural - עֶרְוַ֨ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct your sister אֲחֽוֹתְךָ֤ H269 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular either your father’s אָבִ֙יךָ֙ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular daughter בַת־ H1323 Noun - feminine singular construct or א֣וֹ H176 Conjunction . . . בַת־ H1323 Noun - feminine singular construct your mother’s daughter אִמֶּ֔ךָ H517 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular whether she was born מוֹלֶ֣דֶת H4138 Noun - feminine singular construct in the same home בַּ֔יִת H1004 Noun - masculine singular or א֖וֹ H176 Conjunction - מוֹלֶ֣דֶת H4138 Noun - feminine singular construct elsewhere ח֑וּץ H2351 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

You must not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle have sexual relations with תְגַלֶּ֖ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular . . . עֶרְוָתְךָ֖ H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular עֶרְוַ֤ת עֶרְוַ֤ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct your son’s בִּנְךָ֙ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular daughter בַּת־ H1323 Noun - feminine singular construct or א֣וֹ H176 Conjunction your daughter’s בַֽת־ H1323 Noun - feminine singular construct daughter בִּתְּךָ֔ H1323 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular for כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction that הֵֽנָּה׃ס H2007 Pronoun - third person feminine plural would shame your family עֶרְוָתָ֑ן H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine plural
Verse 11

Original words

You must not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle have sexual relations with עֶרְוַ֨ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct . . . תְגַלֶּ֖ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular . . . עֶרְוָתָֽהּ׃ס H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular the daughter בַּת־ H1323 Noun - feminine singular construct of your father’s אָבִ֙יךָ֙ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular wife אֵ֤שֶׁת H802 Noun - feminine singular construct born מוֹלֶ֣דֶת H4138 Noun - feminine singular construct to your father אָבִ֔יךָ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular she הִ֑וא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular is your sister אֲחוֹתְךָ֖ H269 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

You must not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle have sexual relations with עֶרְוַ֥ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct . . . תְגַלֵּ֑ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular your father’s אָבִ֖יךָ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular sister אֲחוֹת־ H269 Noun - feminine singular construct she הִֽוא׃ס H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular is your father’s אָבִ֖יךָ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular close relative שְׁאֵ֥ר H7607 Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 13

Original words

You must not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle have sexual relations with עֶרְוַ֥ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct . . . תְגַלֵּ֑ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular your mother’s אִמְּךָ֖ H517 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular sister אֲחֽוֹת־ H269 Noun - feminine singular construct for כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction she הִֽוא׃ס H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular is your mother’s אִמְּךָ֖ H517 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular close relative שְׁאֵ֥ר H7607 Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 14

Original words

You must not {dishonor} לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle your father’s אָבִ֖יךָ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular brother אֲחִֽי־ H251 Noun - masculine singular construct by approaching תִקְרָ֔ב H7126 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular אֶל־ אֶל־ H413 Preposition - לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle his wife אִשְׁתּוֹ֙ H802 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular to have sexual relations with her תְגַלֵּ֑ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular . . . עֶרְוַ֥ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct she [is] הִֽוא׃ס H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular your aunt דֹּדָֽתְךָ֖ H1733 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 15

Original words

You must not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle have sexual relations with עֶרְוַ֥ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct . . . תְגַלֵּ֑ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular your daughter-in-law כַּלָּֽתְךָ֖ H3618 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular She הִ֔וא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular is your son’s בִּנְךָ֙ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular wife אֵ֤שֶׁת H802 Noun - feminine singular construct you are not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle to have sexual relations with her תְגַלֶּ֖ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular . . . עֶרְוָתָֽהּ׃ס H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 16

Original words

You must not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle have sexual relations with עֶרְוַ֥ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct . . . תְגַלֵּ֑ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular your brother’s אָחִ֖יךָ H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular wife אֵֽשֶׁת־ H802 Noun - feminine singular construct that הִֽוא׃ס H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular would shame עֶרְוַ֥ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct your brother אָחִ֖יךָ H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 17

Original words

You must not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle have sexual relations with both עֶרְוַ֥ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct . . . תְגַלֵּ֑ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular - אֶֽת־ H853 Direct object marker a woman אִשָּׁ֛ה H802 Noun - feminine singular and her daughter וּבִתָּ֖הּ H1323 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular You are not לֹ֤א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle to marry תִקַּח֙ H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular her son’s בְּנָ֞הּ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker daughter בַּת־ H1323 Noun - feminine singular construct or her daughter’s בַּת־ H1323 Noun - feminine singular construct daughter בִּתָּ֗הּ H1323 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular and have sexual relations with her לְגַלּ֣וֹת H1540 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct . . . עֶרְוָתָ֔הּ H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular They הֵ֖נָּה H2007 Pronoun - third person feminine plural are close relatives שַׁאֲרָ֥ה H7608 Noun - feminine singular it הִֽוא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular is depraved זִמָּ֥ה H2154 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 18

Original words

You must not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle take תִקָּ֑ח H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular your wife’s וְאִשָּׁ֥ה H802 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular - אֶל־ H413 Preposition sister אֲחֹתָ֖הּ H269 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular as a rival wife לִצְרֹ֗ר H6887 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct and have sexual relations with her לְגַלּ֧וֹת H1540 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct . . . עֶרְוָתָ֛הּ H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular עָלֶ֖יהָ עָלֶ֖יהָ H5921 Preposition | third person feminine singular while your wife is still alive בְּחַיֶּֽיהָ׃ H2416 Preposition-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.