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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Leviticus 18:8

"Don't have sex with your father's wife. That violates your father.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abomination;   Copulation;   Incest;   Marriage;   The Topic Concordance - Sexual Activities;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Affinity;   Marriage;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Fornication;   Marriage;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Family Life and Relations;   Immorality, Sexual;   Incest;   Worship;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Affinity;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Reuben;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Bastard;   Incest;   Leviticus;   Naked;   Pentateuch;   Sex, Biblical Teaching on;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Canon of the Old Testament;   Congregation, Assembly;   Crimes and Punishments;   Deuteronomy;   Hexateuch;   Holiness;   Law;   Marriage;   Priests and Levites;   Sanctification, Sanctify;   Slave, Slavery;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Marriage;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Incest;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Peculiarities of the Law of Moses;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bastard;   Genesis;   Law in the Old Testament;   Leviticus;   Woman;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Capital Punishment;   Chastity;   Incest;   Leviticus;   Marriage Laws;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
"'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife: it is your father's nakedness.
King James Version
The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.
Lexham English Bible
You must not expose the nakedness of your father's wife—it is your father's nakedness.
New Century Version
You must not have sexual relations with your father's wife; that would shame your father.
New English Translation
You must not have sexual intercourse with your father's wife; she is your father's nakedness.
Amplified Bible
'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.
New American Standard Bible
'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The shame of thy fathers wife shalt thou not discouer: for it is thy fathers shame.
Legacy Standard Bible
You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.
Contemporary English Version
And don't disgrace him by having sex with any of his other wives.
Complete Jewish Bible
You are not to have sexual relations with your father's wife; that is your father's prerogative.
Darby Translation
The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.
Easy-to-Read Version
You must not have sexual relations with your father's wife, even if she is not your mother, because that is like having sexual relations with your father.
English Standard Version
You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.
George Lamsa Translation
You shall not approach your fathers wife; it is your fathers nakedness.
Good News Translation
Do not disgrace your father by having intercourse with any of his other wives.
Christian Standard Bible®
You are not to have sex with your father’s wife; she is your father’s family.
Literal Translation
You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is the nakedness of your father.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thou shalt not vncouer ye preuytie of yi fathers wife, for it is yi fathers preuytie.
American Standard Version
The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover; it is thy father's nakedness.
Bible in Basic English
And you may not have sex relations with your father's wife: she is your father's.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The nakednesse of thy fathers wife shalt thou not discouer: for it is thy fathers nakednesse.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.
King James Version (1611)
The nakednesse of thy fathers wife shalt thou not vncouer: it is thy fathers nakednesse.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s wife; it is thy father’s nakedness.
English Revised Version
The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.
Berean Standard Bible
You must not have sexual relations with your father's wife; it would dishonor your father.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thou schalt not vnhile the filthe of the wijf of thi fadir, for it is the filthe of thi fadir.
Young's Literal Translation
`The nakedness of the wife of thy father thou dost not uncover; it [is] the nakedness of thy father.
Update Bible Version
You shall not have sex with your father's wife, it is your father's nakedness.
Webster's Bible Translation
The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it [is] thy father's nakedness.
World English Bible
The nakedness of your father's wife you shall not uncover: it is your father's nakedness.
New King James Version
The nakedness of your father's wife you shall not uncover; it is your father's nakedness.
New Living Translation
"Do not have sexual relations with any of your father's wives, for this would violate your father.
New Life Bible
Do not take the clothes off your father's wife. Her body is for your father.
New Revised Standard
You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is the nakedness of your father.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The shame of thy father's wife, shalt thou not uncover, - thy father's shame, it is.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s wife: for it is the nakedness of thy father.
Revised Standard Version
You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.

Contextual Overview

6 "Don't have sex with a close relative. I am God . 7 "Don't violate your father by having sex with your mother. She is your mother. Don't have sex with her. 8 "Don't have sex with your father's wife. That violates your father. 9 "Don't have sex with your sister, whether she's your father's daughter or your mother's, whether she was born in the same house or elsewhere. 10 "Don't have sex with your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter. That would violate your own body. 11 "Don't have sex with the daughter of your father's wife born to your father. She is your sister. 12 "Don't have sex with your father's sister; she is your aunt, closely related to your father. 13 "Don't have sex with your mother's sister; she is your aunt, closely related to your mother. 14 "Don't violate your father's brother, your uncle, by having sex with his wife. She is your aunt. 15 "Don't have sex with your daughter-in-law. She is your son's wife; don't have sex with her.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Leviticus 20:11, Genesis 35:22, Genesis 49:4, Deuteronomy 22:30, Deuteronomy 27:20, 2 Samuel 16:21, 2 Samuel 16:22, Ezekiel 22:10, Amos 2:7, 1 Corinthians 5:1

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 5:1 - forasmuch

Cross-References

Genesis 19:3
But he insisted, wouldn't take no for an answer; and they relented and went home with him. Lot fixed a hot meal for them and they ate.
Judges 13:15
Manoah said to the angel of God, "Please, stay with us a little longer; we'll prepare a meal for you—a young goat."
Nehemiah 12:44
That same day men were appointed to be responsible for the storerooms for the offerings, the firstfruits, and the tithes. They saw to it that the portion directed by The Revelation for the priests and Levites was brought in from the farms connected to the towns. Judah was so appreciative of the priests and Levites and their service; they, along with the singers and security guards, had done everything so well, conducted the worship of their God and the ritual of ceremonial cleansing in a way that would have made David and his son Solomon proud. That's the way it was done in the olden days, the days of David and Asaph, when they had choir directors for singing songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.
Luke 24:43
Looking for the Living One in a Cemetery At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared. They found the entrance stone rolled back from the tomb, so they walked in. But once inside, they couldn't find the body of the Master Jesus. They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over them, stood there. The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship. The men said, "Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery? He is not here, but raised up. Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?" Then they remembered Jesus' words. They left the tomb and broke the news of all this to the Eleven and the rest. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them kept telling these things to the apostles, but the apostles didn't believe a word of it, thought they were making it all up. But Peter jumped to his feet and ran to the tomb. He stooped to look in and saw a few grave clothes, that's all. He walked away puzzled, shaking his head. That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was. He asked, "What's this you're discussing so intently as you walk along?" They just stood there, long-faced, like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, "Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn't heard what's happened during the last few days?" He said, "What has happened?" They said, "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people. Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him. And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened. But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb and couldn't find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn't see Jesus." Then he said to them, "So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can't you simply believe all that the prophets said? Don't you see that these things had to happen, that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into his glory?" Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him. They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. He acted as if he were going on but they pressed him: "Stay and have supper with us. It's nearly evening; the day is done." So he went in with them. And here is what happened: He sat down at the table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and broke and gave it to them. At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared. Back and forth they talked. "Didn't we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?" They didn't waste a minute. They were up and on their way back to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and their friends gathered together, talking away: "It's really happened! The Master has been raised up—Simon saw him!" Then the two went over everything that happened on the road and how they recognized him when he broke the bread. While they were saying all this, Jesus appeared to them and said, "Peace be with you." They thought they were seeing a ghost and were scared half to death. He continued with them, "Don't be upset, and don't let all these doubting questions take over. Look at my hands; look at my feet—it's really me. Touch me. Look me over from head to toe. A ghost doesn't have muscle and bone like this." As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. They still couldn't believe what they were seeing. It was too much; it seemed too good to be true. He asked, "Do you have any food here?" They gave him a piece of leftover fish they had cooked. He took it and ate it right before their eyes.
Galatians 5:13
It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?
Revelation 3:20
"Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That's my gift to the conquerors!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover,.... That is, who is indeed a man's father's wife, but not his own mother, but a stepmother or mother-in-law; or otherwise this law would coincide with the former; a man lying with such an one is accursed by the law,

Deuteronomy 27:23; such an incestuous copulation was that of Reuben with Bilhah, and Absalom with his father's concubines or secondary wives, and such an incestuous marriage was that of the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 5:1; and of Antiochus Soter, king of Syria, with Stratonice his mother-in-law c: and even it was criminal to do this after a father's death, as Jarchi interprets it; and though she was only betrothed, and not married, and the father dead after such betrothing; as Gersom; nay, though she was divorced by the father, yet was not lawful for the son to have, no, not after his death:

it is thy father's nakedness; being espoused to him, and so one flesh with him; and the son and father being one flesh, such a mixture must be unlawful; and since then the nakedness of a mother-in-law is the father's, then surely that of an own mother's must be so likewise, which confirms a sense given of it in Leviticus 18:7: Cicero d exclaims against such marriages as incredible and unheard of, as instances of unbridled lust and singular impudence.

c Vid. Julian. in Misopogon, p. 72, &c. d Orat. 14. pro A. Cluentio Avito.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare the case of Reuben, Genesis 49:3-4. See 1 Corinthians 5:1.


 
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