New English Translation
Leviticus 20:17
17“‘If a man has sexual intercourse with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or his mother, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has exposed his sister’s nakedness; he will bear his punishment for iniquity.
Leviticus 20:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.
- New International Version (NIV)“ ‘If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They are to be publicly removed from their people. He has dishonored his sister and will be held responsible.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"If a man takes his sister, a daughter of his father or a daughter of his mother, and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace, and they shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has uncovered his sister's nakedness, and he shall bear his iniquity.
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘If a man takes his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, and sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a wicked thing. And they shall be cut off in the sight of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness. He shall bear his guilt.
Context of Leviticus 20:17
15If a man has sexual intercourse with any animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal. 16If a woman approaches any animal to have sexual intercourse with it, you must kill the woman, and the animal must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves. “‘If a man has sexual intercourse with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or his mother, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has exposed his sister’s nakedness; he will bear his punishment for iniquity. 18If a man has sexual intercourse with a menstruating woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her fountain of blood and she has exposed the fountain of her blood, so both of them must be cut off from the midst of their people. 19You must not expose the nakedness of your mother’s sister and your father’s sister, for such a person has laid bare his own close relative. They must bear their punishment for iniquity.
Read all of Leviticus 20Leviticus 20:17 word by word
וְאִ֣ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִקַּ֣ח אֶת־אֲחֹת֡וֹ בַּת־אָבִ֣יו א֣וֹ בַת־אִ֠מּוֹ וְרָאָ֨ה אֶת־עֶרְוָתָ֜הּ וְהִֽיא־תִרְאֶ֤ה אֶת־עֶרְוָתוֹ֙ חֶ֣סֶד ה֔וּא וְנִ֨כְרְת֔וּ לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י עַמָּ֑ם עֶרְוַ֧ת אֲחֹת֛וֹ גִּלָּ֖ה עֲוֹנ֥וֹ יִשָּֽׂא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And if a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- shall takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: marryH3947
- his sisterאָחוֹת'âchôth · sisterH269
- his father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
- daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- orאוֹ'ô 'av · orH176
- his mother’sאֵם'êm · motherH517
- and seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- her nakednessעֶרְוָה‛ervâh · nakednessH6172
- a wicked thingחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · shameH2617
- and they shall be cut offכָּרַתkârath · to cut: eliminateH3772
- in the sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
- of their peopleבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of their peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- he hath uncoveredגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: uncoverH1540
- he shall bearנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: guiltH5375
- his iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
Cross-references for Leviticus 20:17
- Leviticus 18:9You must not have sexual intercourse with your sister, whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she is born in the same household or born outside it; you must not have sexual intercourse with either of them.
- Genesis 20:12What’s more, she is indeed my sister, my father’s daughter, but not my mother’s daughter. She became my wife.
- Deuteronomy 27:22‘Cursed is the one who has sexual relations with his sister, the daughter of either his father or mother.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’
- 2 Samuel 13:12But she said to him, “No, my brother! Don’t humiliate me! This just isn’t done in Israel! Don’t do this foolish thing!
- Ezekiel 22:11One commits an abominable act with his neighbor’s wife; another obscenely defiles his daughter-in-law; another violates his sister – his father’s daughter – within you.
Commentaries on Leviticus 20:17
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Cut off - See Exodus 31:14 note. The more full expression here used probably refers to some special form of public excommunication, accompanied, it may be, by expulsion from the camp.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. 17a disgrace: Proper behavior brings honor to individuals and their families. Improper behavior brings shame. Both parties are cut off, but they will punish the man (see Leviticus 7:20–21; 5:1; 18:6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-197-19. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy--The minute specification of the incestuous and unnatural crimes here enumerated shows their sad prevalence amongst the idolatrous nations around, and the extreme proneness of the Israelites to follow the customs of their neighbors. It is to be understood, that, whenever mention is made that the offender was "to be put to death" without describing the mode, stoning is meant. The only instance of another…Read the comment
Topics related to Leviticus 20:17
In the dictionaries
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
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