Leviticus 18:19
in Leviticus 18You must not approach a woman to have sexual relations with her during her menstrual period.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.
KJV
Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.
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This verse in Leviticus 18
Commentary
4 notes on this verseAlso thou shall not approach unto a woman,.... Not even a man to his own wife, and much less to another woman: to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness; in her monthly courses; and the time of her separation from her husband on that account was seven days, Lev 15:19; if a man lay with a woman when in such circumstances, they were both to be cut off from their people, Lev 20:18; and such an action is reckoned among sins, and uncleanness of the worst sort, Eze 22:10.
This site's exposition
approach a woman to have sexual relations with her
on Leviticus 18:19-20
Verse 19 turns the law on a man and his own wife during the separation of Leviticus 15:19. Verse 20 turns it on his neighbor's wife. Ezekiel 22:10 and 22:11 charge Jerusalem with these two offences side by side.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
As long as she is set apart - No not to thy own wife. This was not only a ceremonial pollution, but an immorality also, whence it is put amongst gross sins, Ezek. xviii, 6. And therefore it is now unlawful under the gospel.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
As long as she is put apart - See Clarke’s note on Lev 15:24.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאֶל־ | veel- | and to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אִשָּׁ֖ה | ʾishah | a woman | H802 → | 781 times |
| בְּנִדַּ֣ת | benidat | in [the] menstruous impurity of | H5079 → | 29 times |
| טֻמְאָתָ֑הּ | tumatah | uncleanness her | H2932 → | 36 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִקְרַ֔ב | tikrav | you will draw near | H7126 → | 280 times |
| לְגַלּ֖וֹת | legalot | to uncover | H1540 → | 186 times |
| עֶרְוָתָֽהּ׃ | ʾervatah | nakedness her | H6172 → | 54 times |
וְאֶל־and to
veel-H413 →5510 times
אִשָּׁ֖הa woman
ʾishahH802 →781 times
בְּנִדַּ֣תin [the] menstruous impurity of
benidatH5079 →29 times
טֻמְאָתָ֑הּuncleanness her
tumatahH2932 →36 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תִקְרַ֔בyou will draw near
tikravH7126 →280 times
לְגַלּ֖וֹתto uncover
legalotH1540 →186 times
עֶרְוָתָֽהּ׃nakedness her
ʾervatahH6172 →54 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Leviticus 15:24If a man lies with her and her menstrual flow touches him, he will be unclean for seven days, and any bed on which he lies will become unclean.
it leads to
- Leviticus 20:18
If a man lies with a menstruating woman and has sexual relations with her, he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has uncovered the source of her blood. Both of them…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 18:6
He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her period.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 22:10
In you they have uncovered the nakedness of their fathers; in you they violate women during their menstrual impurity.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Leviticus 20:18
Through
Ezekiel 18:6He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her period.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 18:15
He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.
- Deuteronomy 4:19
When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to…
- Ezekiel 22:9–11
Among you are slanderous men bent on bloodshed; within you are those who eat on the mountain shrines and commit acts of indecency.
- Ezekiel 18:15
Through
Leviticus 15:19When a woman has a discharge consisting of blood from her body, she will be unclean due to her menstruation for seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening.
it leads to
- Leviticus 12:2
“Say to the Israelites, ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be unclean for seven days, as she is during the days of her menstruation.
- Leviticus 12:2
Through
Leviticus 20:18If a man lies with a menstruating woman and has sexual relations with her, he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has uncovered the source of her blood. Both of them…
it leads to
- Leviticus 15:24
If a man lies with her and her menstrual flow touches him, he will be unclean for seven days, and any bed on which he lies will become unclean.
- Leviticus 15:24
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Leviticus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.