Leviticus 20:20

Leviticus 20:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And if a man shall lie with his uncle’s wife, he hath uncovered his uncle’s nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.
• New International Version (NIV)“ ‘If a man has sexual relations with his aunt, he has dishonored his uncle. They will be held responsible; they will die childless.
• New King James Version (NKJV)If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness. They shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“If a man has sex with his uncle’s wife, he has violated his uncle. Both the man and woman will be punished for their sin, and they will die childless.

Context of Leviticus 20:20

18If a man lies with a woman during her menstrual period and uncovers her nakedness, he has made naked her fountain, and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood. Both of them shall be cut off from among their people. 19You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister or of your father's sister, for that is to make naked one's relative; they shall bear their iniquity. If a man lies with his uncle's wife, he has uncovered his uncle's nakedness; they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless. 21If a man takes his brother's wife, it is impurity. He has uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless. 22"You shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my rules and do them, that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out.

Leviticus 20:20 word by word

וְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־דֹּ֣דָת֔וֹ עֶרְוַ֥ת דֹּד֖וֹ גִּלָּ֑ה חֶטְאָ֥ם יִשָּׂ֖אוּ עֲרִירִ֥ים יָמֻֽתוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And if a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• shall lieשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: have sexH7901
• with his uncle’s wifeדֹּדָהdôdâh · auntH1733
• he hath uncoveredגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: uncoverH1540
• his uncle’sדּוֹדdôd dôd · beloved: male relativeH1730
• nakednessעֶרְוָה‛ervâh · nakednessH6172
• they shall bearנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: guiltH5375
• their sinחֵטְאchêţ' · sinH2399
• they shall dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• childlessעֲרִירִי‛ărîyrîy · childlessH6185

Cross-references for Leviticus 20:20

• Leviticus 18:14You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's brother, that is, you shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt.
• Job 18:19He has no posterity or progeny among his people, and no survivor where he used to live.
• Psalms 109:13May his posterity be cut off; may his name be blotted out in the second generation!
• Jeremiah 22:30Thus says the Lord: "Write this man down as childless, a man who shall not succeed in his days, for none of his offspring shall succeed in sitting on the throne of David and ruling again in Judah."
• Luke 1:7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
• Luke 23:29For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!'

Commentaries on Leviticus 20:20

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20They shall die childless - Either the offspring should not be regarded as lawfully theirs, nor be entitled to any hereditary privileges, or they should have no blessing in their children.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-27Verses 10-27 These verses repeat what had been said before, but it was needful there should be line upon line. What praises we owe to God that he has taught the evil of sin, and the sure way of deliverance from it! May we have grace to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things; may we have no fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness, but reprove them.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21Being childless brought public shame in society. People considered it a judgment from God (see Genesis 30:1–2; Deuteronomy 7:14). What situation do these verses describe? Leviticus 18:14,16 already discuss sexual relations with an uncle’s wife or sister-in-law. Deuteronomy 22:22 addresses adultery that results in death for both involved. If the woman was a widow without a male heir, the law of levirate marriage could apply (Deuteronomy 25:5–6; see study…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. they shall die childless--Either by the judgment of God they shall have no children, or their spurious offspring shall be denied by human authority the ordinary privileges of children in Israel.Read the comment

Topics related to Leviticus 20:20

• Incest
• Marriage
• Sanitation

In the dictionaries

• Accomplish
• Crucifixion
• Wizard
• Aunt
• Bastard
• Clean
• Criticism
• Ezekiel
• Holiness
• Law in the Old Testament

Commentaries on Leviticus 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings