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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Leviticus 20:10–21. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Sins against the seventh commandment are here ordered to be severely punished. These are sins which, of all others, fools are most apt to make a mock at; but God would teach those the heinousness of the guilt by the extremity of the punishment that would not otherwise be taught it.
I.Lying with another man's wife was made a capital crime.
The adulterer and the adulteress that had joined in the sin must fall alike under the sentence: they shall both be put to death, Lev 20:10. Long before this, even in Job's time, this was reputed a heinous crime and an iniquity to be punished by the judges, Job 31:11. It is a presumptuous contempt of an ordinance of God, and a violation of his covenant, Pro 2:17. It is an irreparable wrong to the injured husband, and debauches the mind and conscience of both the offenders as much as any thing. It is a sin which headstrong and unbridled lusts hurry men violently to, and therefore it needs such a powerful restraint as this. It is a sin which defiles a land and brings down God's judgments upon it, which disquiets families, and tends to the ruin of all virtue and religion, and therefore is fit to be animadverted upon by the conservators of the public peace: but see Joh 8:3-11.
II.Incestuous connections, whether by marriage or not.
1.Some of them were to be punished with death, as a man's lying with his father's wife, Lev 20:11. Reuben would have been put to death for his crime (Gen 35:22) if this law had been then made. It was the sin of the incestuous Corinthian, for which he was to be delivered unto Satan, Co1 5:1, Co1 5:5. A man's debauching his daughter-in-law, or his mother-in-law, or his sister, was likewise to be punished with death, Lev 20:12, Lev 20:14, Lev 20:17.
2.Others of them God would punish with the curse of barrenness, as a man's defiling his aunt, or his brother's wife (Lev 20:19-21): They shall die childless. Those that keep not within the divine rules of marriage forfeit the blessings of marriage: They shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase, Hos 4:10. Nay it is said, They shall bear their iniquity, that is, though they be not immediately cut off by the hand either of God or man for this sin, yet the guilt of it shall lie upon them, to be reckoned for another day, and not be purged with sacrifice or offering.
III.The unnatural lusts of sodomy and bestiality (sins not to be mentioned without horror) were to be punished with death, as they are at this day by our law, Lev 20:13, Lev 20:15, Lev 20:16. Even the beast that was thus abused was to be killed with the sinner, who was thereby openly put to the greater shame: and the villany was thus represented as in the highest degree execrable and abominable, all occasions of the remembrance or mention of it being to be taken away. Even the unseasonable use of the marriage, if presumptuous, and in contempt of the law, would expose the offenders to the just judgment of God: they shall be cut off, Lev 20:18. For this is the will of God, that every man should possess his vessel (and the wife is called the weaker vessel) in sanctification and honour, as becomes saints.
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Summary
Leviticus 20:11 unequivocally mandates the death penalty for a man who engages in sexual relations with his father's wife, declaring that such an act profoundly uncovers his father's nakedness and places the full culpability for their demise upon both offenders. This severe statute is a cornerstone of God's moral law for ancient Israel, underscoring the sacredness of familial relationships, the absolute prohibition of incestuous defilement, and the imperative to maintain covenantal holiness within the community by purging grievous sin.
Context
Literary Context
Leviticus 20:11 is strategically placed within the "Holiness Code" (Leviticus 17-26), a comprehensive divine legislative framework designed to consecrate Israel as a nation set apart for Yahweh. Preceding this chapter, Leviticus 18 meticulously enumerates a series of prohibited sexual relationships, including the specific injunction against a man lying with his father's wife in Leviticus 18:8. Chapter 20 then serves as the judicial enforcement arm of these moral precepts, reiterating many of the prohibitions but crucially appending the specific capital penalties for their violation. This reiteration with added penalties underscores the extreme gravity of these offenses, highlighting their defiling impact on the land and the covenant community. Thus, verse 11 functions as a direct legal consequence for a moral principle previously established, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to purity, justice, and the maintenance of a holy dwelling place among His people.
Historical & Cultural Context
Ancient Israel was called to be distinct from the surrounding pagan nations, particularly the Canaanites and Egyptians, whose societal norms often embraced widespread sexual depravity, including various forms of incest, cultic prostitution, and child sacrifice. The laws articulated in Leviticus 20, including the prohibition in verse 11, served as a divine bulwark, establishing clear moral boundaries for God's covenant people. The specific prohibition against sexual relations with one's stepmother (father's wife) was paramount not only for safeguarding the sanctity of marriage and the integrity of family structures but also for upholding the honor, authority, and legacy of the patriarch within the household. Such an act was perceived as a profound violation of familial trust, a direct affront to the father's person, and a defilement so severe that it necessitated the most extreme societal consequence—capital punishment—to purge the evil from the community and prevent the land from "vomiting out" its inhabitants, as vividly warned in Leviticus 18:25.
Key Themes
The central themes interwoven throughout Leviticus 20:11 are divine holiness, sexual purity, and the consequences of covenantal defilement. God's intrinsic holiness demands a corresponding holiness from His people, particularly in their interpersonal and sexual conduct. The prohibition of incest, especially with a stepmother, highlights the sanctity of marital and familial bonds as foundational to a righteous society. This act is not merely a social misstep but an "abomination" that pollutes both the individuals involved and the land itself, necessitating radical measures to purge the evil and maintain the community's covenantal integrity. The prescribed death penalty vividly illustrates that certain sins are so heinous in God's sight that they require the ultimate sacrifice to atone for the defilement and restore purity, reflecting the principle found throughout the Old Testament that the shedding of blood is required for atonement, as seen in Leviticus 17:11. The repeated emphasis on purging evil from their midst, as seen in various capital offenses throughout Leviticus, underscores the communal responsibility to uphold God's standards and prevent corporate judgment.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
A primitive root meaning "to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile; figuratively, to reveal; uncover." In this context, "uncovered" signifies more than a mere physical act; it denotes a profound act of exposure and dishonor. When applied to "nakedness" in a sexual context, it implies a violation that strips away modesty, privacy, and the sacred boundaries of a relationship, bringing shame and disgrace. The verb here carries the weight of a deliberate act of defilement and public disclosure of what should remain private and sacred.
Meaning "nudity, literally (especially the pudenda) or figuratively (disgrace, blemish); nakedness, shame, unclean(-ness)." While literally referring to the private parts, in the idiom "uncovering nakedness," it is a euphemism for illicit sexual intercourse. More profoundly, it represents the vulnerability, honor, and sanctity of a person, particularly within the context of marriage and family. To "uncover" another's "nakedness" is to violate their deepest intimacy and expose them to shame, thereby bringing disgrace not only upon the individual but upon the entire family unit, especially the patriarch whose marital bond is desecrated.
A primitive root meaning "to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill." This word is used in the emphatic infinitive absolute construction ("surely be put to death," mot yumat), which intensifies the certainty and finality of the prescribed penalty. It signifies a non-negotiable, absolute sentence of capital punishment, indicating the extreme gravity of the offense in God's eyes. This judicial "death" is not merely a cessation of life but a divinely ordained act of purging evil from the community, demonstrating the absolute necessity of removing such severe sin to maintain the holiness and purity of the covenant people.
Verse Breakdown
"And the man that lieth with his father's wife"
This opening clause precisely identifies the perpetrator and the specific forbidden relationship. The "man" (Hebrew: 'ish) refers to a male individual, and "his father's wife" (Hebrew: 'ishshah 'abiyw) clearly designates his stepmother, a woman married to his father but not his biological mother. The phrase "lieth with" (Hebrew: shakab) is a common biblical euphemism for engaging in sexual intercourse. This clause establishes the core transgression: the son's violation of his father's marital union and the sanctity of his household.
"hath uncovered his father's nakedness"
This phrase articulates the profound nature of the transgression in theological and social terms. As a powerful idiom, it signifies not merely the physical act of sexual intercourse but, more significantly, a deep act of dishonor, defilement, and violation of the father's honor, authority, and the sacred intimacy of his marriage. It represents an assault on the very foundation of the family unit and the patriarchal order, a transgression that extends beyond the individuals involved to the entire familial and communal structure, polluting the sacred boundaries God has established.
"both of them shall surely be put to death"
This clause prescribes the severe and non-negotiable penalty for the offense. The emphatic Hebrew construction ("surely be put to death," mot yumat) leaves no doubt about the absolute certainty and severity of capital punishment. Both the man and his stepmother are held equally culpable and are subject to this ultimate societal consequence. This underscores the extreme gravity of the sin in God's eyes and the divine imperative to remove such profound defilement from the community to preserve its holiness and prevent corporate judgment.
"their blood [shall be] upon them"
This concluding phrase serves as a formal legal declaration of culpability and responsibility. It means that the individuals who committed the offense are solely responsible for their own death sentence; their execution is a just consequence of their own actions. This pronouncement absolves the community and the executioners of bloodguilt, placing the full and undeniable culpability for the capital punishment squarely on the offenders themselves, who have brought this judgment upon themselves through their egregious transgression against God's holy law.
Literary Devices
Leviticus 20:11 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message with clarity and force. The phrase "hath uncovered his father's nakedness" is a prime example of euphemism, using indirect language to refer to illicit sexual intercourse. This device not only maintains a degree of decorum in a sacred text but, more importantly, emphasizes the profound dishonor, violation, and desecration inherent in the act, extending beyond mere physicality to the desecration of familial bonds and patriarchal authority. The repetition inherent in "surely be put to death" (Hebrew: mot yumat) is a powerful form of emphasis achieved through the use of the infinitive absolute. This grammatical construction intensifies the command, leaving no ambiguity regarding the absolute certainty and severity of the prescribed capital penalty. Finally, the concluding phrase "their blood [shall be] upon them" functions as a legal formula or idiom of culpability. This concise, declarative statement serves as a formal pronouncement of guilt, placing full responsibility for the capital punishment directly on the transgressors, thereby absolving the community of bloodguilt and reinforcing the justice and righteousness of God's law.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Leviticus 20:11 is deeply rooted in the overarching biblical themes of divine holiness, the sanctity of human relationships, and the severe consequences of sin. God's demand for absolute purity among His covenant people is paramount, reflecting His own majestic and unblemished character. The explicit prohibition against incest, particularly with a stepmother, underscores the inviolable nature of marital and familial bonds, which are divinely ordained and foundational to a just and ordered society. This act is not merely a social transgression but an "abomination" that profoundly defiles both the individuals involved and the land itself, necessitating radical measures to purge the evil and maintain the community's covenantal integrity. The prescribed death penalty vividly illustrates that certain sins are so grievous in God's sight that they require the ultimate sacrifice to atone for the defilement and restore purity, demonstrating the profound seriousness with which God views the violation of His moral order.
Reflection and Application
While the specific judicial penalties of the Mosaic Law are not directly applied in New Covenant Christian societies, the underlying moral principles of Leviticus 20:11 remain timeless, profoundly relevant, and eternally binding. This verse powerfully communicates God's unwavering abhorrence of sexual immorality, particularly incest, which fundamentally violates divine order, desecrates sacred relationships, and defiles both individuals and community. It calls believers to a profound and uncompromising commitment to sexual purity, recognizing that our bodies are sacred temples of the Holy Spirit and that our relationships should meticulously reflect the holiness and purity of God. The passage serves as a stark reminder that sin, especially grievous sin, carries severe consequences, both individually and communally, often leading to spiritual and relational brokenness. It compels us to uphold God's immutable moral standards in our personal lives, within the sanctity of our families, and in the broader community, striving for a life that honors God in all aspects of our conduct, relationships, and the stewardship of our bodies.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "father's wife" specifically refer to in this context?
In Leviticus 20:11, "father's wife" specifically refers to a man's stepmother, meaning his father's current or former wife who is not his biological mother. This prohibition is also found in Leviticus 18:8, which lists various forbidden sexual relationships. The law is meticulously designed to protect the sanctity and integrity of the father's marriage and to prevent the profound dishonor, confusion, and disruption that such an incestuous relationship would inevitably bring to the family unit and the established patriarchal order. Even if the father were deceased or divorced from the woman, the relationship would still be considered incestuous due to the prior marital bond and the indelible familial connection it established.
Why was the penalty for this sin so severe (death)?
The death penalty for incest with a stepmother, as well as for other severe sexual sins listed throughout Leviticus 20, reflects the extreme gravity of these offenses in God's eyes within the Old Covenant. Such acts were considered "abominations" (Hebrew: to'evah), utterly detestable to God, precisely because they profoundly defiled the individuals involved, corrupted the family structure, polluted the community, and ultimately desecrated the land itself, making it unfit for God's holy presence. The severity of the penalty served multiple crucial purposes: it underscored God's absolute holiness and His unwavering demand for moral and sexual purity, acted as a powerful deterrent against such heinous acts, and functioned as a divinely ordained means of purging evil from the community. This purging was essential to prevent corporate judgment and to maintain the nation's unique and sacred covenantal relationship with Yahweh, ensuring that Israel remained a holy people set apart for Him.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Leviticus 20:11, with its stark declaration of judgment against incestuous defilement and its demand for capital punishment, ultimately serves as a profound testament to the absolute holiness of God and the radical, defiling nature of sin, which finds its ultimate and perfect resolution in Jesus Christ. The law's uncompromising demand for purity and its prescribed death penalty for such grievous defilement reveal the absolute standard of God's righteousness—a standard that no human being could ever perfectly uphold. Christ fulfills this law not by abolishing its immutable moral principles, but by perfectly embodying them in His sinless life and by bearing the full curse and condemnation that its brokenness demands. He is the ultimate Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, enduring the "death" that sin justly requires, so that all who believe in Him might be freed from the condemnation of the law (Romans 8:1). Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Christ cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9), offering not just a legal pardon but a profound spiritual transformation that empowers us to live lives of genuine holiness and purity, reflecting the very character of God. The New Covenant, established in His precious blood, calls believers to an even higher standard of internal purity and sacrificial love, recognizing that our bodies are now sacred temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and that true holiness and conformity to God's moral will are now gloriously possible through our vital union with Him (Hebrews 10:10 and Ephesians 5:3).