New King James Version
Leviticus 20:17
17‘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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)“If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a shameful disgrace. They must be publicly cut off from the community. Since the man has violated his sister, he will be punished for his sin.
Context of Leviticus 20:17
15If a man mates with an animal, he shall surely be put to death, and you shall kill the animal. 16If a woman approaches any animal and mates with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood is upon them. ‘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. 18If a man lies with a woman during her sickness and uncovers her nakedness, he has exposed her flow, and she has uncovered the flow of her blood. Both of them shall be cut off from their people. 19‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister nor of your father’s sister, for that would uncover his near of kin. They shall bear their guilt.
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 18:9The nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or elsewhere, their nakedness you shall not uncover.
- Genesis 20:12But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
- Deuteronomy 27:22‘Cursed is the one who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
- 2 Samuel 13:12But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!
- Ezekiel 22:11One commits abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another lewdly defiles his daughter-in-law; and another in you violates his sister, his father’s daughter.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries