Leviticus 18:7-8
You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, which is the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you shall not uncover her nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse emphasizes that the "nakedness" of parents is treated as one, highlighting the profound unity of a husband and wife. It’s not just about avoiding physical intimacy with a parent, but also about respecting the sacred boundary of that union, which God considers unbreakable.
This passage is part of a larger section in Leviticus outlining the sexual purity required of the Israelites, distinguishing them from the surrounding Canaanite nations. Following the general command to not pursue the practices of Egypt or Canaan, these verses begin detailing specific prohibitions, starting with the most intimate familial relationships. The verses immediately following (8-18) continue this list, prohibiting incest with a father's wife, sister, granddaughter, or uncle's wife.
Why does Leviticus mention both father and mother in this prohibition? It reveals a deeper truth about the married couple's bond.
The verse prohibits uncovering the 'nakedness' of your father or mother. While this immediately brings to mind a son having relations with his mother, or a daughter with her father, the wording is intentionally layered.
One Flesh, One Prohibiction
The text emphasizes the profound unity of a married couple, calling them 'one flesh' in Genesis 2:24. Because of this sacred union, the prohibition against uncovering a parent's nakedness extends to both. As commentators note, the 'nakedness of the father' and the 'nakedness of the mother' are treated as fundamentally the same thing in the context of incest.
This unity means that the stepmother, who becomes 'one flesh' with the father through marriage, is also included in this prohibition (Leviticus 18:8). The bond created by marriage is as significant as the bond of blood, and violating it with a family member brings serious consequences.
This isn't just an ancient rule; it's a fundamental moral boundary that defies natural order and common decency.
The prohibition against incest, particularly with one's own parent, is presented as something deeply unnatural and abhorrent.
Against Nature and Society
Commentators point out that even the animal kingdom exhibits a natural aversion to such acts. This highlights that the law given to Israel wasn't arbitrary but reflected a universal moral order recognized by creation itself.
Throughout history and across cultures, the vast majority of societies have recognized the inherent wrongness of incest. The Bible contrasts the Israelites' adherence to these laws with the practices of surrounding nations, like the Persians mentioned, who allowed such unions. This underscores that obeying God’s commands on sexual purity sets His people apart.
This passage shows a direct and shocking example of the prohibition against uncovering the nakedness of a parent, as Lot's daughters, believing they were the last people on earth, incestuously conceived children with their father.
Deuteronomy 27:20This verse pronounces a curse on anyone who 'lies with his father's wife,' which is directly related to the prohibition in Leviticus 18, highlighting the severe consequences of such incestuous relationships.
1 Corinthians 5:1-5The Apostle Paul addresses a similar, deeply disturbing situation in the Corinthian church where a man was living with his father's wife, calling it a form of sexual immorality 'not even tolerated among the Gentiles' and demanding removal of the offender.
Ezekiel 22:10-11This prophecy lists incest, including lying with a father's wife and sexually defiling a mother or daughter, as one of the abominations that led to God's judgment upon Israel, underscoring the perpetual gravity of these commands.
gillLeviticus 18:7: "The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness."
The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shall thou not uncover,.... By uncovering a father's nakedness is not meant anything similar to what befell Noah, which Ham beheld with pleasure, and the other two sons of Noah studiously and with reverence to their father covered; nor any sodomitical practice of a son with his…
barnesLeviticus 18:7: "The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness."
Or - It might be rendered "and", or rather, even; that is, which belongs to both parents as being "one flesh" ( Genesis 2:24 ; compare Leviticus 18:8 , Leviticus 18:14 ). These prohibitions are addressed to men.
This verse emphasizes that the "nakedness" of parents is treated as one, highlighting the profound unity of a husband and wife. It’s not just about avoiding physical intimacy with a parent, but also about respecting the sacred boundary of that union, which God considers unbreakable.
This passage is part of a larger section in Leviticus outlining the sexual purity required of the Israelites, distinguishing them from the surrounding Canaanite nations. Following the general command to not pursue the practices of Egypt or Canaan, these verses begin detailing specific prohibitions, starting with the most intimate familial relationships. The verses immediately following (8-18) continue this list, prohibiting incest with a father's wife, sister, granddaughter, or uncle's wife.
This passage is part of a larger section in Leviticus outlining the sexual purity required of the Israelites, distinguishing them from the surrounding Canaanite nations. Following the general command to not pursue the practices of Egypt or Canaan, these verses begin detailing specific prohibitions, starting with the most intimate familial relationships. The verses immediately following (8-18) continue this list, prohibiting incest with a father's wife, sister, granddaughter, or uncle's wife.
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"You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, which is the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you shall not uncover her nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness." — This verse emphasizes that the "nakedness" of parents is treated as one, highlighting the profound unity of a husband and wife. It’s not just about avoiding physical intimacy with a parent, but also…
