Leviticus 20:11
9 If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his blood shall be upon him.
10 If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must surely be put to death.
If a man lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness. Both must surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
12 If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both must surely be put to death. They have acted perversely; their blood is upon them.
13 If a man lies with a man as with a woman, they have both committed an abomination. They must surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- If a man lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness. Both must surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
- KJV
- And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
- WEB
- “‘The man who lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s nakedness. Both of them shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon themselves.
- ASV
- And the man that lieth with his father`s wife hath uncovered his father`s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
- DARBY
- And a man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall certainly be put to death; their blood is upon them.
- BLB
- And the man who lies with the wife of his father has uncovered the nakedness of his father—both of them must surely be put to death; their blood [is] upon them.
- ÅB
- Når en mann ligger hos sin fars hustru, har han vanæret sin fars leie; de skal begge late livet, deres blod være over dem!
- OTB
- ‘Hvis en mann har seksuell omgang med sin fars kone, har han avdekket sin fars nakenhet. Begge skal visselig dø; deres blod skal være over deres egne hoder.
- B1930
- Når en mann ligger hos sin fars hustru, har han vanæret sin fars leie; de skal begge late livet, deres blod være over dem!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Deuteronomy 27:23
‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his mother-in-law.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
Read in contextDeuteronomy 27:20
‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he has violated his father’s marriage bed.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
Read in contextLeviticus 18:7–8
You must not expose the nakedness of your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have sexual relations with her.
Read in context1 Corinthians 5:1
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.
Read in contextAmos 2:7
They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the earth; they push the needy out of their way. A man and his father have relations with the same girl and so profane My holy name.
Read in context