BOOK 3 OF 66 · LAW · KING JAMES BIBLE

Leviticus 18

Leviticus book home•Chapter 18 of 27•30 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Leviticus 18 Overview

Leviticus 18 forbids Israel from copying the sexual practices of Egypt and Canaan. The chapter lists prohibited close-kin sexual relationships, adultery, child sacrifice to Molech, male homosexual acts, and bestiality. The LORD explains that the nations being displaced had defiled themselves and the land by such practices. Israel is warned that the land can also cast them out if they adopt the same abominations.

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18Chapter

30Verses

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Before you read Leviticus 18

Coming from

Leviticus 17 centered holiness in sacrifice and blood.

In this chapter

The chapter applies holiness to sexual conduct and warns Israel not to imitate Egypt or Canaan.

Leads into

Leviticus 19 broadens holiness into many areas of everyday life, including parents, worship, harvesting, honesty, justice, neighbor love, and care for strangers.

Key understanding

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

God’s moral standards do not depend on the surrounding culture’s approval.

Truth 2

Close-kin sexual relations are specifically prohibited.

Truth 3

Child sacrifice to Molech is condemned as profaning God’s name.

Truth 4

Male same-sex intercourse is explicitly called an abomination in the text.

Truth 5

Bestiality is condemned, and the chapter ties these practices to the defilement of nations and land.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Genesis records the corruption of Canaanite cities such as Sodom before the law was given at Sinai.

Connection 2

Leviticus 20 gives penalties for several offenses prohibited here.

Connection 3

Romans 1 also describes same-sex relations as contrary to God’s created order.

Connection 4

1 Corinthians 6 lists sexual sins among former practices from which believers had been washed.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

The chapter’s moral prohibitions should not be dismissed merely because they appear in Leviticus alongside ceremonial laws; several are explicitly treated as defiling practices of Gentile nations before Israel occupies the land.

Keep this clear 2

The text condemns sexual acts without authorizing hatred or mistreatment of sinners.

Keep this clear 3

Leviticus 18 should not be used to claim that sexual sin is uniquely beyond grace; the gospel offers forgiveness to believers in Christ.

Keep this clear 4

Israel’s land covenant setting is specific, while the moral character of several acts is reaffirmed elsewhere in Scripture.

Read Leviticus 18 watching for…

The contrast between Egypt, Canaan, and the LORD’s statutes.

The repeated phrase “uncover the nakedness.”

The specific condemnation of Molech worship.

The connection between sexual sin and land defilement.

The warning that Israel can face the same judgment as the nations.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-5Israel must follow God's judgments, not the nations 6-18Unlawful relations among near kin 19-23Other forbidden sexual sins and idolatry 24-30The nations are defiled and Israel is warned not to follow them

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God.

After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.

Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.

Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.

None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.

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's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.

The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness.

The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kinswoman.

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy mother's near kinswoman.

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness.

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness.

Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.

Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.

Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her.

And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:

And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:

(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)

That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.

For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.

STUDY THIS VERSE

Leviticus 18:13

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