Leviticus 18:20
And you shall not lie sexually with your neighbor’s wife and so make yourself unclean with her.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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While this is a clear prohibition against adultery, it's striking that the text emphasizes the defilement of oneself rather than just the harm to the neighbor. This isn't just about breaking a rule; it's about how this sin deeply stains and pollutes your own soul and relationship with God.
This passage is part of a larger chapter laying out detailed laws for Israel regarding sexual purity, distinguishing them from the practices of surrounding nations. Just before this verse, God forbids lying with animals, and immediately after, the prohibitions continue with more specific instances of forbidden sexual relations, all aiming to keep the community holy. This specific command reinforces the seventh commandment by explicitly forbidding adultery, a sin that defiles both the individuals involved and the community as a whole.
We often think of adultery as just a bad decision or a broken rule. But God’s Word calls it something much deeper – a defilement.
The verse emphasizes that sexual sin isn't just a transgression of a law; it actively 'defiles' the person who commits it. This 'defilement' points to a spiritual and moral corruption that stains the individual. It's not just about violating a neighbor's rights, but about a contamination that separates us from God's holiness.
This impurity affects us on multiple levels:
You might recognize this command from somewhere else. Why repeat it here, and what does that repetition tell us?
Leviticus 18:20 echoes the commandment given at Mount Sinai: 'You shall not commit adultery' (Exodus 20:14). Its placement within the detailed laws of Leviticus, particularly in the context of sexual purity and holiness for the people of Israel, underscores its foundational importance.
This repetition serves several key purposes:
Understand the original words
tame' · Hebrew Verb
The state of being ritually or morally defiled, disqualifying one from the presence of a holy God; it is the opposite of holiness.
This passage explicitly states the prohibition against adultery as one of the Ten Commandments, directly echoing the command found in Leviticus 18:20.
Deuteronomy 22:22This verse prescribes the severe penalty of death by stoning for both the man and the woman found guilty of adultery, highlighting the gravity with which this sin was viewed in the Mosaic Law.
Proverbs 6:32-33This proverb vividly illustrates the self-destructive nature of adultery, describing the adulterer as lacking sense and bringing ruin upon himself, which aligns with the concept of 'defilement' in Leviticus.
Matthew 5:27-28Jesus expands the understanding of adultery beyond the physical act, teaching that even looking at someone with lustful intent is a sin of the heart, thereby deepening the prohibition found in Leviticus.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20This New Testament passage reinforces the idea of defilement by teaching that sexual immorality, including adultery, sins against one's own body, which is considered a temple of the Holy Spirit.
clarkeLeviticus 18:20: "Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her."
Thy neighbor's wife - See Clarke's note on Exodus 20:14 .
pulpitLeviticus 18:20: "Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her."
Verse 20. - The second prohibition is, Thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife - a prohibition already made in other words in the ten commandments. The punishment for adultery is death by stoning (chapter 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22; John 9:5) - a more severe penalty than was usually inflicted in other nations.
While this is a clear prohibition against adultery, it's striking that the text emphasizes the defilement of oneself rather than just the harm to the neighbor. This isn't just about breaking a rule; it's about how this sin deeply stains and pollutes your own soul and relationship with God.
This passage is part of a larger chapter laying out detailed laws for Israel regarding sexual purity, distinguishing them from the practices of surrounding nations. Just before this verse, God forbids lying with animals, and immediately after, the prohibitions continue with more specific instances of forbidden sexual relations, all aiming to keep the community holy. This specific command reinforces the seventh commandment by explicitly forbidding adultery, a sin that defiles both the individuals involved and the community as a whole.
This passage is part of a larger chapter laying out detailed laws for Israel regarding sexual purity, distinguishing them from the practices of surrounding nations. Just before this verse, God forbids lying with animals, and immediately after, the prohibitions continue with more specific instances of forbidden sexual relations, all aiming to keep the community holy. This specific command reinforces the seventh commandment by explicitly forbidding adultery, a sin that defiles both the individuals involved and the community as a whole.
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"And you shall not lie sexually with your neighbor’s wife and so make yourself unclean with her." — While this is a clear prohibition against adultery, it's striking that the text emphasizes the defilement of oneself rather than just the harm to the neighbor. This isn't just about breaking a rule…
