Leviticus 18:18

Leviticus 18:18 in other versions

• New International Version (NIV)“ ‘Do not take your wife’s sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And you shall not take a woman as a rival wife to her sister, uncovering her nakedness while her sister is still alive.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Nor shall you take a woman as a rival to her sister, to uncover her nakedness while the other is alive.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“While your wife is living, do not marry her sister and have sexual relations with her, for they would be rivals.

Context of Leviticus 18:18

16Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness. 17Thou 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. 19Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness. 20Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour’s wife, to defile thyself with her.

Leviticus 18:18 word by word

וְאִשָּׁ֥ה אֶל־אֲחֹתָ֖הּ לֹ֣א תִקָּ֑ח לִצְרֹ֗ר לְגַלּ֧וֹת עֶרְוָתָ֛הּ עָלֶ֖יהָ בְּחַיֶּֽיהָ׃Read the interlinear

• Neither shalt thou takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: marryH3947
• a wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• to her sisterאָחוֹת'âchôth · sisterH269
• to vexצָרַרtsârar · to rivalH6887
• to uncoverגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: uncoverH1540
• her nakednessעֶרְוָה‛ervâh · nakednessH6172
• beside the other in her lifeחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416

Cross-references for Leviticus 18:18

• Genesis 4:19And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
• Genesis 29:28And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
• Exodus 26:3The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another.
• Genesis 30:15And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son’s mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son’s mandrakes.
• 1 Samuel 1:6And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.
• Malachi 2:15And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

Commentaries on Leviticus 18:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18A wife to her sister - Thou shalt not marry two sisters at the same time, as Jacob did Rachel and Leah; but there is nothing in this law that rendered it illegal to marry a sister-in-law when her sister was dead; therefore the text says, Thou shalt not take her in her life time, to vex her, alluding probably to the case of the jealousies and vexations which subsisted between Leah and Rachel, and by which the family peace was so often disturbed. Some think…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18To vex her - literally, to “bind” or “pack together”. The Jewish commentators illustrate this by the example of Leah and Rachel Genesis 29:30.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18The word rival (Hebrew tsarah) clearly describes the relationship between Leah and Rachel as well as Hannah and Peninnah (Genesis 29:16–30:24; 1 Samuel 1:6). In both cases, the wives competed bitterly for their husband's attention.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her--The original is rendered in the Margin, "neither shalt thou take one wife to another to vex her," and two different and opposite interpretations have been put upon this passage. The marginal construction involves an express prohibition of polygamy; and, indeed, there can be no doubt that the practice of having more wives than one is directly contrary to the divine will. It was prohibited by the…Read the comment

Topics related to Leviticus 18:18

• Abomination
• Incest
• Marriage
• Polygamy

In the dictionaries

• Approach
• Live
• Mankind
• Near
• Atonement, Day of
• Bastard
• Clean
• Cornelius
• Criticism
• Eschatology of the New Testament

Commentaries on Leviticus 18

• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings