Leviticus 20:17

20:17 “‘If a man has sexual intercourse with¹ 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.² He has exposed his sister’s nakedness; he will bear his punishment for iniquity.³

Leviticus 18:7

18:7 You must not⁴ expose your father’s nakedness by having sexual intercourse with your mother.⁵ She is your mother; you must not have intercourse with her.

Leviticus 18:14

18:14 You must not expose the nakedness of your father’s brother; you must not approach his wife to have sexual intercourse with her.⁶ She is your aunt.⁷

Leviticus 20:20-21

20:20 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. 20:21 If a man has sexual intercourse with⁸ his brother’s wife, it is indecency. He has exposed his brother’s nakedness;⁹ they will be childless.

¹tn 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).

²tn Regarding the “cut off” penalty, see the note on Lev 7:20.

³tn See the note on Lev 17:16 above.

⁴tn The verbal negative here is the same as that used in the Ten Commandments (Exod 20:4-5, 7, 13-17). It suggests permanent prohibition rather than a simple negative command and could, therefore, be rendered “must not” here and throughout the following section as it is in vv. 3-4 above.

⁵tn Heb “The nakedness of your father and [i.e., even] the nakedness of your mother you shall not uncover.”

sn Commentators suggest that the point of referring to the father’s nakedness is that the mother’s sexuality belongs to the father and is forbidden to the son on that account (see B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 120, and J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 294). The expression may, however, derive from the shame of nakedness when exposed. If one exposes his mother’s nakedness to himself it is like openly exposing the father’s nakedness (cf. Gen 9:22-23 with the background of Gen 2:25 and 3:7, 21). The same essential construction is used in v. 10 where the latter explanation makes more sense than the former.

⁶tn Heb “you must not draw near to his wife.” In the context this refers to approaching one’s aunt to have sexual intercourse with her, so this has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁷tn As in v. 12 (see the note there), some mss and versions have “because she is your aunt.”

⁸tn Heb “takes.” The verb “to take” in this context means “to engage in sexual intercourse.”

⁹sn See the note on Lev 18:7 above.