Leviticus 18:8 - Unlawful Sexual Relations

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Context

Unlawful Sexual Relations
…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.…

Cross References

Deuteronomy 22:30
A man is not to marry his father’s wife, so that he will not dishonor his father’s marriage bed.Deuteronomy 27:20
‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he has violated his father’s marriage bed.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’1 Corinthians 5:1
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.Genesis 35:22
While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons:2 Samuel 16:21-22
Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” / So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.Genesis 49:4
Uncontrolled as the waters, you will no longer excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, onto my couch, and defiled it.1 Chronicles 5:1
These were the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. Though he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, because Reuben defiled his father’s bed. So he is not reckoned according to birthright.Ezekiel 22:10
In you they have uncovered the nakedness of their fathers; in you they violate women during their menstrual impurity.2 Samuel 3:7
Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”2 Samuel 12:8
I gave your master’s house to you and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah, and if that was not enough, I would have given you even more.1 Kings 2:13-25
Now Adonijah son of Haggith went to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, and she asked, “Do you come in peace?” “Yes, in peace,” he replied. / Then he said, “I have something to tell you.” “Say it,” she answered. / “You know that the kingship was mine,” he said. “All Israel expected that I should reign, but the kingship has turned to my brother, for it has come to him from the LORD. ...Amos 2:7
They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the earth; they push the needy out of their way. A man and his father have relations with the same girl and so profane My holy name.1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, / nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; / idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, / and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.Ephesians 5:3-5
But among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed. / Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving. / For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Leviticus 20:11
And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

Genesis 35:22
And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:

Genesis 49:4
Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

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Leviticus 18

You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife;
This command is part of the Holiness Code in Leviticus, which outlines moral and ceremonial laws for the Israelites. The prohibition against sexual relations with a father's wife is a specific application of the broader commandment against adultery. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, such relationships were often seen as a violation of family honor and social order. This law underscores the importance of maintaining family integrity and respecting the marital bond. The phrase "father's wife" may refer to a stepmother, indicating that the prohibition extends beyond biological mothers. This command is echoed in the New Testament, where Paul addresses a similar situation in 1 Corinthians 5:1, condemning a man for having relations with his father's wife, thus reinforcing the continuity of this moral principle.

it would dishonor your father.
The concept of honor and shame was central to ancient Israelite society. Engaging in sexual relations with a father's wife would bring shame not only upon the individual but also upon the family and the community. This act would be seen as a direct affront to the father's authority and dignity. The Hebrew word for "dishonor" can also imply uncovering or exposing, suggesting a violation of the father's privacy and rights. This commandment reflects the broader biblical theme of honoring one's parents, as seen in the Fifth Commandment (Exodus 20:12). The emphasis on family honor is consistent with the biblical portrayal of God as a Father who desires His children to live in a way that reflects His holiness and righteousness.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Moses
The author of Leviticus, who received the laws from God to instruct the Israelites on holy living.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God, to whom the laws were given to set them apart from other nations.

3. Father's Wife
Refers to a stepmother or a father's second wife, highlighting the importance of family honor and boundaries.

4. Canaan
The land where the Israelites were headed, known for its immoral practices, which the Israelites were to avoid.

5. God
The ultimate lawgiver, who establishes moral and ethical standards for His people.

Teaching Points

Honor and Respect
The commandment underscores the importance of honoring family relationships and respecting the marital bond.

Holiness and Separation
God calls His people to be distinct from the surrounding cultures, which often practiced immorality.

Consequences of Sin
Engaging in prohibited relationships brings dishonor and can lead to familial and societal breakdown.

New Testament Continuity
The principles of sexual purity and respect for family boundaries are consistent throughout Scripture.

Personal Integrity
Believers are called to uphold integrity in all relationships, reflecting God's holiness in their lives.

Lists and Questions

Top 10 Lessons from Leviticus 18What does 'uncover the nakedness' mean in the Bible?What does the Bible say about LGBTQ love and acceptance?Could the cultural context behind 1 Corinthians 5 explain this extreme stance on church discipline, or does it remain problematic by modern ethical standards?Why does 1 Corinthians 5:2 call for such severe discipline for sexual immorality, yet other sins seem less emphasized in this passage?

(8) The nakedness of thy father's wife.--Whilst the former prohibition refers to the son's own mother, this law is directed against illicit commerce with his stepmother. Here we have an instance where the phrase "to uncover the nakedness" denotes both illicit commerce and incestuous marriage. Accordingly the administrators of the law during the second Temple defined it as follows; a man's father's wife is for ever prohibited, whether she be simply betrothed or married to his father, whether she be divorced or not, whether she be a widow or not; all connection with her on the part of the father's son is forbidden. If he lie with her while her husband is alive, he is doubly guilty, first, because she is near of kin, and secondly, because she is another man's wife. This, therefore, includes the sin of Reuben with Bilhah, his father's concubine (Genesis 35:22), and of Absalom with the wives of his father (2Samuel 16:20-23; 1Kings 2:17), which was not incestuous marriage but adultery, since their husbands were alive and the wives were not divorced from them, as well as the sin practised among some of the Christians in Corinth, which consisted in sons actually marrying their divorced stepmothers in the lifetime of their fathers, and which the Apostle denounced with such severity (1Corinthians 5:1-4). Among the ancient Arabs, marriages with stepmothers were common, and to this day among some tribes in Africa, when a father is unable through advanced age to attend to his young wives, he voluntarily gives them over to his eldest son. The Koran, however, like the Mosaic law, proscribes these marriages (Koran, 4:27).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

You must not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

have sexual relations with
עֶרְוַ֥ת (‘er·waṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 6172: Nakedness

your father’s
אָבִ֖יךָ (’ā·ḇî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

wife;
אֵֽשֶׁת־ (’ê·šeṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

it
הִֽוא׃ (hî)
Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

would dishonor
עֶרְוַ֥ת (‘er·waṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 6172: Nakedness

your father.
אָבִ֖יךָ (’ā·ḇî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

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Leviticus 18:8 Catholic BibleOT Law: Leviticus 18:8 You shall not uncover the nakedness (Le Lv Lev.)