Lev 20:9-21 | NETfull | STEP | “‘If anyone curses his father and mother he must be put to death. He has cursed his father and mother; his blood guilt is on himself.

Leviticus 20:9-21

Family Life and Sexual Prohibitions

^{▼▼ Compare the regulations in Lev 18:6–23.} 9 “‘If anyone ^{▼▼ Heb “If a man a man who.”} curses his father and mother ^{▼▼ Heb “makes light of his father and his mother.” Almost all English versions render this as some variation of “curses his father or mother.”} he must be put to death. He has cursed his father and mother; his blood guilt is on himself. ^{▼▼ Heb “his blood [plural] is in him.” Cf. NAB “he has forfeited his life”; TEV “is responsible for his own death.”} ^{▼▼ The rendering “blood guilt” refers to the fact that the shedding of blood brings guilt on those who shed it illegitimately (even the blood of animals shed illegitimately, Lev 17:4; cf. the background of Gen 4:10–11). If the community performs a legitimate execution, however, the blood guilt rests on the person who has been legitimately executed (see the remarks and literature cited in J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 328).} 10 If a man ^{▼▼ Heb “And a man who.” The syntax here and at the beginning of the following verses elliptically mirrors that of v. 9, which justifies the rendering as a conditional clause.} commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, ^{▼▼ The reading of the LXX minuscule mss has been followed here (see the BHS footnote a-a). The MT has a dittography, repeating “a man who commits adultery with the wife of” (see the explanation in J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 328). The duplication found in the MT is reflected in some English versions, e.g., KJV, ASV, NASB, NIV.} both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. 11 If a man has sexual intercourse with his father’s wife, he has exposed his father’s nakedness. ^{▼▼ See the note on Lev 18:7 above.} Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves. ^{▼▼ See the note on v. 9 above.} 12 If a man has sexual intercourse with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. They have committed perversion; ^{▼▼ The Hebrew term תֶּבֶל (tevel, “perversion”) derives from the verb “to mix; to confuse” (cf. KJV, ASV “they have wrought confusion”).} their blood guilt is on themselves. 13 If a man has sexual intercourse with a male as one has sexual intercourse with a woman, ^{▼▼ Heb “[as the] lyings of a woman.” The specific reference here is to homosexual intercourse between males.} the two of them have committed an abomination. They must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves. 14 If a man has sexual intercourse with both a woman and her mother, ^{▼▼ Heb “And a man who takes a woman and her mother.” The Hebrew verb “to take” in this context means “to engage in sexual intercourse.”} it is lewdness. ^{▼▼ Regarding “lewdness,” see the note on Lev 18:17 above.} Both he and they must be burned to death, ^{▼▼ Heb “in fire they shall burn him and them.” The active plural verb sometimes requires a passive translation (GKC 460 #144.f, g), esp. when no active plural subject has been expressed in the context. The present translation specifies “burned to death” because the traditional rendering “burnt with fire” (KJV, ASV; NASB “burned with fire”) could be understood to mean “branded” or otherwise burned, but not fatally.} so there is no lewdness in your midst. 15 If a man has sexual intercourse ^{▼▼ See the note on Lev 18:20 above.} with any animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal. 16 If a woman approaches any animal to have sexual intercourse with it, ^{▼▼ Heb “to copulate with it” (cf. Lev 20:16).} you must kill the woman, and the animal must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

17 “‘If a man has sexual intercourse with ^{▼▼ Heb “takes.” The verb “to take” in this context means “to engage in sexual intercourse,” though some English versions translate it as “marry” (e.g., NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV).} his sister, whether the daughter of his father or his mother, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. ^{▼▼ Regarding the “cut off” penalty, see the note on Lev 7:20.} He has exposed his sister’s nakedness; he will bear his punishment for iniquity. ^{▼▼ See the note on Lev 17:16 above.} 18 If a man has sexual intercourse with a menstruating woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her fountain of blood and she has exposed the fountain of her blood, so both of them ^{▼▼ Heb “and the two of them.”} must be cut off from the midst of their people. 19 You must not expose the nakedness of your mother’s sister and your father’s sister, for such a person has laid bare his own close relative. ^{▼▼ Heb “his flesh.”} They must bear their punishment for iniquity. ^{▼▼ See the note on Lev 17:16 above.} 20 If a man has sexual intercourse with his aunt, he has exposed his uncle’s nakedness; they must bear responsibility for their sin, they will die childless. 21 If a man has sexual intercourse with ^{▼▼ Heb “takes.” The verb “to take” in this context means “to engage in sexual intercourse.”} his brother’s wife, it is indecency. He has exposed his brother’s nakedness; ^{▼▼ See the note on Lev 18:7 above.} they will be childless.