Study Desk

But if the people of the country look the other way when that man gives any of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death,

then I will turn against that man and his family, and cut off from their people both him and all who follow him in prostituting themselves with Molech.

“Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists and prostitutes himself with them, I will turn against that person and cut him off from his people.

“If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his death is his own fault.

“If a man commits adultery with a married woman—if he commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife—both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.

If a man sleeps with his father’s wife, he has violated the intimacy that belongs to his father. Both of them must be put to death; their death is their own fault.

If a man sleeps with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. They have acted perversely; their death is their own fault.

If a man marries his sister, whether his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They are to be cut off publicly from their people. He has had sexual intercourse with his sister; he will bear his iniquity.

If a man sleeps with his aunt, he has violated the intimacy that belongs to his uncle; they will bear their guilt and die childless.

If a man marries his brother’s wife, it is impurity. He has violated the intimacy that belongs to his brother; they will be childless.

The Lord said to Moses: “Speak to Aaron’s sons, the priests, and tell them: A priest is not to make himself ceremonially unclean for a dead person among his relatives,

except for his immediate family: his mother, father, son, daughter, or brother.

He may make himself unclean for his unmarried virgin sister in his immediate family.

They are not to marry a woman defiled by prostitution. They are not to marry one divorced by her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.

“The priest who is highest among his brothers, who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been ordained to wear the clothes, must not dishevel his hair or tear his clothes.

He must not go near any dead person or make himself unclean even for his father or mother.

He must not leave the sanctuary or he will desecrate the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him; I am the Lord.

He is not to marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one defiled by prostitution. He is to marry a virgin from his own people,

so that he does not corrupt his bloodline among his people, for I am the Lord who sets him apart.”

“Tell Aaron: None of your descendants throughout your generations who has a physical defect is to come near to present the food of his God.