Leviticus 20:10
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This verse doesn't just condemn the act of adultery; it emphasizes the shared responsibility and equal punishment for both the man and the woman involved. This highlights that the violation wasn't just a personal failing, but a serious breach against the sacred covenant of marriage and the neighbor's household, affecting both individuals directly.
“If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse appears within a section of Leviticus that lays out severe penalties for various sexual sins, directly following instructions on forbidden marriages and preceding prohibitions against incest and bestiality. God is establishing clear boundaries for the Israelite community to maintain purity and holiness, emphasizing that these laws, including the penalty for adultery, are extensions of the Ten Commandments previously given. The gravity of adultery is underscored by the capital punishment prescribed for both the man and the woman involved, aiming to protect the sanctity of marriage and the integrity of families within the covenant nation.
Why was adultery a capital offense under the Mosaic Law? It wasn't just about a moral slip-up, but a deep violation of covenant and community.
Leviticus 20:10 lays out a stark penalty for adultery, but understanding its weight requires looking beyond the act itself.
The Crime Against Covenant
Adultery, at its core, was a breach of the covenant made not only between husband and wife but also within the community. The 'neighbor's wife' emphasizes the violation of a specific, established relationship that society was built upon.
Beyond Personal Desire
This wasn't merely about fulfilling personal lust. It was about destroying the foundational unit of society – the family. The commentaries highlight how nations throughout history, like the Egyptians and Romans, recognized adultery as a profoundly damaging act deserving severe punishment, underscoring its universal recognition as a threat to social order.
The phrase 'shall surely be put to death' is forceful. What does it reveal about God's view of this sin and the seriousness of His commands?
The emphatic phrasing in Leviticus 20:10 underscores the severity with which God regarded adultery. The original Hebrew employs a repetition that intensifies the command, leaving no room for ambiguity.
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Divine Justice and Consequences
The commentaries suggest the punishment was death, with traditions pointing to stoning or strangling. Regardless of the specific method, the pronouncement of death signifies that adultery was not a minor transgression but a crime against God's law, carrying the ultimate penalty. The phrase 'His blood shall be upon him' indicates that the individual brought this judgment upon themselves through their willful sin.
A Standard for Holiness
This severe penalty wasn't arbitrary. It served as a stark reminder that God's people were called to a higher standard of holiness, one that protected the sanctity of marriage and the integrity of the community.
Understand the original words
na'aph · Hebrew Verb
Sexual relations between a married person and someone other than their spouse; it is a severe violation of the marriage covenant, which is designed by God to mirror the faithfulness between Him and His people.
This passage lists 'You shall not commit adultery' as one of the Ten Commandments, establishing the foundational prohibition that Leviticus 20:10 then enforces with a severe penalty.
Deuteronomy 22:22This passage reiterates the death penalty for adultery, showing the consistent and grave seriousness with which this sin was viewed throughout the Law.
Proverbs 6:28-32This proverb graphically illustrates the destructive consequences of adultery, emphasizing that it's not just a legal offense but a profound betrayal that ultimately harms the perpetrator.
Matthew 15:19Jesus includes adultery in His list of evil things that come from the heart, highlighting its internal origin and spiritual defilement, which aligns with the Old Testament's severe condemnation.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10The Apostle Paul lists adulterers among those who will not inherit the kingdom of God, demonstrating that the New Testament continues to view this sin as a grave offense against God's standards.
gillLeviticus 20:10: "And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death."
And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife,.... Which is a breach of the seventh command, Exodus 20:14 , even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife: which is only an explanation of the former clause; though the Jewish writers, as Jarchi and Ben Gersom, say this…
clarkeLeviticus 20:10: "And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death."
Committeth adultery - To what has been said in the note on See Exodus 20:14 (note), we may add, that the word adultery comes from the Latin adulterium, which is compounded of ad, to or with, and alter, another, or, according to Minshieu, of ad alterius forum, he that approaches to another man's…
This verse doesn't just condemn the act of adultery; it emphasizes the shared responsibility and equal punishment for both the man and the woman involved. This highlights that the violation wasn't just a personal failing, but a serious breach against the sacred covenant of marriage and the neighbor's household, affecting both individuals directly.
This verse appears within a section of Leviticus that lays out severe penalties for various sexual sins, directly following instructions on forbidden marriages and preceding prohibitions against incest and bestiality. God is establishing clear boundaries for the Israelite community to maintain purity and holiness, emphasizing that these laws, including the penalty for adultery, are extensions of the Ten Commandments previously given. The gravity of adultery is underscored by the capital punishment prescribed for both the man and the woman involved, aiming to protect the sanctity of marriage and the integrity of families within the covenant nation.
This verse appears within a section of Leviticus that lays out severe penalties for various sexual sins, directly following instructions on forbidden marriages and preceding prohibitions against incest and bestiality. God is establishing clear boundaries for the Israelite community to maintain purity and holiness, emphasizing that these laws, including the penalty for adultery, are extensions of the Ten Commandments previously given. The gravity of adultery is underscored by the capital punishment prescribed for both the man and the woman involved, aiming to protect the sanctity of marriage and the integrity of families within the covenant nation.
"“If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death." — This verse doesn't just condemn the act of adultery; it emphasizes the shared responsibility and equal punishment for both the man and the woman involved. This highlights that the violation wasn't…
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Last reviewed October 2026
