Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Is incest forbidden?Leviticus 18 and 20 and Deuteronomy 27 explicitly criminalize sex between half-siblings who share a father — it's called "a wicked thing" and draws a curse.
Leviticus 18:9(v22)“ ‘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…
Leviticus 18:23(v21)“ ‘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…
Leviticus 20:14(v23)“ ‘If a man takes a wife and her mother, it is wickedness. They shall be burned with fire, both he and they, that there may be no…
Leviticus 20:17(v22)“ ‘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…
Deuteronomy 22:30(v20)A man shall not take his father’s wife, and shall not uncover his father’s skirt.
Show all 20 cross-references
Leviticus 18:8(v20)“ ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife. It is your father’s nakedness.
Exodus 22:19(v21)“Whoever has sex with an animal shall surely be put to death.
Leviticus 18:17(v23)“ ‘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…
Leviticus 20:11(v20)“ ‘The man who lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s nakedness. Both of them shall surely be put to death. Their blood…
Leviticus 20:15(v21)“ ‘If a man lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; and you shall kill the animal.
Ezekiel 22:11(v22)One has committed abomination with his neighbor’s wife; and another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law. Another in you has humbled his…
1 Corinthians 5:1(v20)It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles, that…
Genesis 35:22(v20)While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob…
Genesis 49:4(v20)Boiling over like water, you shall not excel; because you went up to your father’s bed, then defiled it. He went up to my couch.
2 Samuel 13:1(v22)After this, Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
2 Samuel 13:8-14(v22)So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was lying down. She took dough, and kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the…
2 Samuel 16:22(v20)So they spread a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
1 Chronicles 5:1(v20)The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn; but, because he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given…
Ezekiel 22:10(v20)In you have they uncovered their fathers’ nakedness. In you have they humbled her who was unclean in her impurity.
Amos 2:7(v20)They trample on the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and deny justice to the oppressed; and a man and his father use the same…
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (8 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Geneva Bible translators1599 · Public DomainOn vv20, 23In committing villiany against him, Lev. 20:11; Deut. 22:30;…
In committing villiany against him, Lev. 20:11; Deut. 22:30; Ezek. 22:10.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
Matthew Poole1685 · Public DomainOn v20See Deu 22:30.
See Deu 22:30.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill1763 · Public DomainOn vv20–23Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife,....…
Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife,.... As Reuben did, and which is forbidden Lev 18:8,
because he uncovereth his father's skirt; see Deu 22:30,
Read full note →
and all the people shall say Amen; the tribe of Reuben said this as well as the rest.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary1859 · Public DomainOn v23Mother. Some copies of the Septuagint have "daughter-in-law;" and…
Mother. Some copies of the Septuagint have "daughter-in-law;" and some Latin manuscripts add, "Cursed is he who sleepeth with his neighbour’s wife; and all the people shall say, Amen." (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges1878 · Public DomainOn vv20–2320. See on Deu_22:30 (Deu_23:1); H, Lev_18:8; Lev_20:11.
20. See on Deu_22:30 (Deu_23:1); H, Lev_18:8; Lev_20:11.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary1880 · Public DomainOn vv20–22cf. Lev_18:8; Deu_22:30
cf. Lev_18:8; Deu_22:30
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0On vv20, 22General Information:
General Information:
Moses continues telling the Levites and the people what they must say.
Read full note →
May the man be cursed
This can be stated in active form. See how you translated this in Deuteronomy 27:16. AT: "May Yahweh curse the man" (See: Active or Passive)
his father's wife
This does not refer to the man's mother, but another wife of his father.
he has taken away his father's rights
When a man marries a woman, only he has the legal right to sleep with her. The full meaning of this statement may be made explicit. AT: "he has taken away his father's legal rights" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
who sleeps with any kind of beast
The full meaning of this statement can be made explicit. AT: "who sleeps with any kind of beast in the way that man sleeps with a woman" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
GEBible — Godless Engineer's Bible App
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv20, 23 In committing villiany against him, Lev. 20:11; Deut. 22:30;…
In committing villiany against him, Lev. 20:11; Deut. 22:30; Ezek. 22:10.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On v20 See Deu 22:30.
See Deu 22:30.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv20–23 Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife,....…
Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife,.... As Reuben did, and which is forbidden Lev 18:8,
because he uncovereth his father's skirt; see Deu 22:30,
Read full note →
and all the people shall say Amen; the tribe of Reuben said this as well as the rest.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v23 Mother. Some copies of the Septuagint have "daughter-in-law;" and…
Mother. Some copies of the Septuagint have "daughter-in-law;" and some Latin manuscripts add, "Cursed is he who sleepeth with his neighbour’s wife; and all the people shall say, Amen." (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv20–23 20. See on Deu_22:30 (Deu_23:1); H, Lev_18:8; Lev_20:11.
20. See on Deu_22:30 (Deu_23:1); H, Lev_18:8; Lev_20:11.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv20–22 cf. Lev_18:8; Deu_22:30
cf. Lev_18:8; Deu_22:30
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv20, 22 General Information:
General Information:
Moses continues telling the Levites and the people what they must say.
Read full note →
May the man be cursed
This can be stated in active form. See how you translated this in Deuteronomy 27:16. AT: "May Yahweh curse the man" (See: Active or Passive)
his father's wife
This does not refer to the man's mother, but another wife of his father.
he has taken away his father's rights
When a man marries a woman, only he has the legal right to sleep with her. The full meaning of this statement may be made explicit. AT: "he has taken away his father's legal rights" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
who sleeps with any kind of beast
The full meaning of this statement can be made explicit. AT: "who sleeps with any kind of beast in the way that man sleeps with a woman" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
translationWords
curse
had relations with
people of God
amen
beast
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv20, 22 27:20 violated his father: See 22:30.
27:20 violated his father: See 22:30.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.