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Leviticus 20:17

in Leviticus 20

If a man marries his sister, whether the daughter of his father or of his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of their people. He has uncovered the nakedness of his sister; he shall bear his iniquity.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a shameful thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.

KJV

And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.

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This verse in Leviticus 20

Commentary

3 notes on this verse
Cut off ... - See Exo 31:14 note. The more full expression here used probably refers to some special form of public excommunication, accompanied, it may be, by expulsion from the camp.

This site's exposition

If a man marries his sister

on Leviticus 20:17-19

The penalty changes register at verse 17. Being cut off and bearing iniquity are sentences no human hand is told to carry out. Matthew Henry reads them as guilt left standing against a man never brought to trial.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter,....

The words behind it

28 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וְאִ֣ישׁand a man

    veishH376 →1663 times

  • אֲשֶׁר־who

    ʾasher-H834 →5497 times

  • יִקַּ֣חhe will take

    yikachH3947 →966 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • אֲחֹת֡וֹsister his

    ʾachotoH269 →114 times

  • בַּת־[the] daughter of

    bat-H1323 →588 times

  • אָבִ֣יוfather his

    ʾavivH1 →1212 times

  • א֣וֹor

    ʾoH176 →321 times

  • בַת־[the] daughter of

    vat-H1323 →588 times

  • אִ֠מּוֹmother his

    ʾimoH517 →220 times

  • וְרָאָ֨הand he will see

    veraahH7200 →1300 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • עֶרְוָתָ֜הּnakedness her

    ʾervatahH6172 →54 times

  • וְהִֽיא־and she

    vehi'-H1931 →1879 times

  • תִרְאֶ֤הshe will see

    tirehH7200 →1300 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • עֶרְוָתוֹ֙nakedness his

    ervatoH6172 →54 times

  • חֶ֣סֶד[is] a shame

    chesedH2617 →

  • ה֔וּאit

    hu'H1931 →1879 times

  • וְנִ֨כְרְת֔וּand they will be cut off

    venikhretuH3772 →288 times

  • לְעֵינֵ֖יto [the] eyes of

    leeineiH5869 →887 times

  • בְּנֵ֣י[the] sons of

    beneiH1121 →4930 times

  • עַמָּ֑םpeople their

    ʾamamH5971 →1873 times

  • עֶרְוַ֧ת[the] nakedness of

    ʾervatH6172 →54 times

  • אֲחֹת֛וֹsister his

    ʾachotoH269 →114 times

  • גִּלָּ֖הhe has uncovered

    gilahH1540 →186 times

  • עֲוֹנ֥וֹiniquity his

    avonoH5771 →233 times

  • יִשָּֽׂא׃he will bear

    yisa'H5375 →656 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

9 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Leviticus 18:9You 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.6 works2 Samuel 13:12“No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not humiliate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!5 worksEzekiel 22:11One man commits an abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another wickedly defiles his daughter-in-law; and yet another violates his sister, his own father’s daughter.5 worksDeuteronomy 27:22‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’5 worksLeviticus 5:1“If someone sins by failing to testify when he hears a public charge about something he has witnessed, whether he has seen it or learned of it, he shall bear the iniquity.3 worksGenesis 20:12Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father—though not the daughter of my mother—and she became my wife.2 works
The other 3 cross-references, with their words ▾
Leviticus 7:18If any of the meat from his peace offering is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted. It will not be credited to the one who presented it; it shall be an abomination, and the one who eats of it shall bear his iniquity.2 works2 Samuel 13:4so he asked Amnon, “Why are you, the son of the king, so depressed morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon replied, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”2 worksLeviticus 17:16But if he does not wash his clothes and bathe himself, then he shall bear his iniquity.”2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Deuteronomy 27:22

    ‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

    it leads to

    • Leviticus 18:9

      You 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.

      Reached by 3 separate paths from here.

  • Through

    Leviticus 18:9

    You 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.

    it leads to

    • Ezekiel 22:11

      One man commits an abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another wickedly defiles his daughter-in-law; and yet another violates his sister, his own father’s daughter.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

  • Through

    2 Samuel 13:12

    “No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not humiliate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!

    it leads to

    • Leviticus 18:11

      You must not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Judges 20:6

      Then I took my concubine, cut her into pieces, and sent her throughout the land of Israel’s inheritance, because they had committed a lewd and disgraceful act in Israel.

    • Judges 19:23

      The owner of the house went out and said to them, “No, my brothers, do not do this wicked thing! After all, this man is a guest in my house. Do not commit this…

    • Genesis 34:7

      When Jacob’s sons heard what had happened, they returned from the field. They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem had committed an outrage in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter—a thing that…

  • Through

    Ezekiel 22:11

    One man commits an abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another wickedly defiles his daughter-in-law; and yet another violates his sister, his own father’s daughter.

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 13:14

      But Amnon refused to listen to her, and being stronger, he violated her and lay with her.

    • Leviticus 18:15

      You must not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife; you are not to have sexual relations with her.

Where this verse is studied

About Leviticus

The Scapegoat, William Holman Hunt, 1854. Public domain.
The Scapegoat, William Holman Hunt, 1854. Public domain.
Leviticus: the study guide →Read Leviticus 20 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Leviticus 20 →