Leviticus 18
Big idea: The chapter is framed at both ends by a comparison. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived; you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Between those two markers stands a list of sexual boundaries — mostly close relatives, then a neighbour's wife, child sacrifice to Molech, and same-sex relations and bestiality — each stated flatly, most with a reason attached from the family relation itself. The closing paragraph gives the chapter its most striking image: the land was defiled, so I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out her inhabitants. Israel's tenancy is conditional on not repeating what got the previous occupants expelled.
Chapter 18 lists the boundaries. Chapter 19 turns from what Israel must not be to what Israel must be — and puts ceremony and neighbour-love in the same breath.
18:1–5 — Not as Egypt, not as Canaan
The frame comes first: I am Yahweh your God. Do not do as they do in Egypt where you lived, nor as they do in Canaan where I am bringing you; do not follow their statutes. Instead, you shall do my ordinances, keep my statutes and walk in them — with the phrase repeated for emphasis, I am Yahweh your God. And a promise attached: which if a man does, he shall live in them.
1 Yahweh said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘I am Yahweh your God. 3 You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived. You shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You shall not follow their statutes. 4 You shall do my ordinances. You shall keep my statutes and walk in them. I am Yahweh your God. 5 You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in them. I am Yahweh.
18:6–18 — Close relatives
A general rule opens the list — none of you shall approach any close relatives — and then the specific relations are named one by one: mother, father's wife, sister (by either parent, at home or abroad), granddaughter, half-sister, father's sister, mother's sister, father's brother's wife, daughter-in-law, brother's wife, a woman and her daughter or granddaughter, and a wife's sister as a rival while she lives. Most entries carry their own justification drawn from the relation itself — she is your mother; it is your father's nakedness; theirs is your own nakedness.
6 “‘None of you shall approach any close relatives, to uncover their nakedness: I am Yahweh. 7 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, nor the nakedness of your mother: she is your mother. You shall not uncover her nakedness. 8 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife. It is your father’s nakedness. 9 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or born abroad. 10 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter, or of your daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness; for theirs is your own nakedness. 11 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, conceived by your father, since she is your sister. 12 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister. She is your father’s near kinswoman. 13 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s near kinswoman. 14 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother. You shall not approach his wife. She is your aunt. 15 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife. You shall not uncover her nakedness. 16 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife. It is your brother’s nakedness. 17 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter. You shall not take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness. They are near kinswomen. It is wickedness. 18 “‘You shall not take a wife in addition to her sister, to be a rival, to uncover her nakedness, while her sister is still alive.
18:19–23 — Beyond the household
Five prohibitions outside the kinship list: approaching a woman during her uncleanness; lying with a neighbour's wife and defiling yourself with her; giving any of your children as a sacrifice to Molech — which is said to profane the name of your God; lying with a man as with a woman; and lying with any animal, for a man or for a woman. Each is stated without elaboration, and the Molech clause and the last are each sealed with a name for what they are.
19 “‘You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness. 20 “‘You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, and defile yourself with her. 21 “‘You shall not give any of your children as a sacrifice to Molech. You shall not profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh. 22 “‘You shall not lie with a man as with a woman. That is detestable. 23 “‘You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it. No woman may give herself to an animal, to lie down with it: it is a perversion.
18:24–30 — The land vomited out her inhabitants
Don't defile yourselves in any of these, for in all these the nations I am casting out were defiled. The land was defiled; therefore I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out her inhabitants. Israel — native-born and foreigner alike — must keep the statutes so the land does not vomit them out too. Whoever does any of these abominations shall be cut off from among their people. And a final charge: keep my requirements, do not practise the customs practised before you, and do not defile yourselves with them. I am Yahweh your God.
24 “‘Don’t defile yourselves in any of these things; for in all these the nations which I am casting out before you were defiled. 25 The land was defiled. Therefore I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out her inhabitants. 26 You therefore shall keep my statutes and my ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the native-born, nor the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you 27 (for the men of the land that were before you had done all these abominations, and the land became defiled), 28 that the land not vomit you out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you. 29 “‘For whoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people. 30 Therefore you shall keep my requirements, that you do not practice any of these abominable customs which were practiced before you, and that you do not defile yourselves with them. I am Yahweh your God.’”
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).