24 Defile H2930 not ye yourselves in any of these things: H428 for in all these the nations H1471 are defiled H2930 which I cast out H7971 before H6440 you:
None of you shall approach H7126 to any H376 that is near H7607 of kin H1320 to him, to uncover H1540 their nakedness: H6172 I am the LORD. H3068 The nakedness H6172 of thy father, H1 or the nakedness H6172 of thy mother, H517 shalt thou not uncover: H1540 she is thy mother; H517 thou shalt not uncover H1540 her nakedness. H6172 The nakedness H6172 of thy father's H1 wife H802 shalt thou not uncover: H1540 it is thy father's H1 nakedness. H6172 The nakedness H6172 of thy sister, H269 the daughter H1323 of thy father, H1 or daughter H1323 of thy mother, H517 whether she be born H4138 at home, H1004 or born H4138 abroad, H2351 even their nakedness H6172 thou shalt not uncover. H1540 The nakedness H6172 of thy son's H1121 daughter, H1323 or of thy daughter's H1323 daughter, H1323 even their nakedness H6172 thou shalt not uncover: H1540 for theirs H2007 is thine own nakedness. H6172 The nakedness H6172 of thy father's H1 wife's H802 daughter, H1323 begotten H4138 of thy father, H1 she is thy sister, H269 thou shalt not uncover H1540 her nakedness. H6172 Thou shalt not uncover H1540 the nakedness H6172 of thy father's H1 sister: H269 she is thy father's H1 near kinswoman. H7607 Thou shalt not uncover H1540 the nakedness H6172 of thy mother's H517 sister: H269 for she is thy mother's H517 near kinswoman. H7607 Thou shalt not uncover H1540 the nakedness H6172 of thy father's H1 brother, H251 thou shalt not approach H7126 to his wife: H802 she is thine aunt. H1733 Thou shalt not uncover H1540 the nakedness H6172 of thy daughter in law: H3618 she is thy son's H1121 wife; H802 thou shalt not uncover H1540 her nakedness. H6172 Thou shalt not uncover H1540 the nakedness H6172 of thy brother's H251 wife: H802 it is thy brother's H251 nakedness. H6172 Thou shalt not uncover H1540 the nakedness H6172 of a woman H802 and her daughter, H1323 neither shalt thou take H3947 her son's H1121 daughter, H1323 or her daughter's H1323 daughter, H1323 to uncover H1540 her nakedness; H6172 for they are her near kinswomen: H7608 it is wickedness. H2154 Neither shalt thou take H3947 a wife H802 to her sister, H269 to vex H6887 her, to uncover H1540 her nakedness, H6172 beside the other in her life H2416 time. Also thou shalt not approach H7126 unto a woman H802 to uncover H1540 her nakedness, H6172 as long as she is put apart H5079 for her uncleanness. H2932 Moreover thou shalt not H5414 lie H7903 carnally H2233 with thy neighbour's H5997 wife, H802 to defile H2930 thyself with her. And thou shalt not H5414 let any of thy seed H2233 pass H5674 through the fire to Molech, H4432 neither shalt thou profane H2490 the name H8034 of thy God: H430 I am the LORD. H3068 Thou shalt not lie H7901 with mankind, H2145 as with H4904 womankind: H802 it is abomination. H8441 Neither shalt thou H5414 lie H7903 with any beast H929 to defile H2930 thyself therewith: neither shall any woman H802 stand H5975 before H6440 a beast H929 to lie down H7250 thereto: it is confusion. H8397
Ye shall therefore keep H8104 all my statutes, H2708 and all my judgments, H4941 and do H6213 them: that the land, H776 whither I bring H935 you to dwell H3427 therein, spue you not out. H6958 And ye shall not walk H3212 in the manners H2708 of the nation, H1471 which I cast out H7971 before H6440 you: for they committed H6213 all these things, and therefore I abhorred H6973 them.
But G1161 those things which G3588 proceed G1607 out of G1537 the mouth G4750 come forth G1831 from G1537 the heart; G2588 and they G2548 defile G2840 the man. G444 For G1063 out of G1537 the heart G2588 proceed G1831 evil G4190 thoughts, G1261 murders, G5408 adulteries, G3430 fornications, G4202 thefts, G2829 false witness, G5577 blasphemies: G988 These G5023 are G2076 the things which G3588 defile G2840 a man: G444 but G1161 to eat G5315 with unwashen G449 hands G5495 defileth G2840 not G3756 a man. G444
For G1063 Moses G3475 said, G2036 Honour G5091 thy G4675 father G3962 and G2532 thy G4675 mother; G3384 and, G2532 Whoso curseth G2551 father G3962 or G2228 mother, G3384 let him die G5053 the death: G2288 But G1161 ye G5210 say, G3004 If G1437 a man G444 shall say G2036 to his father G3962 or G2228 mother, G3384 It is Corban, G2878 that is to say, G3603 a gift, G1435 by G1537 whatsoever G3739 G1437 thou mightest be profited by G5623 me; G1700 he shall be free. And G2532 ye suffer G863 him G846 no more G3765 to do G4160 ought G3762 for his G846 father G3962 or G2228 his G846 mother; G3384 Making G208 the word G3056 of God G2316 of none effect G208 through your G5216 tradition, G3862 which G3739 ye have delivered: G3860 and G2532 many G4183 such G5108 like things G3946 do ye. G4160 And G2532 when he had called G4341 all G3956 the people G3793 unto him, he said G3004 unto them, G846 Hearken G191 unto me G3450 every one G3956 of you, and G2532 understand: G4920 There is G2076 nothing G3762 from without G1855 a man, G444 that G3739 entering G1531 into G1519 him G846 can G1410 defile G2840 him: G846 but G235 the things which come G1607 out of G575 him, G846 those G1565 are they G2076 that defile G2840 the man. G444 If any man G1536 have G2192 ears G3775 to hear, G191 let him hear. G191 And G2532 when G3753 he was entered G1525 into G1519 the house G3624 from G575 the people, G3793 his G846 disciples G3101 asked G1905 him G846 concerning G4012 the parable. G3850 And G2532 he saith G3004 unto them, G846 Are G2075 ye G5210 so G3779 without understanding G801 also? G2532 Do ye G3539 not G3756 perceive, G3539 that G3754 whatsoever thing G3956 from without G1855 entereth G1531 into G1519 the man, G444 it cannot G3756 G1410 defile G2840 him; G846 Because G3754 it entereth G1531 not G3756 into G1519 his G846 heart, G2588 but G235 into G1519 the belly, G2836 and G2532 goeth out G1607 into G1519 the draught, G856 purging G2511 all G3956 meats? G1033 And G1161 he said, G3004 G3754 That which cometh G1607 out of G1537 the man, G444 that G1565 defileth G2840 the man. G444 For G1063 from within, G2081 out of G1537 the heart G2588 of men, G444 proceed G1607 evil G2556 thoughts, G1261 adulteries, G3430 fornications, G4202 murders, G5408 Thefts, G2829 covetousness, G4124 wickedness, G4189 deceit, G1388 lasciviousness, G766 an evil G4190 eye, G3788 blasphemy, G988 pride, G5243 foolishness: G877 All G3956 these G5023 evil things G4190 come G1607 from within, G2081 and G2532 defile G2840 the man. G444
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Leviticus 18
Commentary on Leviticus 18 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 18
Le 18:1-30. Unlawful Marriages.
2-4. I am the Lord your God—This renewed mention of the divine sovereignty over the Israelites was intended to bear particularly on some laws that were widely different from the social customs that obtained both in Egypt and Canaan; for the enormities, which the laws enumerated in this chapter were intended to put down, were freely practised or publicly sanctioned in both of those countries; and, indeed, the extermination of the ancient Canaanites is described as owing to the abominations with which they had polluted the land.
5. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them—A special blessing was promised to the Israelites on condition of their obedience to the divine law; and this promise was remarkably verified at particular eras of their history, when pure and undefiled religion prevailed among them, in the public prosperity and domestic happiness enjoyed by them as a people. Obedience to the divine law always, indeed, ensures temporal advantages; and this, doubtless, was the primary meaning of the words, "which if a man do, he shall live in them." But that they had a higher reference to spiritual life is evident from the application made of them by our Lord (Lu 10:28) and the apostle (Ro 10:2).
6. None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him—Very great laxity prevailed amongst the Egyptians in their sentiments and practice about the conjugal relation, as they not only openly sanctioned marriages between brothers and sisters, but even between parents and children. Such incestuous alliances Moses wisely prohibited, and his laws form the basis upon which the marriage regulations of this and other Christian nations are chiefly founded. This verse contains a general summary of all the particular prohibitions; and the forbidden intercourse is pointed out by the phrase, "to approach to." In the specified prohibitions that follow, all of which are included in this general summary, the prohibited familiarity is indicated by the phrases, to "uncover the nakedness" [Le 18:12-17], to "take" [Le 18:17, 18], and to "lie with" [Le 18:22, 23]. The phrase in this sixth verse, therefore, has the same identical meaning with each of the other three, and the marriages in reference to which it is used are those of consanguinity or too close affinity, amounting to incestuous connections.
18. Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her—The original is rendered in the Margin, "neither shalt thou take one wife to another to vex her," and two different and opposite interpretations have been put upon this passage. The marginal construction involves an express prohibition of polygamy; and, indeed, there can be no doubt that the practice of having more wives than one is directly contrary to the divine will. It was prohibited by the original law of marriage, and no evidence of its lawfulness under the Levitical code can be discovered, although Moses—from "the hardness of their hearts" [Mt 19:8; Mr 10:5]—tolerated it in the people of a rude and early age. The second interpretation forms the ground upon which the "vexed question" has been raised in our times respecting the lawfulness of marriage with a deceased wife's sister. Whatever arguments may be used to prove the unlawfulness or inexpediency of such a matrimonial relation, the passage under consideration cannot, on a sound basis of criticism, be enlisted in the service; for the crimes with which it is here associated warrant the conclusion that it points not to marriage with a deceased wife's sister, but with a sister in the wife's lifetime, a practice common among the ancient Egyptians, Chaldeans, and others.
21. thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, &c.—Molech, or Moloch, which signifies "king," was the idol of the Ammonites. His statue was of brass, and rested on a pedestal or throne of the same metal. His head, resembling that of a calf, was adorned with a crown, and his arms were extended in the attitude of embracing those who approached him. His devotees dedicated their children to him; and when this was to be done, they heated the statue to a high pitch of intensity by a fire within, and then the infants were either shaken over the flames, or passed through the ignited arms, by way of lustration to ensure the favor of the pretended deity. The fire-worshippers asserted that all children who did not undergo this purifying process would die in infancy; and the influence of this Zabian superstition was still so extensively prevalent in the days of Moses, that the divine lawgiver judged it necessary to prohibit it by an express statute.
neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God—by giving it to false or pretended divinities; or, perhaps, from this precept standing in close connection with the worship of Molech, the meaning rather is, Do not, by devoting your children to him, give foreigners occasion to blaspheme the name of your God as a cruel and sanguinary deity, who demands the sacrifice of human victims, and who encourages cruelty in his votaries.
24. Defile not yourselves in any of these things—In the preceding verses seventeen express cases of incest are enumerated; comprehending eleven of affinity [Le 18:7-16], and six of consanguinity [Le 18:17-20], together with some criminal enormities of an aggravated and unnatural character. In such prohibitions it was necessary for the instruction of a people low in the scale of moral perception, that the enumeration should be very specific as well as minute; and then, on completing it, the divine lawgiver announces his own views of these crimes, without any exception or modification, in the remarkable terms employed in this verse.
in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you, &c.—Ancient history gives many appalling proofs that the enormous vices described in this chapter were very prevalent, nay, were regularly practised from religious motives in the temples of Egypt and the groves of Canaan; and it was these gigantic social disorders that occasioned the expulsion, of which the Israelites were, in the hands of a righteous and retributive Providence, the appointed instruments (Ge 15:16). The strongly figurative language of "the land itself vomiting out her inhabitants" [Le 18:25], shows the hopeless depth of their moral corruption.
25. therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it; and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants—The Canaanites, as enormous and incorrigible sinners, were to be exterminated; and this extermination was manifestly a judicial punishment inflicted by a ruler whose laws had been grossly and perseveringly outraged. But before a law can be disobeyed, it must have been previously in existence; and hence a law, prohibiting all the horrid crimes enumerated above—a law obligatory upon the Canaanites as well as other nations—was already known and in force before the Levitical law of incest was promulgated. Some general Iaw, then, prohibiting these crimes must have been published to mankind at a very early period of the world's history; and that law must either have been the moral law, originally written on the human heart, or a law on the institution of marriage revealed to Adam and known to the Canaanites and others by tradition or otherwise.
29. the souls that commit them shall be cut off—This strong denunciatory language is applied to all the crimes specified in the chapter without distinction: to incest as truly as to bestiality, and to the eleven cases of affinity [Le 18:7-16], as fully as to the six of consanguinity [Le 18:17-20]. Death is the punishment sternly denounced against all of them. No language could be more explicit or universal; none could more strongly indicate intense loathing and abhorrence.
30. Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs—In giving the Israelites these particular institutions, God was only re-delivering the law imprinted on the natural heart of man; for there is every reason to believe that the incestuous alliances and unnatural crimes prohibited in this chapter were forbidden to all men by a law expressed or understood from the beginning of the world, or at least from the era of the flood, since God threatens to condemn and punish, in a manner so sternly severe, these atrocities in the practice of the Canaanites and their neighbors, who were not subject to the laws of the Hebrew nation.