Levítico 18

Levítico 18

MacArthur writes: Special blessing was promised to the Israelites on the condition of their obedience to God’s law. This promise was remarkably verified in particular eras of their history, in the national prosperity they enjoyed when pure and undefiled religion prevailed among them. Obedience to God’s law always insures temporal blessings, as this verse indicates. But these words have a higher reference to spiritual life as indicated by the Lord (cf. Luke 10:28) and Paul (cf. Ro 10:5). Obedience does not save from sin and hell, but it does mark those who are saved (cf. Ep 2:8-10; Ro 2:6-10). Wycliffe Bible Commentary: The commandments were not given without a promise. The obedient individual would live. The same expression is to be found in [Ezek 20:11, 13, 21] without making clear the exact meaning. It is felt, however, that the meaning is to be found in the NT (Lk 20:38; Ro10:5; Gal 3:12), where the “abundant,” “full,” or “true” life seems to be signified. Leviticus 18:6 'None of you shall approach any blood relative of his to uncover nakedness; I am the LORD. uncover: Lev 18:7-19 20:11,12,17-21 INCESTUOUS RELATIONSHIPS International Children's Bible (ICB) - No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD. None of you - No incest allowed. Period! No exceptions. This is the general prohibition against incest and the following passages give specific commands. Sexual perversion among a people who are called to be holy perverts the Name and Character of the thrice Holy God! And the principle flows over to the New Covenant - God's people do the most good for the world when they are least like the world. How tragic that today so many churches have deceptively reasoned that they must imitate the world in order to reach the world! Beloved, when Israel failed to follow God's clear decrees and instead adopted the lifestyle of the pathetic pagan nations around them, they effectively blunted the effect of their witness. Beloved a nation decays not because of the sinners doing what comes naturally, but when the saints cease to be salty salt and clear lights. Are you as convicted as I am? I hope so. Joshua's parting charge is apropos... If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15). BE DISTINCT! BE HOLY! A holy life is a voice— it speaks when the tongue is silent and is either a constant attraction or a perpetual reproof! James Orr rightly observes that No other form of sin is mentioned with disapproval and threats more frequently than the various forms of carnal vice (carnal = related to the physical body, especially crude bodily pleasures and appetites), for no other sin is more natural or widespread. (ISBE - 1915) To uncover nakedness - “uncovering the nakedness” of another does not mean merely seeing them in the nude, but is a euphemism for sexual intimacy. Lev 20:11 also describes "a man who lies with his father's wife, he has uncovered his father's nakedness." In context these passages clearly speak of incest. And lest we think man's dark heart has "evolved" beyond this plague, all we need do is read Paul's words over 1500 years later to the saints at Corinth... It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife. (1Cor 5:1) Sexual relations with members of both the primary and extended family were unashamedly practiced by the Canaanites in the land that the Israelites were to possess. God instructed His covenant people not to do them, not because He is an "Orge", but because He is the all wise God who knows that engaging in such perverted sexual activities was destructive to family relationships but even more importantly would be destructive to their relationship with God. Recall that God had covenanted with Israel at Mt Sinai (Ex 24:1-7, Read especially Ex 24:8 in which blood was sprinkled to ratify the covenant!) and they were His "WIFE" by covenant agreement (Read their own words in Ex 24:3) and He was their Husband (Isa 54:5) as portrayed several times in the Old Testament... "For long ago I broke your yoke And tore off your bonds (a picture of their defective loyalty to their "Husband"); But you said, 'I will not serve!' For on every high hill And under every green tree You have lain down as a harlot (Israel God's "wife" perverted herself like a prostitute committing spiritual adultery with the other so-called gods, the detestable idols of the Canaanites and other pagan nations) (Jer 2:20) "If a man divorces a woman and she marries someone else, he is not to take her back again, for that would surely corrupt the land. But you (Jehovah as "Husband" speaking to His "wife" Israel) have prostituted yourself with many lovers, says the LORD. Yet I am still calling you to come back to me. (Jer 3:1NLT) (In the context of Jehovah promising Israel and Judah the New Covenant in the future) "Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke (referring to the Old Covenant, the Covenant of the Law at Mt Sinai), although I was a Husband to them," declares the LORD. "But this is the covenant (referring to the New Covenant) which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. (Jer 31:31-33) Leviticus 18:7 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, that is, the nakedness of your mother. She is your mother; you are not to uncover her nakedness. Lev 20:11 Eze 22:10 ICB - 'You must not shame your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother. Do not have sexual relations with her. NIV - 'Do not dishonor your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; do not have relations with her. NLT - Do not violate your father by having sexual intercourse with your mother. She is your mother; you must never have intercourse with her. God sums up the punishment for the list of sexual sins in Leviticus 18 this way... Leviticus 18:29 'For whoever does any of these abominations, those persons who do so shall be cut off from among their people. See discussion of Lev 18:8 regarding the punishment for this specific sexual sin. Leviticus 18: 8 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness. Lev 20:11 Ge 35:22 49:4 Dt 22:30 27:20 2Sa 16:21,22 Eze 22:10 Am 2:7 1 Co 5:1 NIV - 'Do not have sexual relations with your father's wife; that would dishonor your father. We see a similar perversion in Genesis, at the beginning (not to mention what transpired in Genesis 6:5-6 and in Sodom and Gomorrah in Ge 18:1-33, Ge 19:5-9, both receiving God's just decree of the death sentence)... Ge 35:22 And it came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine; and Israel heard of it. Now there were twelve sons of Jacob-- To reiterate, the punishment for the sexual sins in Leviticus 18 is clear... For whoever does any of these abominations, those persons who do so shall be cut off from among their people. (Leviticus 18:29) The question arises "What does 'cut off' mean?" Does it mean ex-communication from the congregation or does it mean that the guilty parties are to be put to death? For some of these sexual sins, there is no doubt as to the meaning of "cut off" because God clarifies the meaning in another passage (the best commentary on Scripture is always Scripture! See Compare Scripture with Scripture). And so in regard to the incestuous relation described here in Lev 18:8 (and presumably also in Lev 18:7), cut off means the guilty parties are to be "put to death" as prescribed in Lev 20:11... If there is a man who lies with his father's wife, he has uncovered his father's nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death, their bloodguiltiness is upon them. Leviticus 18:9 'The nakedness of your sister, either your father's daughter or your mother's daughter, whether born at home or born outside, their nakedness you shall not uncover. Lev 20:17 Dt 27:22 2Sa 13:11-14 Eze 22:11 ICB - You must not have sexual relations with your sister. She may be the daughter of your father or your mother. It doesn't matter if she was born in your house or somewhere else. NLT - Do not have sexual intercourse with your sister or half sister, whether she is your father's daughter or your mother's daughter, whether she was brought up in the same family or somewhere else. God sums up the punishment for the list of sexual sins in Leviticus 18 that "whoever does any of these abominations, those persons who do so shall be cut off from among their people." (Lev 18:29) For other sexual sins, the prescribed punishment is not completely clear. For example, in Lev 20:17 the text says "cut off" but it does not definitely state they are to be put to death as in other passages in close context. However, given the similarity of the sin, this would strongly suggest that the punishment of cutting off in this passage in Lev 18:9 is also death. If there is a man who takes his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he bears his guilt. (Lev 20:17) Leviticus 18:10 'The nakedness of your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter, their nakedness you shall not uncover; for their nakedness is yours. NLT - "Do not have sexual intercourse with your granddaughter, whether your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter; that would violate you. ICB - You must not have sexual relations with your granddaughter. She may be your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter. That would bring shame on you. Leviticus 18:11 'The nakedness of your father's wife's daughter, born to your father, she is your sister, you shall not uncover her nakedness. NLT - Do not have sexual intercourse with the daughter of any of your father's wives; she is your half sister. ICB - 'If your father and his wife have a daughter, she is your sister. You must not have sexual relations with her. Leviticus 18:12 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's sister; she is your father's blood relative. NIV - Do not have sexual relations with your father's sister; she is your father's close relative. NLT - Do not have intercourse with your aunt, your father's sister, because she is your father's close relative. ICB - You must not have sexual relations with your father's sister. She is your father's close relative. Leviticus 18:13 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, for she is your mother's blood relative. NIV - Do not have sexual relations with your mother's sister, because she is your mother's close relative. NLT - Do not have sexual intercourse with your aunt, your mother's sister, because she is your mother's close relative. Leviticus 18:14 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's brother; you shall not approach his wife, she is your aunt. (Lev 20:20) NLT - And do not violate your uncle, your father's brother, by having sexual intercourse with his wife; she also is your aunt. ICB - You must not have sexual relations with the wife of your father's brother. This would shame him. His wife is your aunt. The "cutting off" (Lev 18:24) for this specific sin is described in Leviticus 20... If there is a man who lies with his uncle's wife he has uncovered his uncle's nakedness; they shall bear their sin. They shall die childless. (Lev 20:20) Leviticus 18:15 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son's wife, you shall not uncover her nakedness. Lev 20:12 Ge 38:18,19,26 Eze 22:11 God sums up the punishment for the list of sexual sins in Leviticus 18:29. In regard to the incestuous relation described here in Lev 18:15, cut off means the guilty parties are to be "put to death" as prescribed in Lev 20:12... If there is a man who lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have committed incest, their bloodguiltiness is upon them. (ICB = A man must not have sexual relations with his uncle's wife. That would shame his uncle. That man and his uncle's wife would die without children. They are guilty of sin.) Leviticus 18:16 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife; it is your brother's nakedness. Lev 20:21 Dt 25:5 Mt 14:3,4 Mt 22:24 Mk 6:17 Mk 12:19 Lk 3:19 NLT - Do not have intercourse with your brother's wife; this would violate your brother. ICB - 'You must not have sexual relations with your brother's wife. That would shame your brother. Criswell - If the brother died, however, the law of levirate marriage (Deut. 25:5-10) became applicable. The "cutting off" (Lev 18:29) for this specific sin is specified in Leviticus 20... If there is a man who takes his brother's wife, it is abhorrent; he has uncovered his brother's nakedness. They shall be childless. (Lev 20:21) Comment: What does cut off mean in Lev 20:21? Since it does not state they are to be put to death, it appears that this is a lesser penalty. Being childless however would mean that this man's lineage would die when he died. Leviticus 18:17 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, nor shall you take her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are blood relatives. It is lewdness. woman: Lev 20:14 Dt 27:23 Amos 2:7 lewdness: Lev 20:14 NLT - Do not have sexual intercourse with both a woman and her daughter or marry both a woman and her granddaughter, whether her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter. They are close relatives, and to do this would be a horrible wickedness. As noted above, God sums up the punishment for the list of sexual sins in Leviticus 18:29. What does "cut off" mean in this passage? Does it mean ex-communication from the congregation or does it mean that the guilty parties are to be put to death? For some of these sexual sins, there is no doubt as to the meaning of "cut off" because God clarifies the meaning in another passage (the best commentary on Scripture is always Scripture! See Compare Scripture with Scripture). And so in regard to the incestuous relation described here in Lev 18:17, cut off means the guilty parties are to be put to death as prescribed in Lev 20:14... If there is a man who marries a woman and her mother, it is immorality; both he and they shall be burned with fire, that there may be no immorality (zimmah - lewdness) in your midst. (NLT - If a man has intercourse with both a woman and her mother, such an act is terribly wicked. All three of them must be burned to death to wipe out such wickedness from among you.) (Lev 20:14) Lewdness (02154) (zimmah) means an evil plan, purpose, or scheme; a wicked thought, especially with reference to sexual unchastity; lewdness, ideas and practices that are indecent and disgraceful. Lust; sexual unchastity; licentiousness. Septuagint (Lxx) - The Lxx translates zimmah in Lev 18:17 with the noun asebema which means an impious or profane act (cf other uses of asebema Dt 9:27, Lam 1:14, Lam 4:22). This word is not found in the NT, but it's cognates are used. E.g., asebeia is a related noun which means lack of reverence and awe for God and as a result, living in a way that denies God's existence and His right as Supreme Ruler and Authority. The idea is rejection of all that has to do with God and consequently disobeying His rule. Asebeia suggests a disregard of the existence of God, a refusal to retain Him in knowledge; that habit of mind leads to open rebellion. The related adjective asebes describes an individual who is devoid of all reverence for God, one who is unrestrained by the awe due Him. Asebes describes the basic nature of evil men (of all men not redeemed and restrained by the Gospel of Jesus Christ!) It is notable that these words do not necessary describe one who is irreligious. They may practice religious acts or acts they claim as worship, albeit not worship of the one true Living God! Thus many if not most of the ancient "religious" cults wantonly practiced cultic prostitution, unashamedly holding that sexual acts with both male and female prostitutes were tantamount to acts of worship! O thank God for the Gospel's redemption of our heart and minds from the abominations of lewdness that are rapidly become "accepted practices" in our modern "open minded" society! Come Lord Jesus. Amen! Zimmah refers to the plans and purposes of the mind which give rise to one’s actions. Yet the word rarely pertains to good intentions (Job 17:11). It is used in reference to the evil plotting of the wicked (Isa. 32:7); the thoughts of foolish people (Pr 24:9); and mischievous motivations (Ps. 119:150). Moreover, it relates to sexual sins that spring from lustful intentions - incest (Lev. 18:17); prostitution (Lev. 19:29); adultery (Job 31:11); and rape (Jdg. 20:6). Figuratively, the word represents the wickedness of the people of Israel in their idolatry, calling to mind the connection with adultery (Jer. 13:27; Ezek. 16:27). Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary notes that "Most often lewdness is used figuratively for idolatry (Jer. 11:15; 13:27; Ezek. 16:43, 58; 22:9; 23:21, 27, 29, 35, 48–49; 24:13; Hos. 2:10). Since the cults of many of Israel’s neighboring peoples were fertility cults that employed sexual acts as part of worship, the application of lewdness to idolatry or unfaithfulness is easily understood. See EXCURSUS on Fertility Cults at the end of this page. (Holman Bible Dictionary; Related resource - Lewd; Lewdness - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) English definition of lewdness - one who is sexually unchaste or licentious, one who has a preoccupation with sex and gratification of sexual desires. Characterized by or intended to excite crude sexual desire; obscene Webster's 1828 dictionary adds that lewdness is "The unlawful indulgence of lust; fornication, or adultery. In Scripture, it generally denotes idolatry. Licentiousness; shamelessness." I would add that degradation to lewdness begins with denying God is God and choosing to worship an idol of one's own choosing (in this case essentially the "idol" of self - cf 2Ti 3:1-2). We see this godless mindset come to a crescendo among God's chosen people in the spiritually (and morally) dark days of Judges (200+ years) where they actually carve a concubine into pieces and send the pieces throughout the territory of Israel (Jdg 20:6)! And what was the root problem or heart "pathology" that led to such despicable lewdness? In those days there was no king in Israel (God was not on the throne of their hearts! O, how we moderns need to hear and heed, lest we too fall into this deadly, tempting snare!); everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Don't miss the profound truth here: Their doing of wrong was perceived by themselves as right! We live in a culture which is saying "Just do it!" Values clarification is the watchword. No moral absolutes is the mantra! Oh my! God warned Israel that the land would spew them out! Woe!). (Jdg 21:25) (You might also read Ezek 16:27, 43, 58 where zimmah is used 3x in one chapter! What was the consequence? God's Shekinah Glory cloud, His presence in their midst, had departed and soon He would take them all to Babylonian captivity and destroy the Temple which had been so horribly defiled!) Vine - “loose conduct; lewdness.” The 28 occurrences of this noun are all in legal and poetical books of the Bible, except for a single occurrence in Judges. This noun signifies “loose or infamous conduct” and is used most often with regard to illicit sexual conduct: “Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, … or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness” (Lev. 18:17—the first occurrence). Rejection of God’s law or spiritual adultery may be represented by zimmah (Ps. 119:150; cf. Ezek. 16:12-28). A plan or scheme identified by the word is, therefore, a “harlotrous” plan (Ps. 26:10). Zimmah - 27x - Lev 18:17; 19:29; 20:14; Jdg 20:6; Job 17:11; 31:11; Ps 26:10; 119:150; Pr 10:23; 21:27; 24:9; Isa 32:7; Jer 13:27; Ezek 16:27, 43, 58; 22:9, 11; 23:21, 27, 29, 35, 44, 48f; 24:13; Hos 6:9 - Translated in NAS - acts of lewdness(1), crime(m)(1), devising(1), evil intent(1), immorality(2), lewd(3), lewdly(1), lewdness(13), lustful crime(1), plans(1), wicked scheme(1), wicked schemes(1), wickedness(2). Zimmah is also used in Leviticus 19... Do not profane your daughter by making her a harlot, so that the land may not fall to harlotry, and the land become full of lewdness (Zimmah). (Lev 19:29) Leviticus 18:18 'You shall not marry a woman in addition to her sister as a rival while she is alive, to uncover her nakedness. Marry: Ge 4:19 Ge 29:28 Ex 26:3 Rival: Ge 30:15 1Sa 1:6-8 Mal 2:15 NIV - "'Do not take your wife's sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living. Ryrie - Polygamous marriage to living sisters is forbidden. Leviticus 18:19 'Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness during her menstrual impurity. Lev 15:19,24 Lev 20:18, 2Sa 11:4, Eze 18:6 Ezek 22:10 Earlier we read... Lev 15:19 ‘When a woman has a discharge, if her discharge in her body is blood, she shall continue in her menstrual impurity for seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening. Lev 15:24 ‘And if a man actually lies with her, so that her menstrual impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days, and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean. The Bible Knowledge Commentary says: Since sexual intercourse was forbidden during a woman’s period (Lev 18:19; 20:18), Lev 15:24 probably means that if a woman’s period commenced while she was having intercourse with her husband, he would be unclean like her and would also be a source of secondary pollution (as in vv. 2-12). The punishment is described in Lev 20:18... If there is a man who lies with a menstruous woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her flow, and she has exposed the flow of her blood; thus both of them shall be cut off from among their people. Comment: In this situation the cutting off seems to be ex-communication from the congregation. Boa - Violating a woman during her menstrual period (v. 19). It is unlikely that this verse is referring to sex between a husband and wife during her menstrual period, as Spong and others assume. A few chapters earlier such an act is regarded as making the man ritually unclean for seven days (Lev 15:24). Here, though (compare Lev 18:29), and explicitly in a related text (Lev 20:18), the act is punishable by death. Thus, the act in view here must be different from the one in Lev 15 and must be regarded as a more serious kind of offense. It is therefore most likely that the act forbidden here is one that took place between persons who were not married, and probably one in which the man violated the woman (since she is not likely to have consented freely during that time). We are therefore not dealing here with a matter of ritual purity, but of morality. Leviticus 18:20 'You shall not have intercourse with your neighbor's wife, to be defiled with her. Ex. 20:14; Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22 ADULTERY PROHIBITED Rooker comments: Leviticus 18:20 prohibits adultery, that is, sexual intercourse between a man and his neighbor’s wife. Adultery was also prohibited in Ex 20:14; Dt 5:18; Jn 8:2–5 and was punished by death for both of the guilty parties (Lev 20:10; Deut 22:22). The seriousness of this offense results from the fact that the marriage relationship was instituted by God (Gen 2:18, 24; Pr 2:17; 18:22; Mal 2:14)....Adultery was often used metaphorically in the Bible to refer to infidelity to the Lord (Jer 7:9; 23:10; Ezek 23:45; Rev 2:22). Israel, like a wife, was to be exclusively loyal to her husband. hat the relationship between God and Israel was like that of a marriage is the background for references to God’s jealousy (קַנָּא) for Israel (Ex 20:5; Deut 5:9). (New American Commentary). Boa- Adultery...is also said to be defiling. There is no denying that this refers to a consensual sexual act. Moreover, the general description of all of these acts as detestable to God (Lev 18:26–30) shows that God considers heterosexual adultery to be detestable, too, and not merely homosexual acts. Adulterers in the church (and there are many) who openly condemn homosexuality as an abomination but refuse to repent of their sin of adultery are hypocrites. The hypocrite is still right in his view of homosexuality, though. The problem with the hypocrite is generally not that he is wrong about others, but that he is wrong about himself (cf. Matt. 23). See - Immorality, Sexual - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology The cutting off that Leviticus 20 prescribes for adultery is death... Leviticus 20:10 If there is a man who commits adultery with another man's wife, one who commits adultery with his friend's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. Leviticus 18:21 'You shall not give any of your offspring to offer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God; I am the LORD. Lev 20:2 De 12:31 18:10 2Ki 16:3 21:6 23:10 Ps 106:37,38 Jer 7:31 Jer 19:5 Eze 20:31 23:37 Molech: 1Ki 11:7,33 Am 5:26 Ac 7:43, Moloch profane: Lev 19:12 Lev 20:2-5 Lev 21:6 Lev 22:2,32 Eze 36:20-23 Mal 1:12 Ro 1:23 Ro 2:24 GOD'S HOLY NAME ICB - You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech. This will show that you do not respect your God. I am the Lord. NIV - "'Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. NLT - "Do not give any of your children as a sacrifice to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. KJV - 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. Related Resource: God's Name - A Strong Tower (Links to Multiple Holy Names) For Moloch see: Gods and Goddesses, Pagan - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology You profane the name of your God - This despicable act (child sacrifice) would bring down the Name (and the Holy Character) of Jehovah in the eyes of the surrounding pagan nations. Israel was to be a light to the nations, shining forth the glory of the Name (and majestic character) of their great and mighty God. Clearly child sacrifice would result in the antithesis of bringing glory to the Name Yahweh! The psalmist alludes to how important is a proper understanding of God's Name writing... Ps 9:10 And those who KNOW Thy NAME will put their TRUST in Thee; for Thou, O LORD, hast not forsaken those who seek Thee.