Leviticus 20:14
If a man takes a woman and her mother also, it is depravity; he and they shall be burned with fire, that there may be no depravity among you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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While the verse sounds like a straightforward prohibition, the phrase "they shall be burned with fire" doesn't necessarily mean they were consumed by flames. Some scholars suggest this refers to a ritualistic punishment, possibly branding or another severe execution method, intended to make the offenders permanently infamous and prevent further such "depravity" within the community. This emphasizes God's concern not just for the act itself, but for the public perception and normalization of sin.
This passage follows a series of prohibitions against incest and other sexual sins, which are all described as "detestable practices." It specifically addresses the extreme depravity of a man marrying both a woman and her mother, labeling it an act that must be eradicated from the community through severe punishment to ensure purity.
This verse describes a union so offensive it's called 'wickedness.' What makes this particular relationship so abhorrent in God's eyes?
Leviticus 20:14 addresses a specific form of incest: a man marrying his wife's mother (or a man taking both his wife and her mother). This union is labeled 'wickedness' – a strong term indicating a deep offense against God's established order.
God's Design for Families
God's intention was for family structures to be built on purity and distinct relationships. This act shattered those boundaries, creating confusion and corruption within the household. It violated the sanctity of marriage and the inherent respect due to parents and in-laws.
The severity of the prohibition and its extreme penalty underscore its foundational importance to the covenant community Israel. It wasn't just a social taboo; it was a violation of divine law that threatened the moral fabric of the entire nation.
The prescribed punishment is extreme. What does this severe penalty tell us about God's commitment to keeping His people pure?
The penalty for this act of incest was 'burning with fire.' This was one of the most severe forms of capital punishment in the Mosaic Law, reserved for the most grievous offenses.
A Collective Responsibility
The phrase 'both he and they shall be burnt with fire' indicates that all parties who consented to this union were subject to the penalty. This emphasizes that the community had a shared responsibility to uphold God's standards and to purge such wickedness.
The purpose of such a harsh penalty was twofold: to execute justice upon the offenders and, crucially, to serve as a deterrent. As the verse concludes, 'that there may be no depravity among you,' this punishment aimed to eradicate the sin and prevent its spread, thereby maintaining the purity and integrity of the covenant community.
Understand the original words
zimmah · Hebrew Noun
A severe form of wickedness, lewdness, or heinous crime, specifically indicating an act that is profoundly contrary to natural and moral law, deserving of total eradication.
This passage directly prohibits the specific incestuous relationship described in Leviticus 20:14, highlighting the consistent condemnation of such acts throughout Levitical law.
Romans 1:26-27Paul describes similar unnatural sexual practices as evidence of humanity abandoning God, drawing a parallel to the severe judgment described in Leviticus.
1 Corinthians 5:1-5This New Testament passage addresses a severe case of sexual immorality within the church, including incest, and calls for judgment and removal of the offender, echoing the seriousness of sin and the need for purity.
Deuteronomy 27:20-23These verses list curses for various sexual sins, including 'lying with his father-in-law's wife,' which aligns with the prohibition and severe punishment for incestuous relationships.
gillLeviticus 20:14: "And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you."
And if a man take a wife, and her mother,.... Marry both the one and the other, or commit uncleanness with them, they consenting to it: it is wickedness; abominable wickedness, shocking and detestable; there are other things, which also are wicked and not to be done, but this is extremely wicked, wickedness to a high degree: they s…
clarkeLeviticus 20:14: "And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you."
They shall be burnt with fire - As there are worse crimes mentioned here, (see Leviticus 20:11 and Leviticus 20:17 ), where the delinquent is ordered simply to be put to death, or to be cut off, it is very likely that the crime mentioned in this verse was not punished by burning alive, but by some kind of branding, by which they we…
While the verse sounds like a straightforward prohibition, the phrase "they shall be burned with fire" doesn't necessarily mean they were consumed by flames. Some scholars suggest this refers to a ritualistic punishment, possibly branding or another severe execution method, intended to make the offenders permanently infamous and prevent further such "depravity" within the community. This emphasizes God's concern not just for the act itself, but for the public perception and normalization of sin.
This passage follows a series of prohibitions against incest and other sexual sins, which are all described as "detestable practices." It specifically addresses the extreme depravity of a man marrying both a woman and her mother, labeling it an act that must be eradicated from the community through severe punishment to ensure purity.
This passage follows a series of prohibitions against incest and other sexual sins, which are all described as "detestable practices." It specifically addresses the extreme depravity of a man marrying both a woman and her mother, labeling it an act that must be eradicated from the community through severe punishment to ensure purity.
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"If a man takes a woman and her mother also, it is depravity; he and they shall be burned with fire, that there may be no depravity among you." — While the verse sounds like a straightforward prohibition, the phrase "they shall be burned with fire" doesn't necessarily mean they were consumed by flames. Some scholars suggest this refers to a ri…
