Leviticus 20:19
in Leviticus 20You must not have sexual relations with the sister of your mother or your father, for it is exposing one’s own kin; both shall bear their iniquity.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, nor of thy father’s sister; for he hath made naked his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity.
KJV
And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, nor of thy father’s sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity.
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This verse in Leviticus 20
Commentary
4 notes on this verseNay it is said, They shall bear their iniquity, that is, though they be not immediately cut off by the hand either of God or man for this sin, yet the guilt of it shall lie upon them, to be reckoned for another day, and not be purged with sacrifice or offering.
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.
This site's exposition
both shall bear their iniquity
The form changes here from a case with its sentence to a direct command, the form used throughout chapter 18. Leviticus 18:12 and 13 had already forbidden both aunts. The reason given is kinship.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister, nor of thy father's sister,....
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעֶרְוַ֨ת | veervat | and [the] nakedness of | H6172 → | 54 times |
| אֲח֧וֹת | ʾachot | [the] sister of | H269 → | 114 times |
| אִמְּךָ֛ | ʾimekha | mother your | H517 → | 220 times |
| וַאֲח֥וֹת | vaachot | and [the] sister of | H269 → | 114 times |
| אָבִ֖יךָ | ʾavikha | father your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תְגַלֵּ֑ה | tegaleh | you will uncover | H1540 → | 186 times |
| כִּ֧י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שְׁאֵר֛וֹ | sheero | relative his | H7607 → | 16 times |
| הֶעֱרָ֖ה | heerah | he has made naked | H6168 → | |
| עֲוֹנָ֥ם | ʾavonam | iniquity their | H5771 → | 233 times |
| יִשָּֽׂאוּ׃ | yisau | they will bear | H5375 → | 656 times |
וְעֶרְוַ֨תand [the] nakedness of
veervatH6172 →54 times
אֲח֧וֹת[the] sister of
ʾachotH269 →114 times
אִמְּךָ֛mother your
ʾimekhaH517 →220 times
וַאֲח֥וֹתand [the] sister of
vaachotH269 →114 times
אָבִ֖יךָfather your
ʾavikhaH1 →1212 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תְגַלֵּ֑הyou will uncover
tegalehH1540 →186 times
כִּ֧יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שְׁאֵר֛וֹrelative his
sheeroH7607 →16 times
הֶעֱרָ֖הhe has made naked
heerahH6168 →
עֲוֹנָ֥םiniquity their
ʾavonamH5771 →233 times
יִשָּֽׂאוּ׃they will bear
yisauH5375 →656 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
7 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
Exodus 6:20And Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.
it leads to
- Numbers 26:59
and Amram’s wife was named Jochebed. She was also a daughter of Levi, born to Levi in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam.
- Exodus 2:1–2
Now a man of the house of Levi married a daughter of Levi,
- Exodus 6:18
The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years.
- Exodus 6:16
These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their records: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.
- Numbers 26:59
Through
Leviticus 18:6None of you are to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD.
it leads to
- Leviticus 20:17–21
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…
- Leviticus 18:7–19
You must not expose the nakedness of your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have sexual relations with her.
- Leviticus 20:11–12
If a man lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness. Both must surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
- Leviticus 20:17–21
Where this verse is studied
About Leviticus
This page draws on 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.