Lev 20:20 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Lev 20:20-21: 20:20-21 Being left childless carried a social stigma and was considered a judgment from God (see Gen 30:1-2 ; Deut 7:14 ). What situation is envisioned in these verses? Sexual relations with a sister-in-law (Lev 18:16 ) or an uncle’s wife (18:14 ) have already been discussed. Adultery is dealt with elsewhere and would bring death to both parties (Deut 22:22 ). If the woman involved was a widow without a male heir, the law of levirate marriage could be invoked (Deut 25:5-6 ; see study note on Lev 18:16). Since those situations don’t seem to apply, it would appear that this law refers to marrying an aunt or a sister-in-law after she has been divorced from her husband. John the Baptist apparently applied this law to condemn Herod Antipas’s marriage to Herodias (see Mark 6:17-29 ).

a20:20-21►

bGen 30:1-2►

cDeut 7:14►

dLev 18:16►

e18:14►

fDeut 22:22►

gDeut 25:5-6►

hMark 6:17-29►

‏ Leviticus 20:20

Summary for Lev 20:20-21: 20:20-21 ^a Being left childless carried a social stigma and was considered a judgment from God (see Gen 30:1-2 ^b; Deut 7:14 ^c). What situation is envisioned in these verses? Sexual relations with a sister-in-law (Lev 18:16 ^d) or an uncle’s wife (18:14 ^e) have already been discussed. Adultery is dealt with elsewhere and would bring death to both parties (Deut 22:22 ^f). If the woman involved was a widow without a male heir, the law of levirate marriage could be invoked (Deut 25:5-6 ^g; see study note on Lev 18:16). Since those situations don’t seem to apply, it would appear that this law refers to marrying an aunt or a sister-in-law after she has been divorced from her husband. John the Baptist apparently applied this law to condemn Herod Antipas’s marriage to Herodias (see Mark 6:17-29 ^h).