Leviticus 18:13

Translation
King James Version
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy mother's near kinswoman.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Thou shalt not uncover H1540 the nakedness H6172 of thy mother's H517 sister H269: for she is thy mother's H517 near kinswoman H7607.
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Complete Jewish Bible
You are not to have sexual relations with your mother's sister, because she is your mother's close relative.
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Berean Standard Bible
You must not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s close relative.
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American Standard Version
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister: for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman.
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World English Bible Messianic
“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister: for she is your mother’s near kinswoman.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Thou shalt not discouer the shame of thy mothers sister: for she is thy mothers kinsewoman.
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Young's Literal Translation
`The nakedness of thy mother's sister thou dost not uncover; for she is thy mother's relation.
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In the KJVVerse 3,265 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Leviticus 18:13 presents a specific prohibition within the Mosaic Law, unequivocally forbidding sexual relations with one's maternal aunt. This commandment is an integral part of a broader chapter that meticulously delineates various illicit sexual unions, underscoring God's imperative for Israel to maintain sexual purity and distinctness from the morally corrupt practices of surrounding pagan nations. The divine rationale provided—that a maternal aunt is a "near kinswoman"—highlights the sanctity of familial bonds and the profound defilement associated with violating such close relationships, thereby establishing a clear and non-negotiable boundary for sexual expression within God's covenant community.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Leviticus 18:13 is precisely positioned within a comprehensive legal code concerning prohibited sexual relationships, commencing in Leviticus 18:6 and extending through Leviticus 18:18. This entire section is prefaced by a foundational command for Israel to "not do according to the doings of the land of Egypt... nor according to the doings of the land of Canaan" (Leviticus 18:3), establishing the moral distinctiveness required of God's people. The prohibitions systematically address relations with parents, step-parents, siblings, half-siblings, grandchildren, and various in-laws, meticulously defining and safeguarding the sanctity of the family unit. The specific inclusion of a maternal aunt (and implicitly, a paternal aunt in Leviticus 18:12) demonstrates the exhaustive nature of these laws, extending beyond the immediate nuclear family to encompass close blood relatives. This reinforces the overarching principle of familial purity and order that undergirds the entire chapter, which concludes with severe warnings regarding the defilement these acts bring upon the land and its inhabitants (Leviticus 18:24-30).

  • Historical & Cultural Context: The Mosaic Law, including the statutes in Leviticus 18, was delivered to Israel as they stood on the precipice of entering the Promised Land. This region was deeply entrenched in pagan religious practices and widespread moral depravity. The surrounding nations, particularly the Egyptians from whom Israel had recently departed and the Canaanites whom they were about to displace, engaged in a broad spectrum of sexual immorality, including various forms of incest, cultic prostitution, and bestiality, often interwoven into their idolatrous worship. God's directives in Leviticus 18 served as a divine bulwark, establishing a distinct and elevated moral code for Israel that set them apart as a holy nation. These laws were not arbitrary but were divinely designed to safeguard the integrity of the family, prevent social chaos, maintain genetic health within the community, and ultimately, preserve Israel's spiritual purity and their unique covenant relationship with a holy God. By explicitly forbidding relationships such as that with a maternal aunt, God emphasized the critical importance of clear boundaries within the extended family, thereby protecting against the confusion of roles and the breakdown of social order that such unions would inevitably precipitate.

  • Key Themes: Leviticus 18:13 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Leviticus and the broader Pentateuch. Foremost among these is the theme of Holiness. God's repeated command to "be holy, for I am holy" (Leviticus 11:44) undergirds all the laws, including those pertaining to sexual ethics. The prohibitions in Leviticus 18 define what it means for Israel to be set apart, not only in their worship but also in their daily lives and personal conduct. Another crucial theme is the Sanctity of the Family Unit. These laws meticulously protect the integrity and purity of familial relationships, establishing clear boundaries that prevent confusion, exploitation, and the breakdown of social order. The family is presented as the foundational unit of society, and its sanctity is paramount to the health of the covenant community. Finally, the theme of Distinction from Pagan Practices is evident. The repeated contrast with the "doings of the land of Egypt" and "the land of Canaan" (Leviticus 18:3) highlights God's desire for Israel to be a distinct people, whose moral and ethical standards reflect His divine character, in stark opposition to the pervasive immorality of their neighbors.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • uncover (Hebrew, gâlâh', H1540): This primitive root means "to denude," often in a disgraceful sense, or "to reveal." In the context of sexual relations, it signifies the act of exposing or laying bare, carrying strong connotations of immodesty, shame, and the violation of personal boundaries. It implies an act that is not merely physical but carries significant moral and spiritual weight, leading to defilement.
  • nakedness (Hebrew, ʻervâh', H6172): This term denotes "nudity," particularly referring to the pudenda, but also figuratively representing "disgrace" or "blemish." When combined with "uncover," it forms a pervasive biblical euphemism for engaging in sexual intercourse, especially that which is illicit or forbidden. The use of this term emphasizes the inherent shame, vulnerability, and defilement associated with such prohibited acts.
  • near kinswoman (Hebrew, shᵉʼêr', H7607): This word primarily refers to "flesh" or "body," but figuratively extends to "kindred by blood" or "near kin." In Leviticus 18:13, it highlights the close biological and familial connection between the individuals. The maternal aunt is considered "her flesh" or "her blood relative," underscoring that the prohibition is rooted in the shared lineage and the sanctity of close familial bonds, which must not be violated by sexual union.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister:" This clause issues a direct, absolute, and unequivocal command, forbidding any form of sexual intimacy or intercourse with one's maternal aunt. The phrase "uncover the nakedness" serves as a powerful euphemism, signaling that the act is not merely a social impropriety but a profound violation of divine law, moral purity, and the sanctity of familial relationships. It establishes a clear and non-negotiable boundary for sexual expression, defining which relationships are inherently off-limits within the family structure as ordained by God.
  • "for she [is] thy mother's near kinswoman." This clause provides the explicit divine rationale and justification for the prohibition. The maternal aunt is identified as a "near kinswoman," meaning she is a close blood relative, fundamentally connected to the immediate family through the mother's lineage. This justification emphasizes that the prohibition is not arbitrary but is deeply rooted in the very nature of family and kinship, reflecting God's design for order, purity, and the preservation of distinct roles within the family unit. Sexual union in such a relationship would blur these sacred lines, leading to defilement and social chaos.

Literary Devices

Leviticus 18:13 effectively employs several literary devices to convey its authoritative and morally imperative message. The most prominent device is Euphemism, specifically the phrase "uncover the nakedness." This serves as a common and potent substitute for explicit sexual intercourse, particularly when the act is illicit. This euphemism, consistently used throughout Leviticus 18, maintains a degree of decorum while unequivocally communicating the prohibited act and its inherent shame and defilement. The verse also utilizes Justification or Reasoning, indicated by the conjunction "for," which introduces the divine explanation for the command. This provides a theological and familial basis for the prohibition, grounding it in the concept of "near kinswoman" and thereby emphasizing the inviolable nature of close familial ties. Furthermore, the entire chapter, including this verse, functions as a form of Legal Code, presenting a series of apodictic (absolute) prohibitions that are direct, unconditional, and universally applicable within the Israelite community, establishing a clear and unyielding moral framework for the nation.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Leviticus 18:13, as an integral part of the broader prohibitions in Leviticus 18, profoundly underscores God's unwavering commitment to holiness and the sanctity of human relationships. It reveals that God's moral law is not arbitrary but is deeply rooted in His immutable character of purity and His perfect design for human flourishing. The prohibition of sexual relations with a maternal aunt reinforces the divine establishment of clear boundaries for sexual expression, primarily within the covenant of marriage, and the protection of the family unit from confusion, defilement, and social disorder. These laws serve to distinguish God's people as a holy nation, set apart from the corrupt and chaotic practices of surrounding cultures, demonstrating that true worship of God involves living in accordance with His moral standards in all areas of life, especially those concerning intimacy and kinship, thereby reflecting His own holiness in their conduct.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

While the specific cultural and legal context of ancient Israel differs from our contemporary society, the enduring principles embedded in Leviticus 18:13 remain profoundly relevant for believers today. This verse calls us to a timeless standard of sexual purity and a deep, reverent respect for the boundaries God has divinely established for human relationships. It challenges us to critically examine how our understanding of family, intimacy, and holiness aligns with God's revealed will. In a world that increasingly blurs moral lines, redefines traditional family structures, and promotes a relativistic view of sexuality, this passage serves as a powerful and immutable reminder that God's design for sexuality is fundamentally for our good, for the preservation of societal order, and for individual flourishing. It compels us to cultivate a heart of purity, to honor the sanctity of all familial relationships, and to live in a manner that authentically reflects the holiness of the God we serve, thereby setting ourselves apart from the prevailing moral relativism and confusion of the age.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does God's emphasis on "near kinswoman" in this verse deepen our understanding of the broader sanctity of family relationships, extending beyond explicit sexual boundaries?
  • In what specific ways does modern society's approach to sexual ethics diverge from the principles found in Leviticus 18, and how should believers thoughtfully and faithfully respond to this divergence?
  • How can we, as individuals and as a church community, effectively uphold God's unwavering standards of sexual purity and the sanctity of marriage in a manner that is both uncompromisingly faithful to Scripture and winsomely engaging to a skeptical world?

FAQ

What does "uncover the nakedness" mean in the Bible?

Answer: "Uncover the nakedness" is a common biblical euphemism, particularly prevalent in the book of Leviticus, that refers to engaging in sexual intercourse, especially illicit or forbidden sexual acts. It carries the strong connotation of exposing someone in a way that is shameful, violating their modesty and privacy, and resulting in defilement. For instance, in Leviticus 18:6, the phrase introduces the entire section on prohibited sexual relationships, indicating that these acts are not merely social taboos but spiritual abominations that defile both the individuals involved and the land itself, as tragically illustrated in Leviticus 18:25.

Why is it forbidden to marry or have relations with a "mother's sister"?

Answer: The prohibition against having relations with a maternal aunt (mother's sister) is explicitly stated in Leviticus 18:13 and is justified by the phrase "for she is thy mother's near kinswoman." This means she is considered a close blood relative, sharing direct lineage with one's immediate family. The rationale is deeply rooted in the sanctity of familial bonds and the divine design for order within the family unit. Such a union would profoundly blur familial lines, create confusion of roles, and violate the inherent purity God demands of His people. It is part of a broader set of laws designed to prevent various forms of incest, protect the integrity of the family, and distinguish Israel from the morally corrupt practices of surrounding pagan nations, as highlighted throughout Leviticus 18.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Leviticus 18:13, with its specific prohibition against relations with a maternal aunt, belongs to the Mosaic Law given to ancient Israel, its underlying principles find their ultimate fulfillment and deeper meaning in Christ. The Old Covenant laws, including those pertaining to sexual purity, served as a "tutor to bring us to Christ" (Galatians 3:24), revealing God's absolute holiness and humanity's profound need for a Savior to bridge the chasm of sin. Jesus did not abolish the law but came to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17), elevating its demands from mere external compliance to internal transformation of the heart. He taught that lust itself is a sin of the heart (Matthew 5:28), thereby deepening the call to sexual purity far beyond the avoidance of prohibited acts to encompass the very desires and intentions. The New Testament consistently upholds the sanctity of marriage as between one man and one woman, established by God from creation (Matthew 19:4-6), condemns all forms of sexual immorality as sin against one's own body and against God (1 Corinthians 6:18-20), and calls believers to live lives of holiness and sanctification in every aspect of their being (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8). In Christ, the emphasis shifts from external legal adherence to an internal renewal by the Holy Spirit, enabling believers to live out God's perfect design for sexuality not out of compulsion, but from a heart transformed by grace, reflecting the purity and holiness of the Church as the spotless bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27).

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Commentary on Leviticus 18 verses 6–18

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

These laws relate to the seventh commandment, and, no doubt, are obligatory on us under the gospel, for they are consonant to the very light and law of nature: one of the articles, that of a man's having his father's wife, the apostle speaks of as a sin not so much as named among the Gentiles, Co1 5:1. Though some of the incests here forbidden were practised by some particular persons among the heathen, yet they were disallowed and detested, unless among those nations who had become barbarous, and were quite given up to vile affections. Observe,

I. That which is forbidden as to the relations here specified is approaching to them to uncover their nakedness, Lev 18:6.

1.It is chiefly intended to forbid the marrying of any of these relations. Marriage is a divine institution; this and the sabbath, the eldest of all, of equal standing with man upon the earth: it is intended for the comfort of human life, and the decent and honourable propagation of the human race, such as became the dignity of man's nature above that of the beasts. It is honourable in all, and these laws are for the support of the honour of it. It was requisite that a divine ordinance should be subject to divine rules and restraints, especially because it concerns a thing wherein the corrupt nature of man is as apt as in any thing to be wilful and impetuous in its desires, and impatient of check. Yet these prohibitions, besides their being enacted by an incontestable authority, are in themselves highly reasonable and equitable. (1.) By marriage two were to become one flesh, therefore those that before were in a sense one flesh by nature could not, without the greatest absurdity, become one flesh by institution; for the institution was designed to unite those who before were not united. (2.) Marriage puts an equality between husband and wife. "Is she not thy companion taken out of thy side?" Therefore, if those who before were superior and inferior should intermarry (which is the case in most of the instances here laid down), the order of nature would be taken away by a positive institution, which must by no means be allowed. The inequality between master and servant, noble and ignoble, is founded in consent and custom, and there is no harm done if that be taken away by the equality of marriage; but the inequality between parents and children, uncles and nieces, aunts and nephews, either by blood or marriage, is founded in nature, and is therefore perpetual, and cannot without confusion be taken away by the equality of marriage, the institution of which, though ancient, is subsequent to the order of nature. (3.) No relations that are equals are forbidden, except brothers and sisters, by the whole blood or half blood, or by marriage; and in this there is not the same natural absurdity as in the former, for Adam's sons must of necessity have married their own sisters; but it was requisite that it should be made by a positive law unlawful and detestable, for the preventing of sinful familiarities between those that in the days of their youth are supposed to live in a house together, and yet cannot intermarry without defeating one of the intentions of marriage, which is the enlargement of friendship and interest. If every man married his own sister (as they would be apt to do from generation to generation if it were lawful), each family would be a world to itself, and it would be forgotten that we are members one of another. It is certain that this has always been looked upon by the more sober heathen as a most infamous and abominable thing; and those who had not this law yet were herein a law to themselves. The making use of the ordinance of marriage for the patronizing of incestuous mixtures is so far from justifying them, or extenuating their guilt, that it adds the guilt of profaning an ordinance of God, and prostituting that to the vilest of purposes which was instituted for the noblest ends. But,

2.Uncleanness, committed with any of these relations out of marriage, is likewise, without doubt, forbidden here, and no less intended than the former: as also all lascivious carriage, wanton dalliance, and every thing that has the appearance of this evil. Relations must love one another, and are to have free and familiar converse with each other, but it must be with all purity; and the less it is suspected of evil by others the more care ought the persons themselves to take that Satan do not get advantage against them, for he is a very subtle enemy, and seeks all occasions against us.

II. The relations forbidden are most of them plainly described; and it is generally laid down as a rule that what relations of a man's own he is bound up from marrying the same relations of his wife he is likewise forbidden to marry, for they two are one. That law which forbids marrying a brother's wife (Lev 18:16) had an exception peculiar to the Jewish state, that, if a man died without issue, his brother or next of kin should marry the widow, and raise up seed to the deceased (Deu 25:5), for reasons which held good only in that commonwealth; and therefore now that those reasons have ceased the exception ceases, and the law is in force, that a man must in no case marry his brother's widow. That article (Lev 18:18) which forbids a man to take a wife to her sister supposes a connivance at polygamy, as some other laws then did (Exo 21:10; Deu 21:15), but forbids a man's marrying two sisters, as Jacob did, because between those who had before been equal there would be apt to arise greater jealousies and animosities than between wives that were not so nearly related. If the sister of the wife be taken for the concubine, or secondary wife, nothing can be more vexing in her life, or as long as she lives.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 6–18. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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