Focused Passage

Leviticus 20:17-21

Holiness, Judgment, and the LORD Who Sanctifies His People

The chapter begins with penalties for Molek worship and warnings against tolerating child sacrifice, then forbids turning to mediums and spiritists. It calls Israel to consecrate themselves because the LORD sanctifies them. It then gives penalties for cursing parents and for multiple sexual sins, including adultery, incest, same-sex intercourse, and bestiality. The chapter closes by commanding Israel to distinguish clean and unclean, reject the nations' practices, and live as the LORD's separated possession.

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

17 If a man marries his sister, whether the daughter of his father or of his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of their people. He has uncovered the nakedness of his sister; he shall bear his iniquity.

18 If a man lies with a menstruating woman and has sexual relations with her, he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has uncovered the source of her blood. Both of them must be cut off from among their people.

19 You must not have sexual relations with the sister of your mother or your father, for it is exposing one’s own kin; both shall bear their iniquity.

20 If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered the nakedness of his uncle. They will bear their sin; they shall die childless.

21 If a man marries his brother’s wife, it is an act of impurity. He has uncovered the nakedness of his brother; they shall be childless.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 17

Original words

If a man וְאִ֣ישׁ H376 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative marries יִקַּ֣ח H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker his sister אֲחֹת֡וֹ H269 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular whether the daughter בַּת־ H1323 Noun - feminine singular construct of his father אָבִ֣יו H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular or א֣וֹ H176 Conjunction of his mother אִ֠מּוֹ H517 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular - בַת־ H1323 Noun - feminine singular construct and they have sexual relations וְרָאָ֨ה H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular . . . אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker . . . עֶרְוָתָ֜הּ H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular . . . וְהִֽיא־ H1931 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person feminine singular . . . תִרְאֶ֤ה H7200 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular . . . אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker . . . עֶרְוָתוֹ֙ H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular it ה֔וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular is a disgrace חֶ֣סֶד H2617 Noun - masculine singular They must be cut off וְנִ֨כְרְת֔וּ H3772 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural in the sight לְעֵינֵ֖י H5869 Preposition-l | Noun - cdc of בְּנֵ֣י H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct their people עַמָּ֑ם H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural He has uncovered גִּלָּ֖ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular the nakedness עֶרְוַ֧ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct of his sister אֲחֹת֛וֹ H269 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular he shall bear יִשָּֽׂא׃ H5375 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular his iniquity עֲוֺנ֥וֹ H5771 Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Literally and he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness
Verse 18

Original words

If a man וְ֠אִישׁ H376 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative lies יִשְׁכַּ֨ב H7901 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular with אֶת־ H853 Preposition a menstruating דָּוָ֗ה H1739 Adjective - feminine singular woman אִשָּׁ֜ה H802 Noun - feminine singular and has sexual relations with her וְגִלָּ֤ה H1540 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker - עֶרְוָתָהּ֙ H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker he has exposed הֶֽעֱרָ֔ה H6168 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular the source of her flow מְקֹרָ֣הּ H4726 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular and she וְהִ֕יא H1931 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person feminine singular has uncovered גִּלְּתָ֖ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the source מְק֣וֹר H4726 Noun - masculine singular construct of her blood דָּמֶ֑יהָ H1818 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular Both שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם H8147 Number - masculine dual construct | third person masculine plural of them must be cut off וְנִכְרְת֥וּ H3772 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural from among מִקֶּ֥רֶב H7130 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct their people עַמָּֽם׃ H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Literally uncovers her nakedness; similarly in verse 19
Verse 19

Original words

You must not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle have sexual relations with וְעֶרְוַ֨ת H6172 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct . . . תְגַלֵּ֑ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular the sister אֲח֧וֹת H269 Noun - feminine singular construct of your mother אִמְּךָ֛ H517 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular or your father אָבִ֖יךָ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular - וַאֲח֥וֹת H269 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct for כִּ֧י H3588 Conjunction - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker it is exposing הֶעֱרָ֖ה H6168 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular one’s own kin שְׁאֵר֛וֹ H7607 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular both shall bear יִשָּֽׂאוּ׃ H5375 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural their iniquity עֲוֺנָ֥ם H5771 Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 20

Original words

If a man וְאִ֗ישׁ H376 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Pronoun - relative lies יִשְׁכַּב֙ H7901 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular with אֶת־ H853 Preposition his uncle’s wife דֹּ֣דָת֔וֹ H1733 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular he has uncovered גִּלָּ֑ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular the nakedness עֶרְוַ֥ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct of his uncle דֹּד֖וֹ H1730 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular They will bear יִשָּׂ֖אוּ H5375 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural their sin חֶטְאָ֥ם H2399 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural they shall die יָמֻֽתוּ׃ H4191 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural childless עֲרִירִ֥ים H6185 Adjective - masculine plural
Verse 21

Original words

If a man וְאִ֗ישׁ H376 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative marries יִקַּ֛ח H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker his brother’s אָחִ֖יו H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular wife אֵ֥שֶׁת H802 Noun - feminine singular construct it הִ֑וא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular is an act of impurity נִדָּ֣ה H5079 Noun - feminine singular He has uncovered גִּלָּ֖ה H1540 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular the nakedness עֶרְוַ֥ת H6172 Noun - feminine singular construct of his brother אָחִ֛יו H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular they shall be יִהְיֽוּ׃ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural childless עֲרִירִ֥ים H6185 Adjective - masculine plural

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.