Leviticus 18
Leviticus 18 gives Israel laws concerning sexual holiness. The chapter begins by warning the people not to follow the practices of Egypt, where they had lived, or Canaan, where they were going. God’s people are called to live by His statutes rather than by the surrounding culture.
1verseThe LORD said to Moses,
2verse“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘I am the LORD your God.
3verseYou shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived. You shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You shall not follow their statutes.
4verseYou shall do my ordinances. You shall keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the LORD your God.
5verseYou shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in them. I am the LORD.
6verse“‘None of you shall approach any close relatives, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.
7verse“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, nor the nakedness of your mother: she is your mother. You shall not uncover her nakedness.
8verse“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife. It is your father’s nakedness.
9verse“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or born abroad.
10verse“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter, or of your daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness; for theirs is your own nakedness.
11verse“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, conceived by your father, since she is your sister.
12verse“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister. She is your father’s near kinswoman.
13verse“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s near kinswoman.
14verse“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother. You shall not approach his wife. She is your aunt.
15verse“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife. You shall not uncover her nakedness.
16verse“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife. It is your brother’s nakedness.
17verse“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter. You shall not take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness. They are near kinswomen. It is wickedness.
18verse“‘You shall not take a wife in addition to her sister, to be a rival, to uncover her nakedness, while her sister is still alive.
19verse“‘You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.
20verse“‘You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, and defile yourself with her.
21verse“‘You shall not give any of your children as a sacrifice to Molech. You shall not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
22verse“‘You shall not lie with a man as with a woman. That is detestable.
23verse“‘You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it. No woman may give herself to an animal, to lie down with it: it is a perversion.
24verse“‘Don’t defile yourselves in any of these things; for in all these the nations which I am casting out before you were defiled.
25verseThe land was defiled. Therefore I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out her inhabitants.
26verseYou therefore shall keep my statutes and my ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the native-born, nor the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you
27verse(for the men of the land that were before you had done all these abominations, and the land became defiled),
28versethat the land not vomit you out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.
29verse“‘For whoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people.
30verseTherefore you shall keep my requirements, that you do not practice any of these abominable customs which were practiced before you, and that you do not defile yourselves with them. I am the LORD your God.’”
List of Prohibited Relationships
From verse 6 onward, specific prohibitions are listed in order to preserve family order, covenant holiness, human dignity, and the moral purity of the community.
- Prohibited sexual relations with close relatives (verses 6–18)
- Prohibition of adultery with a neighbor’s wife (verse 20)
- Prohibition of offering children to Molech (verse 21)
- Prohibitions concerning same-sex intercourse and bestiality (verses 22–23)
Reasons and Consequences
God warns that such practices defile both the people and the land. Israel is not to imitate the nations that were judged for these sins. The chapter emphasizes that holiness includes the body, family relationships, worship, and social order.
Points for Reflection
- What does holiness require in my desires, relationships, and private life?
- Why does obedience to God matter for the health of families, communities, and society?
Try Applying It to Yourself
- As I live among diverse values and cultures, examine where I place the standard for my life.
- Practice responsibility, respect, and covenant faithfulness in relationships with family, neighbors, and the wider community.
