Leviticus 18:23

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it [is] confusion.

Complete Jewish Bible:

"'You are not to have sexual relations with any kind of animal and thus become unclean with it; nor is any woman to present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; it is perversion.

Berean Standard Bible:

You must not lie carnally with any animal, thus defiling yourself with it; a woman must not stand before an animal to mate with it; that is a perversion.

American Standard Version:

And thou shalt not lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith; neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Neither shalt thou^{H5414} lie^{H7903} with any beast^{H929} to defile^{H2930} thyself therewith: neither shall any woman^{H802} stand^{H5975} before^{H6440} a beast^{H929} to lie down^{H7250} thereto: it is confusion^{H8397}.

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Commentary for Leviticus 18:23

Leviticus 18:23 is part of a section in the book of Leviticus known as the Holiness Code (Leviticus 17-26), which outlines various laws and practices that the Israelites were to follow to maintain ritual purity and moral integrity. The verse explicitly prohibits bestiality, stating that neither a man nor a woman should engage in sexual relations with an animal, as it is considered a perverse act that defiles the individual and the community.

Themes:
1. **Holiness and Purity**: The overarching theme of this verse is the importance of maintaining holiness and purity within the Israelite community. Sexual practices that were deemed unnatural or improper were forbidden to prevent ritual defilement.
2. **Moral Law**: The prohibition against bestiality is part of a larger set of moral laws that define acceptable behavior within the society, reflecting the values and ethical standards of the time.
3. **Divine Order**: The verse reflects a belief in a divinely ordered cosmos where each creature has its proper place. Mixing categories, such as humans and animals in a sexual context, was seen as a confusion of this order and an affront to the Creator.

Historical Context:
The book of Leviticus is traditionally attributed to Moses and is thought to have been written during the time of the Israelites' wandering in the wilderness, after their exodus from Egypt and before their entry into the Promised Land (c. 15th - 13th century BCE). These laws were given to distinguish the Israelites from their surrounding neighbors, whose religious practices often included fertility cults and ritual prostitution involving both humans and animals.

The prohibition in Leviticus 18:23, along with other sexual laws in the chapter, served to establish clear boundaries for the Israelites' behavior, ensuring their distinctiveness as a holy nation set apart for God. The harsh penalty for such acts underscores the importance of these laws in the ancient Israelite society.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H5414
   There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָתַן
   Transliteration: nâthan
   Pronunciation: naw-than'
   Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.
   
2. Strong's Number: H7903
   There are 4 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שְׁכֹבֶת
   Transliteration: shᵉkôbeth
   Pronunciation: shek-o'-beth
   Description: lemma שֶׁכֹבֶת first vowel, corrected to שְׁכֹבֶת; from שָׁכַב; a (sexual) lying with; [idiom] lie.
   
3. Strong's Number: H929
   There are 172 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בְּהֵמָה
   Transliteration: bᵉhêmâh
   Pronunciation: be-hay-maw'
   Description: from an unused root (probably meaning to be mute); properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective); beast, cattle.
   
4. Strong's Number: H2930
   There are 142 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: טָמֵא
   Transliteration: ṭâmêʼ
   Pronunciation: taw-may'
   Description: a primitive root; to be foul, especially in a ceremial or moral sense (contaminated); defile (self), pollute (self), be (make, make self, pronounce) unclean, [idiom] utterly.
   
5. Strong's Number: H802
   There are 729 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אִשָּׁה
   Transliteration: ʼishshâh
   Pronunciation: ish-shaw'
   Description: feminine of אִישׁ or אֱנוֹשׁ; irregular plural, נָשִׁים;(used in the same wide sense as אֱנוֹשׁ); a woman; (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.
   
6. Strong's Number: H5975
   There are 495 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עָמַד
   Transliteration: ʻâmad
   Pronunciation: aw-mad'
   Description: a primitive root; to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive); abide (behind), appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed, endure, establish, leave, make, ordain, be (over), place, (be) present (self), raise up, remain, repair, [phrase] serve, set (forth, over, -tle, up), (make to, make to be at a, with-) stand (by, fast, firm, still, up), (be at a) stay (up), tarry.
   
7. Strong's Number: H6440
   There are 1890 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: פָּנִים
   Transliteration: pânîym
   Pronunciation: paw-neem'
   Description: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from פָּנָה); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.); [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you.
   
8. Strong's Number: H7250
   There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רָבַע
   Transliteration: râbaʻ
   Pronunciation: raw-bah'
   Description: a primitive root; to squat or lie out flat, i.e. (specifically) in copulation; let gender, lie down.
   
9. Strong's Number: H8397
   There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: תֶּבֶל
   Transliteration: tebel
   Pronunciation: teh'-bel
   Description: apparently from בָּלַל; mixture, i.e. unnatural bestiality; confusion.