Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 15

Posted on May 10, 2020 by admin

I am disgruntled every time I must go out to accomplish anything during this pandemic. Still, I sense the Holy Spirit pumping God’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and goodness into me like a racing heart. And my God will supply your every need, Paul wrote believers in Philippi, according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.^[1] As I look around me, waiting in line, it’s hard to imagine that others aren’t feeling something of the same frustration inwardly, yet outwardly they are as placid and pleasant as I am.

I’ve been considering yehôvâh’s (יהוה) fearful pronouncement: I punish (pâqad, פקד) the sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons for the sin of the fathers who reject me…^[2] There is a fairly succinct review in another essay. I hope to wrap up this side excursion with what seems to me like the single most irrelevant law in Leviticus.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 20:19, 20 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:19, 20 (NET)	Leviticus 20:19, 20 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:19, 20 (Elpenor English)
And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness (וְעֶרְוַ֨ת) of thy mother’s sister, nor of thy father’s sister; for he hath made naked his near kin; they shall bear (יִשָּֽׂאוּ) their iniquity (עֲו‍ֹנָ֥ם).	You must not expose the nakedness (ʽervâh, וערות) of your mother’s sister or your father’s sister, for such a person has exposed his own close relative. They must bear (nâśâʼ, ישׁאו) their punishment for iniquity (ʽâvôn, עונם).	And you shall not uncover the shame (ἀσχημοσύνην) of your father’s sister or of your mother’s sister, for one has laid bare one’s own blood family; they shall carry (ἀποίσονται) guilt (ἁμαρτίαν).	And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness (ἀσχημοσύνην) of thy father’s sister, or of the sister of thy mother; for that man has uncovered the nakedness of one near akin: they shall bear (ἀποίσονται) their iniquity (ἁμαρτίαν).
And if a man shall lie with his uncle’s wife—he hath uncovered his uncle’s nakedness (עֶרְוַ֥ת)—they shall bear (יִשָּׂ֖אוּ) their sin;^[3] they shall die childless.	If a man goes to bed with his aunt, he has exposed his uncle’s nakedness (ʽervâh, ערות); they must bear (nâśâʼ, ישׁאו) responsibility for their sin, they will die childless.	He who lies with one who is his relative—he has uncovered the shame (ἀσχημοσύνην) of his kinship; they shall die childless.	Whosoever shall lie with his near kinswoman, has uncovered the nakedness (ἀσχημοσύνην) of one near akin to him: they shall die childless.

For all of my ἀσέβειαν (ἀσεβείας? NET: ungodliness) and all my many sins it never entered my mind to even want to see any of my aunts naked, much less to uncover their nakedness, have sex with them or children by them. Granted, none of my ten uncles or three great uncles had married women anywhere near my age. If they had, well, who knows?

The Hebrew words translated nakedness were וְעֶרְוַ֨ת (ʽervâh) and עֶרְוַ֥ת (ʽervâh). The rabbis chose ἀσχημοσύνην (a form of ἀσχημοσύνη). This is not the naked of Genesis.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 2:25 (Tanakh)	Genesis 2:25 (NET)	Genesis 2:25 (NETS)	Genesis 2:25 (Elpenor English)
And they were both naked (עֲרוּמִּ֔ים), the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.	The man and his wife were both naked (ʽârôm, ערומים), but they were not ashamed.	And the two were naked (γυμνοί), both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed.	And the two were naked (γυμνοί), both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed.

There is a table below listing all occurrences of forms of עָרוֹם (ʽârôm) in the Old Testament along with their translations in the Septuagint (all forms of γυμνὸς). Here is the first occurrence of עֶרְוַ֣ת (ʽervâh) in the Masoretic text.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 9:22, 23 (Tanakh)	Genesis 9:22, 23 (NET)	Genesis 9:22, 23 (NETS)	Genesis 9:22, 23 (Elpenor English)
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness (עֶרְוַ֣ת) of his father, and told his two brethren without.	Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness (ʽervâh, ערות) and told his two brothers who were outside.	And Cham, the father of Channan, saw the nakedness (γύμνωσιν) of his father, and after he had gone out he told his two brothers outside.	And Cham the father of Chanaan saw the nakedness (γύμνωσιν) of his father, and he went out and told his two brothers without.
And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness (עֶרְוַ֣ת) of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness (וְעֶרְוַ֥ת).	Shem and Japheth took the garment and placed it on their shoulders. Then they walked in backwards and covered up their father’s nakedness (ʽervâh, ערות). Their faces were turned the other way so they did not see their father’s nakedness (ʽervâh, וערות).	And Sem and Iapheth, when they had taken the garment, laid it on their two backs and walked backward and covered the nakedness (γύμνωσιν) of their father, and their face was looking backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness (γύμνωσιν).	And Sem and Japheth having taken a garment, put it on both their backs and went backwards, and covered the nakedness (γύμνωσιν) of their father; and their face [was] backward, and they saw not the nakedness (γύμνωσιν) of their father.

The rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose γύμνωσιν (a form of γύμνωσις). They didn’t begin to use forms of ἀσχημοσύνη until Exodus (Table below). Christopher Fisher in his essay “was Canaan the child of Ham and Noah’s wife” quoted Leviticus 20:11 to make his point.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 20:11 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:11 (NET) Table	Leviticus 20:11 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:11 (Elpenor English)
And the man that lieth with his father’s wife–he hath uncovered (גִּלָּ֑ה) his father’s nakedness–both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.	If a man goes to bed with his father’s wife, he has exposed (galah, גלה) his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.	And if anyone lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered (ἀπεκάλυψεν) his father’s shame; let both of them by death be put to death; they are liable.	And if any one should lie with his father’s wife, he has uncovered (ἀπεκάλυψε) his father’s nakedness: let them both die the death, they are guilty.

By equating Ham…saw (râʼâh, וַיַּ֗רְא; Septuagint: εἶδε(ν), a form of ὁράω) the nakedness of his father with he hath uncovered (galah, גִּלָּ֑ה; Septuagint: ἀπεκάλυψε(ν), a form of ἀποκαλύπτω) his father’s nakedness, Mr. Fisher argued that the former was a euphemism for Ham’s seduction/rape of his mother.

Gen 9:22 Ham (father of Canaan is highlighted) seeing that his father is incapacitated makes advances on his mother. After all, sex is pleasurable, men tend to desire multiple partners, not many women are available after a global flood, and his mother is probably still attractive due to pre-flood aging conditions. He gloats of his conquest to his brothers.
Gen 9:23 The brothers try damage control. They cover up their mother (is she drunk also?). The Bible tends to omit relevant facts about woman in Genesis (what was her name?).^[4]

If I wanted to convict Ham anachronistically of violating Leviticus 20:11, I would say that he uncovered or exposed his father’s nakedness when he told his brothers about it rather than simply covering his father and going on about his day.

Dr. Rabbi David Frankel in his essay “Noah, Ham and the Curse of Canaan: Who Did What to Whom in the Tent? A new solution to why Canaan (not Ham) was cursed” argued that “Leviticus 20:17 shows that ‘seeing nakedness’ is a euphemism for sex.”

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 20:17 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:17 (NET) Table	Leviticus 20:17 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:17 (Elpenor English)
And if a man shall take (יִקַּ֣ח) his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see (וְרָאָ֨ה) her nakedness, and she see (תִרְאֶ֤ה) his nakedness: it is a shameful thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.	If a man has marital relations (lâqach, יקח) with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or of his mother, so that he sees (râʼâh, וראה) her nakedness and she sees (râʼâh, תראה) his nakedness, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has exposed his sister’s nakedness; he will bear his punishment for iniquity.	He who takes (λάβῃ) his sister, from his father or from his mother, and sees (ἴδῃ) her shame, and she sees (ἴδῃ) his shame; it is a disgrace; they shall be exterminated before the sons of their race; he has uncovered his sister’s shame; he shall bear guilt.	Whosoever shall take (λάβῃ) his sister by his father or by his mother, and shall see (ἴδῃ) her nakedness, and she see (ἴδῃ) his nakedness, it is a reproach: they shall be destroyed before the children of their family; he has uncovered his sister’s nakedness, they shall bear their sin.

I agree with the NET translators here that יִקַּ֣ח (lâqach; Tanakh: shall take) is the “euphemism for sex.” More to the point marital relations is a possible meaning for both יִקַּ֣ח (lâqach) and λάβῃ (a form of λαμβάνω). The clauses—and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness—clarified which meaning of shall take God intended. Without any indication that Ham “took” Noah, Dr. Frankel imagined “an earlier version” of the story:

As already anticipated by the Rabbis,^[1] and suggested by some modern scholars, an earlier version of our story probably related a much more severe crime – the homosexual rape of his father when he was inebriated. This indeed is the kind of offense that would most naturally provoke the severe reaction depicted in the text.^[5]

Why is it so difficult for us (for I’ve done it, too) to acknowledge the obvious truth that seeing his father’s nakedness and telling his brothers about it does not merit Noah’s angry curse? Not for Ham, certainly not for Canaan. I want to approach an answer a little differently this time (Ezekiel 33:10-20 NET).

“And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what you have said: “Our rebellious acts and our sins have caught up with us, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live? [Table]”’ Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but prefer that the wicked change his behavior and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil deeds! Why should you die, O house of Israel? [Table]’
“And you, son of man, say to your people, ‘The righteousness of the righteous will not deliver him if he rebels. As for the wicked, his wickedness will not make him stumble if he turns from it. The righteous will not be able to live by his righteousness if he sins [Table].’ Suppose I tell the righteous that he will certainly live, but he becomes confident in his righteousness and commits iniquity. None of his righteous deeds will be remembered; because of the iniquity he has committed he will die. Suppose I say to the wicked, ‘You must certainly die,’ but he turns from his sin and does what is just and right. He returns what was taken in pledge, pays back what he has stolen, and follows the statutes that give life, committing no iniquity. He will certainly live—he will not die. None of the sins he has committed will be counted against him. He has done what is just and right; he will certainly live.
“Yet your people say, ‘The behavior of the Lord is not right,’ when it is their behavior that is not right. When a righteous man turns from his godliness and commits iniquity, he will die for it. When the wicked turns from his sin and does what is just and right, he will live because of it. Yet you say, ‘The behavior of the Lord is not right.’ House of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his behavior.”

This is God’s own description of his criteria for judgment after the law was given, and before Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.^[6] The Hebrew word translated righteous in, Suppose I tell the righteous that he will certainly live, was לַצַּדִּיק֙ (tsaddı̂yq). The rabbis chose δικαίῳ, a form of δίκαιος in the Septuagint. Moses described Noah as follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 6:9 (Tanakh)	Genesis 6:9 (NET) Table	Genesis 6:9 (NETS)	Genesis 6:9 (Elpenor English)
These are the generations of Noah. Noah was in his generations a man righteous (צַדִּ֛יק) and wholehearted; Noah walked with G-d.	This is the account of Noah. Noah was a godly (tsaddı̂yq, צדיק) man; he was blameless among his contemporaries. He walked with God.	Now these are the generations of Noe. Noe was a righteous (δίκαιος) man, being perfect in his era; Noe was well-pleasing to God.	And these [are] the generations of Noe. Noe was a just (δίκαιος) man; being perfect in his generation, Noe was well-pleasing to God.

Before I fear too much for his soul I’m reminded of Paul’s description of Noah’s time: for before the law was given, sin was in the world, but there is no accounting for sin when there is no law.^[7] Noah had a bad morning after a drunken night. The effect over time of his angry outburst was so horrific we want to blame it on God rather than sin. We’re not told how Canaan reacted to Noah’s curse, only how the Canaanites turned out vis-à-vis Noah’s God (Leviticus 20:22, 23).

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 20:22, 23 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:22, 23 (NET)	Leviticus 20:22, 23 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:22, 23 (Elpenor English)
Ye shall therefore keep (וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤ם) all My statutes, and all Mine ordinances, and do (וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם) them, that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, vomit you not out.	“‘You must be sure (shâmar, ושמרתם) to obey (ʽâśâh, ועשׁיתם) all my statutes and regulations, so that the land to which I am about to bring you to take up residence does not vomit you out.	And you shall keep (φυλάξασθε) all my ordinances and all my judgments and do (ποιήσετε) them, and the land to which I bring you there to settle in it will never be angry with you.	And keep (φυλάξασθε) ye all my ordinances, and my judgments; and ye shall do (ποιήσετε) them, and the land shall not be aggrieved with you, into which I bring you to dwell upon it.
And ye shall not walk in the customs of the nation, which I am casting out before you; for they did (עָשׂ֔וּ) all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.	You must not walk in the statutes of the nations which I am about to drive out before you, because they have done (ʽâśâh, עשׁו) all these things and I am filled with disgust against them.	And you shall not walk by the precepts of the nations that I am sending out away from you. Because they did (ἐποίησαν) all these things, I also abhorred them.	And walk ye not in the customs of the nations which I drive out from before you; for they have done (ἐποίησαν) all these things, and I have abhorred them:

Though Jesus said, I have not come to call the righteous (δικαίους, another form of δίκαιος), but sinners to repentance,^[8] Noah’s bad example highlights the same take home message for the righteous as it does for sinners: Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’^[9] So what does this have to do with I punish the sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons for the sin of the fathers who reject me?

Meditating on a law I’ve never thought to break seems clearer somehow than those that tempt me. This is law; they shall die childless is a penalty for violating a law, a punishment. I thought that God’s raison d’etre was to punish me for sin.^[10] Mr. Fisher was offended by “literalists.” Dr. Frankel must understand the Old Testament without Jesus’ confidence or guidance. We’ve all come to the Bible and to God with personal issues to work through and erroneous beliefs in need of correction.

There was a time when I regarded children as God’s punishment^[11] for sex. What if I had meditated on Leviticus 20:19 and 20 fifty years ago? Would I have discovered the errors in my thinking? Or would I have found my aunts a whole lot sexier?

Banging my head against a wall hurts and causes bruises, bumps and bleeding. Given my history, thinking of pain, bruises, bumps and bleeding as God’s punishment for banging my head against a wall seems too much like serving under the old written code rather than in the new life of the Spirit.^[12] Of course, God could have made me in such a way that banging my head against a wall didn’t cause me any pain, bruises, bumps or bleeding. So I suppose some may think of pain, bruises, bumps or bleeding as punishment. The point—whether I think of it as punishment or not—is to stop banging my head against a wall.

A table of occurrences of all the forms of עָרוֹם (ʽârôm) and their translations in two versions of the Septuagint follows.

Reference	Tanakh (Chabad.org)	NET Parallel Greek	BLB Septuagint	Elpenor Septuagint
Genesis 2:25	עֲרוּמִּ֔ים	ʽârôm, ערומים	γυμνοί	γυμνοί
1 Samuel (1 Kings) 19:24	עָרֹ֔ם	ʽârôm, ערם	γυμνὸς	γυμνὸς
Job 1:21	עָרֹ֨ם	ʽârôm, ערם	γυμνὸς	γυμνὸς
Job 1:21	וְעָרֹם֙	ʽârôm, וערם	γυμνὸς	γυμνὸς
Job 22:6	עֲרוּמִּ֣ים	ʽârôm, ערומים	γυμνῶν	γυμνῶν
Job 24:7	עָר֣וֹם	ʽârôm, ערום	γυμνοὺς	γυμνοὺς
Job 24:10	עָר֣וֹם	ʽârôm, ערום	γυμνοὺς	γυμνοὺς
Job 26:6	עָר֣וֹם	ʽârôm, ערום	γυμνὸς	γυμνὸς
Ecclesiastes 5:15 (5:14)	עָר֛וֹם	ʽârôm, ערום	γυμνός	γυμνός
Isaiah 20:2	עָר֥וֹם	ʽârôm, ערום	γυμνὸς	γυμνὸς
Isaiah 20:3	עָר֣וֹם	ʽârôm, ערום	γυμνὸς	γυμνὸς
Isaiah 20:4	עָר֣וֹם	ʽârôm, ערום	γυμνοὺς	γυμνοὺς
Isaiah 58:7^[13]	עָרֹם֙	ʽârôm, ערם	γυμνόν	γυμνόν
Hosea 2:3 (2:5)	עֲרֻמָּ֔ה	ʽârôm, ערמה	γυμνὴν	γυμνὴν
Amos 2:16	עָר֛וֹם	ʽârôm, ערום	γυμνὸς	γυμνὸς
Micah 1:8	וְעָר֑וֹם	ʽârôm, וערום	γυμνή	γυμνή

A table of occurrences of forms of עֶרְוָה (ʽervâh) in Genesis through Leviticus and their translations in two versions of the Septuagint follows.

Reference	Tanakh (Chabad.org)	NET Parallel Greek	BLB Septuagint	Elpenor Septuagint
Genesis 9:22	עֶרְוַ֣ת	ʽervâh, ערות	γύμνωσιν	γύμνωσιν
Genesis 9:23	עֶרְוַ֣ת	ʽervâh, ערות	γύμνωσιν	γύμνωσιν
Genesis 9:23	וְעֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, וערות	γύμνωσιν	γύμνωσιν
Genesis 42:9	עֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἴχνη	ἴχνη
Genesis 42:12	עֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἴχνη	ἴχνη
Exodus 20:26 (20:23)	עֶרְוָֽתְךָ֖	ʽervâh, ערותך	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Exodus 28:42 (28:38)	עֶרְוָ֑ה	ʽervâh, ערוה	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:6	עֶרְוָ֑ה	ʽervâh, ערוה	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:7	עֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
	וְעֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, וערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
	עֶרְוָתָֽהּ	ʽervâh, ערותה	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:8	עֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:8	עֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνη	ἀσχημοσύνη
Leviticus 18:9	עֶרְוַ֨ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:9	עֶרְוָתָֽן	ʽervâh, ערותן	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:10	עֶרְוַ֤ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
	עֶרְוָתָ֑ן	ʽervâh, ערותן	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
	עֶרְוָֽתְךָ֖	ʽervâh, ערותך	ἀσχημοσύνη	ἀσχημοσύνη
Leviticus 18:11	עֶרְוַ֨ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:11	עֶרְוָתָֽהּ	ʽervâh, ערותה	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:12	עֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:13	עֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:14	עֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:15	עֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:15	עֶרְוָתָֽהּ	ʽervâh, ערותה	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:16	עֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:16	עֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνη	ἀσχημοσύνη
Leviticus 18:17	עֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:17	עֶרְוָתָ֔הּ	ʽervâh, ערותה	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:18	עֶרְוָתָ֛הּ	ʽervâh, ערותה	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 18:19	עֶרְוָתָֽהּ	ʽervâh, ערותה	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 20:11	עֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Levitiscus 20:17	עֶרְוָתָ֜הּ	ʽervâh, ערותה	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
	עֶרְוָתוֹ֙	ʽervâh, ערותו	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
	עֶרְוַ֧ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 20:18	עֶרְוָתָהּ֙	ʽervâh, ערותה	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 20:19	וְעֶרְוַ֨ת	ʽervâh, וערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 20:20	עֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην
Leviticus 20:21	עֶרְוַ֥ת	ʽervâh, ערות	ἀσχημοσύνην	ἀσχημοσύνην

Tables comparing Leviticus 20:19; 20:20; Genesis 2:25; 9:22; 9:23; Leviticus 20:11; 20:17; Ezekiel 33:13; 33:14; 33:15; 33:16; 33:17; 33:18; 33:19; 33:20; Genesis 6:9; Leviticus 20:22 and 20:23 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Leviticus 20:19; 20:20; Genesis 2:25; 9:22; 9:23; Leviticus 20:11; 20:17; Ezekiel 33:13; 33:14; 33:15; 33:16; 33:17; 33:18; 33:19; 33:20; Genesis 6:9; Leviticus 20:22 and 20:23 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Leviticus 20:19 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:19 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:19 (NET)
And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, nor of thy father’s sister; for he hath made naked his near kin; they shall bear their iniquity.	And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, nor of thy father’s sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity.	You must not expose the nakedness of your mother’s sister or your father’s sister, for such a person has exposed his own close relative. They must bear their punishment for iniquity.

Leviticus 20:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς πατρός σου καὶ ἀδελφῆς μητρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν γὰρ οἰκειότητα ἀπεκάλυψεν ἁμαρτίαν ἀποίσονται	καὶ ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς πατρός σου καὶ ἀδελφῆς μητρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις· τὴν γὰρ οἰκειότητα ἀπεκάλυψεν, ἁμαρτίαν ἀποίσονται
Leviticus 20:19 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:19 (English Elpenor)
And you shall not uncover the shame of your father’s sister or of your mother’s sister, for one has laid bare one’s own blood family; they shall carry guilt.	And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister, or of the sister of thy mother; for that man has uncovered the nakedness of one near akin: they shall bear their iniquity.

Leviticus 20:20 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:20 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:20 (NET)
And if a man shall lie with his uncle’s wife–he hath uncovered his uncle’s nakedness–they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.	And if a man shall lie with his uncle’s wife, he hath uncovered his uncle’s nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.	If a man goes to bed with his aunt, he has exposed his uncle’s nakedness; they must bear responsibility for their sin, they will die childless.

Leviticus 20:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὃς ἂν κοιμηθῇ μετὰ τῆς συγγενοῦς αὐτοῦ ἀσχημοσύνην τῆς συγγενείας αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψεν ἄτεκνοι ἀποθανοῦνται	ὃς ἂν κοιμηθῇ μετὰ τῆς συγγενοῦς αὐτοῦ, ἀσχημοσύνην τῆς συγγενείας αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψεν, ἄτεκνοι ἀποθανοῦνται
Leviticus 20:20 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:20 (English Elpenor)
He who lies with one who is his relative—he has uncovered the shame of his kinship; they shall die childless.	Whosoever shall lie with his near kinswoman, has uncovered the nakedness of one near akin to him: they shall die childless.

Genesis 2:25 (Tanakh)	Genesis 2:25 (KJV)	Genesis 2:25 (NET)
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.	And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.	The man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed.

Genesis 2:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 2:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἦσαν οἱ δύο γυμνοί ὅ τε Αδαμ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ᾐσχύνοντο	καὶ ἦσαν οἱ δύο γυμνοί, ὅ τε ᾿Αδὰμ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ᾐσχύνοντο
Genesis 2:25 (NETS)	Genesis 2:25 (English Elpenor)
And the two were naked, both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed.	And the two were naked, both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Genesis 9:22 (Tanakh)	Genesis 9:22 (KJV)	Genesis 9:22 (NET)
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.	And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.	Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers who were outside.

Genesis 9:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 9:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶδεν Χαμ ὁ πατὴρ Χανααν τὴν γύμνωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἀνήγγειλεν τοῗς δυσὶν ἀδελφοῗς αὐτοῦ ἔξω	καὶ εἶδε Χὰμ ὁ πατὴρ Χαναὰν τὴν γύμνωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἀνήγγειλε τοῖς δυσὶν ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ ἔξω
Genesis 9:22 (NETS)	Genesis 9:22 (English Elpenor)
And Cham, the father of Channan, saw the nakedness of his father, and after he had gone out he told his two brothers outside.	And Cham the father of Chanaan saw the nakedness of his father, and he went out and told his two brothers without.

Genesis 9:23 (Tanakh)	Genesis 9:23 (KJV)	Genesis 9:23 (NET)
And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.	And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.	Shem and Japheth took the garment and placed it on their shoulders. Then they walked in backwards and covered up their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so they did not see their father’s nakedness.

Genesis 9:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 9:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ λαβόντες Σημ καὶ Ιαφεθ τὸ ἱμάτιον ἐπέθεντο ἐπὶ τὰ δύο νῶτα αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν ὀπισθοφανῶς καὶ συνεκάλυψαν τὴν γύμνωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν ὀπισθοφανές καὶ τὴν γύμνωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν οὐκ εἶδον	καὶ λαβόντες Σὴμ καὶ ᾿Ιάφεθ τὸ ἱμάτιον ἐπέθεντο ἐπὶ τὰ δύο νῶτα αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν ὀπισθοφανῶς καὶ συνεκάλυψαν τὴν γύμνωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν, καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν ὀπισθοφανῶς, καὶ τὴν γύμνωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν οὐκ εἶδον
Genesis 9:23 (NETS)	Genesis 9:23 (English Elpenor)
And Sem and Iapheth, when they had taken the garment, laid it on their two backs and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father, and their face was looking backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness.	And Sem and Japheth having taken a garment, put it on both their backs and went backwards, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their face [was] backward, and they saw not the nakedness of their father.

Leviticus 20:11 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:11 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:11 (NET)
And the man that lieth with his father’s wife–he hath uncovered his father’s nakedness–both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.	And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.	If a man goes to bed with his father’s wife, he has exposed his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Leviticus 20:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐάν τις κοιμηθῇ μετὰ γυναικὸς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἀσχημοσύνην τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψεν θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν ἀμφότεροι ἔνοχοί εἰσιν	καὶ ἐάν τις κοιμηθῇ μετὰ γυναικὸς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, ἀσχημοσύνην τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψε, θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν, ἀμφότεροι ἔνοχοί εἰσι
Leviticus 20:11 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:11 (English Elpenor)
And if anyone lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s shame; let both of them by death be put to death; they are liable.	And if any one should lie with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness: let them both die the death, they are guilty.

Leviticus 20:17 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:17 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:17 (NET)
And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness: it is a shameful thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.	And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.	If a man has marital relations with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or of his mother, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has exposed his sister’s nakedness; he will bear his punishment for iniquity.

Leviticus 20:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὃς ἐὰν λάβῃ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ ἐκ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἢ ἐκ μητρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἴδῃ τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς καὶ αὕτη ἴδῃ τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτοῦ ὄνειδός ἐστιν ἐξολεθρευθήσονται ἐνώπιον υἱῶν γένους αὐτῶν ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψεν ἁμαρτίαν κομιοῦνται	ὃς ἂν λάβῃ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ ἐκ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἢ ἐκ μητρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἴδῃ τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς καὶ αὕτη ἴδῃ τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτοῦ, ὄνειδός ἐστιν, ἐξολοθρευθήσονται ἐνώπιον υἱῶν γένους αὐτῶν· ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψεν, ἁμαρτίαν κομιοῦνται
Leviticus 20:17 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:17 (English Elpenor)
He who takes his sister, from his father or from his mother, and sees her shame, and she sees his shame; it is a disgrace; they shall be exterminated before the sons of their race; he has uncovered his sister’s shame; he shall bear guilt.	Whosoever shall take his sister by his father or by his mother, and shall see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness, it is a reproach: they shall be destroyed before the children of their family; he has uncovered his sister’s nakedness, they shall bear their sin.

Ezekiel 33:13 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 33:13 (KJV)	Ezekiel 33:13 (NET)
When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.	When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.	Suppose I tell the righteous that he will certainly live, but he becomes confident in his righteousness and commits iniquity. None of his righteous deeds will be remembered; because of the iniquity he has committed he will die.

Ezekiel 33:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 33:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν τῷ εἶπαί με τῷ δικαίῳ οὗτος πέποιθεν ἐπὶ τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιήσῃ ἀνομίαν πᾶσαι αἱ δικαιοσύναι αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ ἀναμνησθῶσιν ἐν τῇ ἀδικίᾳ αὐτοῦ ᾗ ἐποίησεν ἐν αὐτῇ ἀποθανεῗται	ἐν τῷ εἰπεῖν με τῷ δικαίῳ· οὗτος πέποιθεν ἐπὶ τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ποιήσει ἀνομίαν, πᾶσαι αἱ δικαιοσύναι αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ ἀναμνησθῶσιν· ἐν τῇ ἀδικίᾳ αὐτοῦ, ᾗ ἐποίησεν, ἐν αὐτῇ ἀποθανεῖται
Ezekiel 33:13 (NETS)	Ezekiel 33:13 (English Elpenor)
When I say to the righteous, “He trusts in his righteousness,” and should he commit lawlessness, none of his righteous acts shall be recalled in his injustice that he has committed; in it he shall die.	When I say to the righteous, [Thou shalt live; and] he trusts in his righteousness, and shall commit iniquity, none of his righteousnesses shall be remembered; in his unrighteousness which he has wrought, in it shall he die.

Ezekiel 33:14 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 33:14 (KJV)	Ezekiel 33:14 (NET)
Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;	Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;	Suppose I say to the wicked, ‘You must certainly die,’ but he turns from his sin and does what is just and right.

Ezekiel 33:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 33:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐν τῷ εἶπαί με τῷ ἀσεβεῗ θανάτῳ θανατωθήσῃ καὶ ἀποστρέψῃ ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιήσῃ κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην	καὶ ἐν τῷ εἰπεῖν με τῷ ἀσεβεῖ· θανάτῳ θανατωθήσῃ, καὶ ἀποστρέψει ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιήσει κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην
Ezekiel 33:14 (NETS)	Ezekiel 33:14 (English Elpenor)
And when I say to the impious, “By death you shall be put to death, and you shall turn back from your sin,” and should he perform judgment and righteousness	And when I say to the ungodly, Thou shalt surely die; and he shall turn from his sin, and do judgment and justice,

Ezekiel 33:15 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 33:15 (KJV)	Ezekiel 33:15 (NET)
If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.	If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.	He returns what was taken in pledge, pays back what he has stolen, and follows the statutes that give life, committing no iniquity. He will certainly live—he will not die.

Ezekiel 33:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 33:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐνεχύρασμα ἀποδῷ καὶ ἅρπαγμα ἀποτείσῃ ἐν προστάγμασιν ζωῆς διαπορεύηται τοῦ μὴ ποιῆσαι ἄδικον ζωῇ ζήσεται καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ	καὶ ἐνεχύρασμα ἀποδῷ καὶ ἅρπαγμα ἀποτίσει, ἐν προστάγμασι ζωῆς διαπορεύηται τοῦ μὴ ποιῆσαι ἄδικον, ζωῇ ζήσεται καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ
Ezekiel 33:15 (NETS)	Ezekiel 33:15 (English Elpenor)
and restore a pledge and give back robbery, walk in the ordinances of life so as not to do what is wrong, by life he shall live, and he shall not die;	and return the pledge, and repay that which he has robbed, [and] walk in the ordinances of life, so as to do no wrong; he shall surely live, and shall not die.

Ezekiel 33:16 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 33:16 (KJV)	Ezekiel 33:16 (NET)
None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.	None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.	None of the sins he has committed will be counted against him. He has done what is just and right; he will certainly live.

Ezekiel 33:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 33:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πᾶσαι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτοῦ ἃς ἥμαρτεν οὐ μὴ ἀναμνησθῶσιν ὅτι κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην ἐποίησεν ἐν αὐτοῗς ζήσεται	πᾶσαι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτοῦ, ἃς ἥμαρτεν, οὐ μὴ ἀναμνησθῶσιν, ὅτι κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην ἐποίησεν, ἐν αὐτοῖς ζήσεται
Ezekiel 33:16 (NETS)	Ezekiel 33:16 (English Elpenor)
none of his sins that he has committed shall be recalled, for he has performed judgment and righteousness; in them he shall live.	None of his sins which he has committed shall be remembered: because he has wrought judgment and righteousness; by them shall he live.

Ezekiel 33:17 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 33:17 (KJV)	Ezekiel 33:17 (NET)
Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.	Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.	“Yet your people say, ‘The behavior of the Lord is not right,’ when it is their behavior that is not right.

Ezekiel 33:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 33:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐροῦσιν οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ λαοῦ σου οὐκ εὐθεῗα ἡ ὁδὸς τοῦ κυρίου καὶ αὕτη ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτῶν οὐκ εὐθεῗα	καὶ ἐροῦσιν οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ λαοῦ σου· οὐκ εὐθεῖα ἡ ὁδὸς τοῦ Κυρίου· καὶ αὕτη ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτῶν οὐκ εὐθεῖα
Ezekiel 33:17 (NETS)	Ezekiel 33:17 (English Elpenor)
And the sons of your people shall say, “The way of the Lord is not right,” and this way of theirs is not right.	Yet the children of thy people will say, The way of the Lord is not straight: whereas this their way is not straight.

Ezekiel 33:18 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 33:18 (KJV)	Ezekiel 33:18 (NET)
When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.	When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.	When a righteous man turns from his godliness and commits iniquity, he will die for it.

Ezekiel 33:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 33:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν τῷ ἀποστρέψαι δίκαιον ἀπὸ τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιήσῃ ἀνομίας καὶ ἀποθανεῗται ἐν αὐταῗς	ἐν τῷ ἀποστρέψαι δίκαιον ἀπὸ τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιήσει ἀνομίας, καὶ ἀποθανεῖται ἐν αὐταῖς
Ezekiel 33:18 (NETS)	Ezekiel 33:18 (English Elpenor)
When a righteous one has turned back from his righteousness and should he commit acts of lawlessness, he shall die in them.	When the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and shall commit iniquities, then shall he die in them.

Ezekiel 33:19 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 33:19 (KJV)	Ezekiel 33:19 (NET)
But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.	But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.	When the wicked turns from his sin and does what is just and right, he will live because of it.

Ezekiel 33:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 33:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀποστρέψαι τὸν ἁμαρτωλὸν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιήσῃ κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην ἐν αὐτοῗς αὐτὸς ζήσεται	καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀποστρέψαι τὸν ἁμαρτωλὸν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιήσει κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην, ἐν αὐτοῖς αὐτὸς ζήσεται
Ezekiel 33:19 (NETS)	Ezekiel 33:19 (English Elpenor)
And when the sinner turns back from his lawlessness and performs judgment and righteousness, in them he shall live.	And when the sinner turns from his iniquity, and shall do judgment and righteousness, he shall live by them.

Ezekiel 33:20 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 33:20 (KJV)	Ezekiel 33:20 (NET)
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.	Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.	Yet you say, ‘The behavior of the Lord is not right.’ House of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his behavior.”

Ezekiel 33:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 33:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν ὃ εἴπατε οὐκ εὐθεῗα ἡ ὁδὸς κυρίου ἕκαστον ἐν ταῗς ὁδοῗς αὐτοῦ κρινῶ ὑμᾶς οἶκος Ισραηλ	καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὃ εἴπατε· οὐκ εὐθεῖα ἡ ὁδὸς Κυρίου· ἕκαστον ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ κρινῶ ὑμᾶς, οἶκος ᾿Ισραήλ
Ezekiel 33:20 (NETS)	Ezekiel 33:20 (English Elpenor)
And this is what you said, “The way of the Lord is not right”; I will judge each of you by his ways, O house of Israel.	And this is that which ye said, The way of the Lord is [not] straight. I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one for his ways.

Genesis 6:9 (Tanakh)	Genesis 6:9 (KJV)	Genesis 6:9 (NET)
These are the generations of Noah. Noah was in his generations a man righteous and wholehearted; Noah walked with G-d.	These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.	This is the account of Noah. Noah was a godly man; he was blameless among his contemporaries. He walked with God.

Genesis 6:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 6:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
αὗται δὲ αἱ γενέσεις Νωε Νωε ἄνθρωπος δίκαιος τέλειος ὢν ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ αὐτοῦ τῷ θεῷ εὐηρέστησεν Νωε	Αὗται δὲ αἱ γενέσεις Νῶε· Νῶε ἄνθρωπος δίκαιος, τέλειος ὢν ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ αὐτοῦ· τῷ Θεῷ εὐηρέστησε Νῶε
Genesis 6:9 (NETS)	Genesis 6:9 (English Elpenor)
Now these are the generations of Noe. Noe was a righteous man, being perfect in his era; Noe was well-pleasing to God.	And these [are] the generations of Noe. Noe was a just man; being perfect in his generation, Noe was well-pleasing to God.

Leviticus 20:22 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:22 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:22 (NET)
Ye shall therefore keep all My statutes, and all Mine ordinances, and do them, that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, vomit you not out.	Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.	“‘You must be sure to obey all my statutes and regulations, so that the land to which I am about to bring you to take up residence does not vomit you out.

Leviticus 20:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ φυλάξασθε πάντα τὰ προστάγματά μου καὶ τὰ κρίματά μου καὶ ποιήσετε αὐτά καὶ οὐ μὴ προσοχθίσῃ ὑμῗν ἡ γῆ εἰς ἣν ἐγὼ εἰσάγω ὑμᾶς ἐκεῗ κατοικεῗν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς	Καὶ φυλάξασθε πάντα τὰ προστάγματά μου, καὶ τὰ κρίματά μου καὶ ποιήσετε αὐτά, καὶ οὐ μὴ προσοχθίσῃ ὑμῖν ἡ γῆ, εἰς ἣν ἐγὼ εἰσάγω ὑμᾶς ἐκεῖ κατοικεῖν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς
Leviticus 20:22 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:22 (English Elpenor)
And you shall keep all my ordinances and all my judgments and do them, and the land to which I bring you there to settle in it will never be angry with you.	And keep ye all my ordinances, and my judgments; and ye shall do them, and the land shall not be aggrieved with you, into which I bring you to dwell upon it.

Leviticus 20:23 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:23 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:23 (NET)
And ye shall not walk in the customs of the nation, which I am casting out before you; for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.	And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.	You must not walk in the statutes of the nations which I am about to drive out before you, because they have done all these things and I am filled with disgust against them.

Leviticus 20:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐχὶ πορεύεσθε τοῗς νομίμοις τῶν ἐθνῶν οὓς ἐξαποστέλλω ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν ὅτι ταῦτα πάντα ἐποίησαν καὶ ἐβδελυξάμην αὐτούς	καὶ οὐχὶ πορεύεσθε τοῖς νομίμοις τῶν ἐθνῶν, οὓς ἐξαποστέλλω ἀφ᾿ ὑμῶν· ὅτι ταῦτα πάντα ἐποίησαν, καὶ ἐβδελυξάμην αὐτούς.
Leviticus 20:23 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:23 (English Elpenor)
And you shall not walk by the precepts of the nations that I am sending out away from you. Because they did all these things, I also abhorred them.	And walk ye not in the customs of the nations which I drive out from before you; for they have done all these things, and I have abhorred them:

Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 16

Back to David’s Forgiveness, Part 5

Back to David’s Forgiveness, Part 10

Back to Westworld, Part 1

Back to Adultery in the Law, Part 1

Back to Adultery in the Law, Part 2

Back to Adultery in the Law, Part 3

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Part 8

Back to Nothing True, Part 4

^[1] Philippians 4:19 (NET) Table

^[2] Deuteronomy 5:9b (NET) Table

^[3] This clause translated from the Masoretic text was ignored by the rabbis who translated the Septuagint or absent from the Hebrew source they translated.

^[4] Christopher Fisher, “was Canaan the child of Ham and Noah’s wife”

^[5] Dr. Rabbi David Frankel, “Noah, Ham and the Curse of Canaan: Who Did What to Whom in the Tent? A new solution to why Canaan (not Ham) was cursed”

^[6] 1 Corinthians 15:3b (NET)

^[7] Romans 5:13 (NET)

^[8] Luke 5:32 (NET)

^[9] John 3:7 (NET)

^[10] Who Am I? Part 2; Who Am I? Part 3; Torture, Part 4

^[11] David’s Forgiveness, Part 2; Torture, Part 4; Romans, Part 2

^[12] Romans 7:6b (NET)

^[13] It is extremely interesting to compare Isaiah 58:6-11 with Matthew 25:31-46.

David’s Forgiveness, Part 10

Posted on August 31, 2012 by admin

David’s friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.¹ Absalom was suspicious of Hushai at first, Do you call this loyalty [See Addendum below] to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?² Hushai lied or told such a cleverly concealed truth that Absalom failed to unravel the riddle. No, I will be loyal to the one whom the Lord, these people, and all the men of Israel have chosen. Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.³ And so Hushai was established as both a spy and false counselor.

Absalom turned to Ahithophel for advice, What should we do?⁴ In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel.⁵ But when he learned that his trusted adviser had defected to Absalom, David had prayed, Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish (sâkal, סַכֶּל), O Lord!⁶ Samuel defined the word foolish for Saul: Then Samuel said to Saul, “You have made a foolish (sâkal, נִסְכָּ֑לְתָּ) choice! You have not obeyed the commandment that the Lord your God gave you. Had you done that, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever!”⁷

Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Have sex with your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace. All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. Then your followers will be motivated to support you.”⁸ I turned to the Jewish Virtual Library online to see if I could gain some insight how David might have felt about these women. I still don’t know if they were mistresses or chambermaids he bed a time or two. But I did find out something about Ahithophel’s advice.

“To lie with a monarch’s concubine was tantamount to usurpation of the throne (II Sam. 3:7; 16:21–22). For this reason Abner took Rizpah (II Sam. 3:7). The same concept stands behind Ahitophel’s advice to Absalom, to ‘go into his father’s concubines’ (16:21)…”⁹ So Ahithophel’s advice may or may not have been advantageous on the horizontal plane. Personally, I think it is sort of an open question how Absalom’s followers might have responded. On the vertical plane, however, Ahithophel advised a usurper of the throne, one not anointed nor chosen by God, to do a foolish thing and disobey one of his commandments¹⁰ publicly as his first royal act.

So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom had sex with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.¹¹ The Jewish Virtual Library article I quoted disagrees that this was a violation of God’s law regarding a father’s wife (a capital offence, by the way). “Nor does living with a man as his concubine create a kinship as an impediment to marriage between herself and any of the man’s relatives, or between the man and her relatives, as would be the case if she would be considered to be his wife (Rosh, Resp. no. 32:1; Oẓar ha-Posekim, EH26, n. 3).”¹² The problem I see with this analysis is that there is no legislation concerning concubines in the Bible. The only way to know what a concubine was and what rights or obligations she had was from foreign law. Both the Assyrian Code and the Code of Hammurapi are referenced as sources for determining the legal status of a concubine in the above mentioned article.

God prophesied to David [See Addendum below], I will take your wives (Septuagint: γυναῖκάς, a form of γυνή) and hand them over to your companion. He will have sexual relations with your wives (Septuagint: γυναικῶν, another form of γυνή) in broad daylight! Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.¹³ I am using the Greek here simply because I recognize the Greek alphabet better than the Hebrew. (In other words, I don’t know Greek a whole lot less than I don’t know Hebrew.) Both γυναῖκάς and γυναικῶν are plural forms of γυνή. Both instances are the same Hebrew word, too, according to the concordance. Both words can be translated wives or women.

In Ephesians 5:28 (NET) γυναικας was translated wives, In the same way husbands ought¹⁴ to love their wives (γυναικας) as their own bodies. In Matthew 14:21 (NET) γυναικων was translated women, Not counting women (γυναικων) and children, there were about five thousand men who ate. I won’t make an issue of whether 2 Samuel 12:11 should have been translated wives or women, because γυναικὸς in Leviticus 18:8 (NET) [See Addendum below] was translated wife, You must not have sexual intercourse with your father’s wife (Septuagint: γυναικὸς); she is your father’s nakedness, and in Leviticus 20:11 (NET) [See Addendum below], If a man has sexual intercourse with his father’s wife (Septuagint: γυναικὸς), he has exposed his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Again, γυναικὸς is a singular form of gunē (γυνή), and the Hebrew word is also the same according to the concordance. In Matthew 19:10 (NET) [Table] γυναικος was translated wife, The¹⁵ disciples said to him, “If this is the case of a husband with a wife (γυναικος), it is better not to marry!” In John 4:9 (NET) γυνη and γυναικος were both translated woman, So the Samaritan¹⁶ woman (γυνη) said to him, “How can you – a Jew – ask me, a Samaritan¹⁷ woman (γυναικος), for water to drink?”¹⁸

So whether 2 Samuel 12:11 should have been translated David’s wives or women is immaterial, since the same word, both in Greek and Hebrew, was used in Leviticus 18:8 and 20:11. Since God was apparently satisfied when Absalom had sex with David’s concubines that Nathan’s prophesy about David’s wives or women was fulfilled, and since the only other way to distinguish David’s concubines from his wives or his women was by foreign law, I am going to assume that the category called concubine referred to a traditional practice that probably should not have been part of the thought of the kingdom of Israel.

That being said, however, it seems very likely that what God called Saul’s wives through Nathan the prophet were perceived by many in Israel as the concubines of David’s father-in-law:¹⁹ I gave you your master’s house, and put your master’s wives (Septuagint: γυναῖκάς) into your arms,²⁰ when Nathan confronted David on God’s behalf. It puts some perspective on Absalom’s willingness to fall in with Ahithophel’s advice. He wanted his father’s concubines just like his father got his father-in-law’s concubines when David received the kingdom after Saul’s death. It makes me wonder what Absalom heard of his father’s life.

I assume Absalom was told all the stories about David. But what he heard seems to have been something less than the sum total of what he was told. He did not hear for instance that David was chosen (anointed) by God when Saul was rejected for his disobedience to God. Oh, perhaps he heard it in part. Maybe he assumed that David was, or should have been, rejected by God when he took Bathsheba and murdered Uriah, or if not then, perhaps when he failed to avenge Tamar, as Absalom himself had done. He certainly heard that Samuel used sacrifices to God as the cover to anoint David as king while Saul yet lived. He imitated that scene faithfully, minus of course the sanction of God or the presence of his prophet. He did not hear how his father David respected the Lord’s chosen or anointed one even after he was rejected by God, or he would have behaved differently toward his father. In fact, if he had any faith whatsoever in God or his choice, Absalom would not have challenged David at all.

The irony here was, though he was born a son of David, though he did everything he could to imitate David’s career outwardly, Absalom proved to be a man after Saul’s own heart: So Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.²¹ And Absalom, like Saul before him, set himself to the task of finding a way to kill David.

Addendum: April 28, 2021
I won’t make too much of it since Absalom was speaking, but I was intrigued by loyalty:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Samuel 16:17 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:17 (NET)	2 Reigns 16:17 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:17 (English Elpenor)
And Absalom said to Hushai: ‘Is this thy kindness (חַסְדְּךָ֖) to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?’	Absalom said to Hushai, “Do you call this loyalty (ḥeseḏ, חסדך) to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”	And Abessalom said to Chousi, “Is this your mercy (ἔλεός) with your companion? Why did you not go away with your companion?”	And Abessalom said to Chusi, [Is] this thy kindness (ἔλεός) to thy friend? why wentest thou not forth with thy friend?

That kindness and mercy are joined in חַסְדְּךָ֖ (ḥeseḏ) makes perfect sense, though I’m not sure I could have accessed it that concretely. To hear kindness and mercy as loyalty, or faithfulness, is a minor revolution and a great relief in my thinking. I am too often tempted that I should be tougher than that.

A comparison of 2 Samuel 12:11 translated from the Hebrew of the Masoretic text and the Greek of the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Samuel 12:11 (Tanakh) Table	2 Samuel 12:11 (NET)	2 Reigns 12:11 (NETS)	2 Kings 12:11 (English Elpenor)
Thus saith HaShem: Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives (נָשֶׁ֙יךָ֙) before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives (נָשֶׁ֔יךָ) in the sight of this sun.	This is what the Lord has said: ‘I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household! Right before your eyes I will take your wives (‘iššâ, נשיך) and hand them over to your companion. He will go to bed with your wives (‘iššâ, נשיך) in broad daylight!	This is what the Lord says: Behold, I am raising up trouble against you out of your own house, and I will take your wives (γυναῗκάς) before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives (γυναικῶν) before this sun.	Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will raise up against thee evil out of thy house, and I will take thy wives (γυναῖκάς) before thine eyes, and will give them to thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives (γυναικῶν) in the sight of this sun.

A comparison of Leviticus 18:8 translated from the Hebrew of the Masoretic text and the Greek of the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 18:8 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:8 (NET)	Leviticus 18:8 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:8 (English Elpenor)
The nakedness of thy father’s wife (אֵֽשֶׁת) shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness.	You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife (‘iššâ, אשת); she is your father’s nakedness.	You shall not uncover the shame of your father’s wife (γυναικὸς); it is the shame of your father.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s wife (γυναικὸς); it is thy father’s nakedness.

A comparison of Leviticus 20:11 translated from the Hebrew of the Masoretic text and the Greek of the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 20:11 (Tanakh) Table	Leviticus 20:11 (NET)	Leviticus 20:11 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:11 (English Elpenor)
And the man that lieth with his father’s wife (אֵ֣שֶׁת)–he hath uncovered his father’s nakedness–both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.	If a man goes to bed with his father’s wife (‘iššâ, אשת), he has exposed his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.	And if anyone lies with his father’s wife (γυναικὸς), he has uncovered his father’s shame; let both of them by death be put to death; they are liable.	And if any one should lie with his father’s wife (γυναικὸς), he has uncovered his father’s nakedness: let them both die the death, they are guilty.

Tables comparing 2 Samuel 15:37; 16:17; 16:18; 16:19; 16:20; 16:23; 1 Samuel 13:13; 2 Samuel 16:21; 16:22; Leviticus 18:8 and 1 Samuel 18:12 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 15:37; 16:17; 16:18; 16:19; 16:20; 16:23; 1 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:13; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 16:21; 16:22; Leviticus 18:8 and 1 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 18:12 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Ephesians 5:28 and John 4:9 in the NET and KJV follow.

2 Samuel 15:37 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:37 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:37 (NET)
So Hushai David’s friend came into the city; and Absalom was at the point of coming into Jerusalem.	So Hushai David’s friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.	So David’s friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 15:37 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:37 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Χουσι ὁ ἑταῗρος Δαυιδ εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ Αβεσσαλωμ εἰσεπορεύετο εἰς Ιερουσαλημ	καὶ εἰσῆλθε Χουσὶ ὁ ἑταῖρος Δαυὶδ εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἄρτι εἰσεπορεύετο εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ
2 Reigns 15:37 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:37 (English Elpenor)
And Chousi, the companion of Dauid, entered into the city, and Abessalom was going into Ierousalem.	So Chusi the friend of David went into the city, and Abessalom was lately gone into Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 16:17 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:17 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:17 (NET)
And Absalom said to Hushai: ‘Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?’	And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?	Absalom said to Hushai, “Do you call this loyalty to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”

2 Samuel 16:17 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς Χουσι τοῦτο τὸ ἔλεός σου μετὰ τοῦ ἑταίρου σου ἵνα τί οὐκ ἀπῆλθες μετὰ τοῦ ἑταίρου σου	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς Χουσί· τοῦτο τὸ ἔλεός σου μετὰ τοῦ ἑταίρου σου; ἱνατί οὐκ ἀπῆλθες μετὰ τοῦ ἑταίρου σου
2 Reigns 16:17 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:17 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom said to Chousi, “Is this your mercy with your companion? Why did you not go away with your companion?”	And Abessalom said to Chusi, [Is] this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not forth with thy friend?

2 Samuel 16:18 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:18 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:18 (NET)
And Hushai said unto Absalom: ‘Nay; but whom HaShem, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him will I abide.	And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.	Hushai replied to Absalom, “No, I will be loyal to the one whom the Lord, these people, and all the men of Israel have chosen.

2 Samuel 16:18 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Χουσι πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ οὐχί ἀλλὰ κατόπισθεν οὗ ἐξελέξατο κύριος καὶ ὁ λαὸς οὗτος καὶ πᾶς ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ αὐτῷ ἔσομαι καὶ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καθήσομαι	καὶ εἶπε Χουσὶ πρὸς ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· οὐχί, ἀλλὰ κατόπισθεν οὗ ἐξελέξατο Κύριος καὶ ὁ λαὸς οὗτος καὶ πᾶς ἀνὴρ ᾿Ισραήλ, αὐτῷ ἔσομαι καὶ μετὰ αὐτοῦ καθήσομαι
2 Reigns 16:18 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:18 (English Elpenor)
And Chousi said to Abessalom, “No, but hereafter he whom the Lord and this people and every man of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will sit.	And Chusi said to Abessalom, Nay, but following whom the Lord, and this people, and all Israel have chosen,– his will I be, and with him I will dwell.

2 Samuel 16:19 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:19 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:19 (NET)
And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so will I be in thy presence.’	And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so will I be in thy presence.	Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”

2 Samuel 16:19 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ τὸ δεύτερον τίνι ἐγὼ δουλεύσω οὐχὶ ἐνώπιον τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ καθάπερ ἐδούλευσα ἐνώπιον τοῦ πατρός σου οὕτως ἔσομαι ἐνώπιόν σου	καὶ τὸ δεύτερον, τίνι ἐγὼ δουλεύσω; οὐχὶ ἐνώπιον τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ; καθάπερ ἐδούλευσα ἐνώπιον τοῦ πατρός σου, οὕτως ἔσομαι ἐνώπιόν σου
2 Reigns 16:19 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:19 (English Elpenor)
And secondly, to whom will I be subject? Is it not in the presence of his son? Just as I was subject in the presence of your father, so I will be in your presence.”	And again, whom shall I serve? should I not in the presence of his son? As I served in the sight of thy father, so will I be in thy presence.

2 Samuel 16:20 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:20 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:20 (NET)
Then said Absalom to Ahithophel: ‘Give your counsel what we shall do.’	Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.	Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?”

2 Samuel 16:20 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς Αχιτοφελ φέρετε ἑαυτοῗς βουλὴν τί ποιήσωμεν	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς ᾿Αχιτόφελ· φέρετε ἑαυτοῖς βουλὴν τί ποιήσωμεν
2 Reigns 16:20 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:20 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom said to Achitophel, “Bring forth counsel among yourselves, what we should do.”	And Abessalom said to Achitophel, Deliberate among yourselves concerning what we should do.

2 Samuel 16:23 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:23 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:23 (NET)
Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man inquired of the word of G-d; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.	And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.	In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel.

2 Samuel 16:23 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἡ βουλὴ Αχιτοφελ ἣν ἐβουλεύσατο ἐν ταῗς ἡμέραις ταῗς πρώταις ὃν τρόπον ἐπερωτήσῃ ἐν λόγῳ τοῦ θεοῦ οὕτως πᾶσα ἡ βουλὴ τοῦ Αχιτοφελ καί γε τῷ Δαυιδ καί γε τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ	καὶ ἡ βουλὴ ᾿Αχιτόφελ, ἣν ἐβουλεύσατο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταῖς πρώταις, ὃν τρόπον ἐπερωτήσῃ τις ἐν λόγῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὕτως πᾶσα ἡ βουλὴ τοῦ ᾿Αχιτόφελ καί γε τῷ Δαυὶδ καί γε τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ
2 Reigns 16:23 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:23 (English Elpenor)
And the counsel of Achitophel, which he counseled in the former days, was as if one were to inquire by a word of God; so was all the counsel of Achitophel, and indeed to Dauid and indeed to Abessalom.	And the counsel of Achitophel, which he counseled in former days, [was] as if one should enquire of the word of God: so [was] all the counsel of Achitophel both to David and also to Abessalom.

1 Samuel 13:13 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 13:13 (KJV)	1 Samuel 13:13 (NET)
And Samuel said to Saul: ‘Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of HaShem thy G-d, which He commanded thee; for now would HaShem have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.	And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.	Then Samuel said to Saul, “You have made a foolish choice! You have not obeyed the commandment that the Lord your God gave you. Had you done that, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

1 Samuel 13:13 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 13:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς Σαουλ μεματαίωταί σοι ὅτι οὐκ ἐφύλαξας τὴν ἐντολήν μου ἣν ἐνετείλατό σοι κύριος ὡς νῦν ἡτοίμασεν κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν σου ἕως αἰῶνος ἐπὶ Ισραηλ	καὶ εἶπε Σαμουὴλ πρὸς Σαούλ· μεματαίωταί σοι, ὅτι οὐκ ἐφύλαξας τὴν ἐντολήν μου, ἣν ἐνετείλατό σοι Κύριος, ὡς νῦν ἡτοίμασε Κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν σου ἐπὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἕως αἰῶνος
1 Reigns 13:13 (NETS)	1 Kings 13:13 (English Elpenor)
And Samouel said to Saoul, “You have done foolishly, for you did did not keep my commandment, which the Lord commanded you. As just now the Lord prepared your kingdom over Israel forever,	And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; for thou hast not kept my command, which the Lord commanded thee, as now the Lord would have confirmed thy kingdom over Israel for ever.

2 Samuel 16:21 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:21 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:21 (NET)
And Ahithophel said unto Absalom: ‘Go in unto thy father’s concubines, that he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that thou art abhorred of thy father; then will the hands of all that are with thee be strong.’	And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.	Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace. All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. Then your followers will be motivated to support you.”

2 Samuel 16:21 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Αχιτοφελ πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ εἴσελθε πρὸς τὰς παλλακὰς τοῦ πατρός σου ἃς κατέλιπεν φυλάσσειν τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκούσεται πᾶς Ισραηλ ὅτι κατῄσχυνας τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ ἐνισχύσουσιν αἱ χεῗρες πάντων τῶν μετὰ σοῦ	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αχιτόφελ πρὸς ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· εἴσελθε πρὸς τὰς παλλακὰς τοῦ πατρός σου, ἃς κατέλιπε φυλάσσειν τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀκούσεται πᾶς ᾿Ισραὴλ ὅτι κατῄσχυνας τὸν πατέρα σου, καὶ ἐνισχύσουσιν αἱ χεῖρες πάντων τῶν μετὰ σοῦ
2 Reigns 16:21 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:21 (English Elpenor)
And Achitophel said to Abessalom, “Go in to the concubines of your father, whom he left behind to keep his house, and all Israel will hear that you put your father to shame, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”	And Achitophel said to Abessalom, Go in to thy father’s concubines, whom he left to keep his house; and all Israel shall hear that thou hast dishonoured thy father; and the hands of all that are with thee shall be strengthened.

2 Samuel 16:22 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:22 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:22 (NET)
So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.–	So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.	So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

2 Samuel 16:22 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔπηξαν τὴν σκηνὴν τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς τὰς παλλακὰς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς παντὸς Ισραηλ	καὶ ἔπηξαν τὴν σκηνὴν τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς τὰς παλλακὰς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ κατ ὀφθαλμοὺς παντὸς ᾿Ισραήλ
2 Reigns 16:22 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:22 (English Elpenor)
And they pitched the tent for Abessalom upon the roof, and Abessalom went in to the concubines of his father in the sight of all Israel.	And they pitched a tent for Abessalom on the roof, and Abessalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Leviticus 18:8 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:8 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:8 (NET)
The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness.	The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness.	You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; she is your father’s nakedness.

Leviticus 18:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις ἀσχημοσύνη πατρός σού ἐστιν	ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, ἀσχημοσύνη πατρὸς σού ἐστιν
Leviticus 18:8 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:8 (English Elpenor)
You shall not uncover the shame of your father’s wife; it is the shame of your father.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s wife; it is thy father’s nakedness.

1 Samuel 18:12 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 18:12 (KJV)	1 Samuel 18:12 (NET)
And Saul was afraid of David, because HaShem was with him, and was departed from Saul.	And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.	So Saul feared David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from Saul.

1 Samuel 18:12 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 18:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐφοβήθη Σαουλ ἀπὸ προσώπου Δαυιδ	καὶ ἐφοβήθη Σαοὺλ ἀπὸ προσώπου Δαυίδ
1 Reigns 18:12 (NETS)	1 Kings 18:12 (English Elpenor)
And Saoul was afraid from before Dauid,	And Saul was alarmed on account of David.

Ephesians 5:28 (NET)	Ephesians 5:28 (KJV)
In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.	So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὕτως ὀφείλουσιν [καὶ] οἱ ἄνδρες ἀγαπᾶν τὰς ἑαυτῶν γυναῖκας ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα. ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἑαυτὸν ἀγαπᾷ	ουτως οφειλουσιν οι ανδρες αγαπαν τας εαυτων γυναικας ως τα εαυτων σωματα ο αγαπων την εαυτου γυναικα εαυτον αγαπα	ουτως οφειλουσιν οι ανδρες αγαπαν τας εαυτων γυναικας ως τα εαυτων σωματα ο αγαπων την εαυτου γυναικα εαυτον αγαπα

John 4:9 (NET)	John 4:9 (KJV)
So the Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you—a Jew—ask me, a Samaritan woman, for water to drink?” (For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.)	Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
λέγει οὖν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ Σαμαρῖτις· πῶς σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ὢν παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ πεῖν αἰτεῖς γυναικὸς Σαμαρίτιδος οὔσης; \|(οὐ γὰρ συγχρῶνται Ἰουδαῖοι Σαμαρίταις.)\|	λεγει ουν αυτω η γυνη η σαμαρειτις πως συ ιουδαιος ων παρ εμου πιειν αιτεις ουσης γυναικος σαμαρειτιδος ου γαρ συγχρωνται ιουδαιοι σαμαρειταις	λεγει ουν αυτω η γυνη η σαμαρειτις πως συ ιουδαιος ων παρ εμου πιειν αιτεις ουσης γυναικος σαμαρειτιδος ου γαρ συγχρωνται ιουδαιοι σαμαρειταις

David’s Forgiveness, Part 11

Back to Atonement, Part 1

Back to My Reasons and My Reason, Part 6

Back to Romans, Part 55

Back to Adultery in the Law, Part 3

Back to Christianity, Part 11

¹ 2 Samuel 15:37 (NET)

² 2 Samuel 16:17 (NET)

³ 2 Samuel 16:18, 19 (NET) See: David’s command to Hushai, 2 Samuel 15:34 (NET).

⁴ 2 Samuel 16:20b (NET)

⁵ 2 Samuel 16:23 (NET)

⁶ 2 Samuel 15:31 (NET) Table

⁷ 1 Samuel 13:13 (NET)

⁸ 2 Samuel 16:21 (NET)

⁹ CONCUBINE, marital companion of inferior status to a wife.

¹⁰ Leviticus 18:8 Table; 20:11 (NET) Table

¹¹ 2 Samuel 16:22 (NET)

¹² CONCUBINE, marital companion of inferior status to a wife.

¹³ 2 Samuel 12:11 (NET) Table

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καὶ (possibly also) following ought. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had αὐτοῦ (KJV: His) here. The NET parallel Greek text did not.

¹⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Σαμαρῖτις here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σαμαρειτις.

¹⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Σαμαρίτιδος here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σαμαρειτιδος.

¹⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πεῖν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πιειν.

¹⁹ 1 Samuel 18:17-29 (NET)

²⁰ 2 Samuel 12:8 (NET) Table

²¹ 1 Samuel 18:12 (NET)

What is Sexual Immorality?

Posted on June 22, 2012 by admin

For a long time I thought I understood exactly what sexual immorality (πορνεία) in 1 Corinthians 5:1 (NET) [Table] meant.

It is actually reported that sexual immorality (πορνεία) exists among you, the kind of immorality (πορνεία) that is not permitted even among the Gentiles, so that someone is cohabiting (ἔχειν, a form of ἔχω) with his father’s wife.

I assumed that father’s wife meant not the son’s mother. So I assumed this wife was at least the father’s second, probably younger than he, maybe even closer to the son’s age. The son and the father’s new young wife became attracted to one another. Either she divorced the father and married the son or simply ran off with the son. The Greek word translated cohabiting is ἔχειν (ἔχω, to hold) and might mean either (along with a host of other forms of possession or ownership usually translated to have).

For all I know this is exactly what it means, but some confusion and uncertainty set in as I began to wonder what πορνεία itself meant, especially when I began to suspect that it had something to do with “idolatrous worship (including its drunken sexual practices).” My religious mind says, “Look, I’ve got the rule: ‘Don’t mess around with your father’s wife.’ I’m satisfied with that. Don’t confuse me.” I’ve obviously become suspicious of my religious mind. So in the spirit of expanding the context a bit and knowing the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He] sent¹ I’m going to explore some of my confusion.

The sin scenario I described above is adultery (μοιχεία) plain and simple. Why call it πορνεία? But I had assumed that the father was still alive. What if the father was already deceased?

You must not have sexual intercourse with your father’s wife; she is your father’s nakedness.

Leviticus 18:8 (NET)

If a man has sexual intercourse with his father’s wife, he has exposed his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Leviticus 20:11 (NET)

This is the strongest indication I know that πορνεία meant a violation of Leviticus 18 and 20 to Jesus, Paul and the New Testament writers. But why would there be such an arbitrary limit? Why didn’t πορνεία mean immorality in general, any and every violation of God’s law? That led me inexorably to the conclusion that though πορνεία may have connoted violations of Leviticus 18 and 20 in Jewish minds (strictly speaking Paul was descended from Benjamin not Judah), its underlying denotation in Greek was the sexuality of ancient (and not so ancient) religious worship.

This form of religious worship was still practiced openly in Corinth. In Corinth the πόρνη, the female devotee of this manner of worship, still lived in all her honor and glory. And I think it is safe to say that though this form of worship wasn’t mandatory, it was still a good way to advance one’s business and political ambitions (not to mention satisfying a thirst for wine, women and song). With that in mind I want to look at the next chapter of 1 Corinthians. I’m quoting 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (NET), except that I’m not translating words from the πόρνος word group.

“All things are lawful for me” – but not everything is beneficial. “All things are lawful for me” – but I will not be controlled by anything. “Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both.” The body is not for [πορνείᾳ], but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. Now God indeed raised the Lord and he will raise us by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I take the members of Christ and make them members of a [πόρνης, a form of πόρνη]? Never! Or do you not know that anyone who is united with a [πόρνῃ] is one body with her? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But the one united with the Lord is one spirit with him. Flee [πορνείαν, a form of πορνείᾳ]! “Every sin a person commits is outside of the body” – but [πορνεύων, a form of πορνεύω] sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.²

While it is probably true that the body is not for an everyday-run-of-the-mill prostitute, I think the thrust of Paul’s message above (I should say “no pun intended,” but I can’t say for sure) was the cultic variety. Members of Christ should not also become members of other gods (or goddesses).

The phrases in quotes above are thought to be Corinthian slogans (notes 10, 11) by the translators of the NET. That may be true, but I still believe that, All things are lawful for me but not everything is beneficial is Paul’s take home message from the Jerusalem Council. I seriously doubt that James took home the same message. And I believe that Paul was beginning to struggle with it a bit here.

At the time of the Jerusalem Council God had apparently only called Gentiles who were Jewish converts, God fearers or people who had attached themselves to Jewish synagogues in some fashion. In Corinth He also called, The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards,³ the verbally abusive, and swindlers.⁴ And He had given them his Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 1:4-9 NET).

I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus. For you were made rich in every way in him, in all your speech and in every kind of knowledge – just as the testimony about Christ has been confirmed among you – so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship with his son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Apparently some of them were having difficulty shedding their former sins. What’s a former Pharisee to do? Paul singled out one man who had his father’s wife, and made an example of him. I’ve considered that perhaps this man had (ἔχειν, a form of ἔχω) his father’s wife in a more commercial sense, that he was pimping her somehow as a temple prostitute. But it feels like I’m reaching. Paul was quite careful in 1 Corinthians 7:2 (NET) to clarify the vagaries of ἐχέτω (another form of ἔχω).

But because of immoralities (πορνείας, a form of πορνεία), each man should have relations with (ἐχέτω, another form of ἔχω) his own wife and each woman with (ἐχέτω, another form of ἔχω) her own husband.

The translators added the words relations with for clarity. In Greek it reads more like, each man should have his own wife and each woman should have her own husband. Out of context like this it is a clear command that all in Corinth should marry. But Paul introduced this statement with 1 Corinthians 7:1 (NET).

It is good (καλὸν, a form of καλός) for a man not to have sexual relations (ἅπτεσθαι, a form of ἅπτω) with a woman.

So he clarified the meaning of ἔχω (ἐχέτω) in this case and kept its use from becoming an unintended prohibition against celibacy. Surely some clarification or elaboration on ἔχω (ἔχειν) was in order if Paul meant to communicate that a man was pimping his father’s wife as a temple prostitute, unless the meaning of πορνεία so clearly and exclusively referenced such activity that no other meaning would have been considered. And I am still a long way from accepting that idea. I consider 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5 (NET):

Finally⁵ then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that⁶ as you received instruction from us about how you must live and please God (as you are in fact living)⁷ that you do so more and more. For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from [πορνείας], that each of you know how to possess his own body in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God.

So far so good. I’m willing to accept that Paul was writing about abstaining from idolatrous worship (including its drunken sexual practices). But wait, Paul continued (1 Thessalonians 4:6-8 NET):

In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, because the⁸ Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier⁹ and warned you solemnly. For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. Consequently the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.¹⁰

I don’t know if believing women in the first century could be compelled against their wills¹¹ to serve in Thessalonica as cult prostitutes or not. I would hope if that were the case that Paul’s words would have had more fight in them. He probably wouldn’t have said, “Lock and load, brothers!” I doubt that Paul would consider having the brothers go all Simeon and Levi ¹² on the town of Thessalonica was the best way to present the Gospel. But he might have suggested that a brother should get to her first, buy her and take her home to her husband, rather than the comparatively wimpy admonition not to violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of the situation!

So, though Paul used the word πορνείας (a form of πορνεία) in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, I sincerely hope he meant simple adultery, (μοιχεία). And its usage here persuades me that πορνεία could mean μοιχεία.

Addendum: April 6, 2019

Tables comparing Leviticus 18:8; 20:11 and Genesis 2:24 in the Tanakh and NET, and the tables comparing Leviticus 18:8; 20:11 and Genesis 2:24 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. Following those are tables comparing 1 Corinthians 6:20; 6:10; 7:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:1; 4:6 and 4:8 in the NET and KJV.

Leviticus 18:8 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:8 (NET)
The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness.	You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; she is your father’s nakedness.

Leviticus 18:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις ἀσχημοσύνη πατρός σού ἐστιν	ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, ἀσχημοσύνη πατρὸς σού ἐστιν.
Leviticus 18:8 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:8 (English Elpenor)
You shall not uncover the shame of your father’s wife; it is the shame of your father.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s wife; it is thy father’s nakedness.

Leviticus 20:11 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:11 (NET)
And the man that lieth with his father’s wife–he hath uncovered his father’s nakedness–both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.	If a man goes to bed with his father’s wife, he has exposed his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Leviticus 20:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐάν τις κοιμηθῇ μετὰ γυναικὸς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἀσχημοσύνην τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψεν θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν ἀμφότεροι ἔνοχοί εἰσιν	καὶ ἐάν τις κοιμηθῇ μετὰ γυναικὸς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, ἀσχημοσύνην τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψε, θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν, ἀμφότεροι ἔνοχοί εἰσι.
Leviticus 20:11 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:11 (English Elpenor)
And if anyone lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s shame; let both of them by death be put to death; they are liable.	And if any one should lie with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness: let them both die the death, they are guilty.

Genesis 2:24 (Tanakh)	Genesis 2:24 (KJV)
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh.	Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Genesis 2:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 2:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῗκα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν	ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν.
Genesis 2:24 (NETS)	Genesis 2:24 (English Elpenor)
Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.	Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

1 Corinthians 6:20 (NET)	1 Corinthians 6:20 (KJV)
For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.	For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἠγοράσθητε γὰρ τιμῆς· δοξάσατε δὴ τὸν θεὸν ἐν τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν	ηγορασθητε γαρ τιμης δοξασατε δη τον θεον εν τω σωματι υμων και εν τω πνευματι υμων ατινα εστιν του θεου	ηγορασθητε γαρ τιμης δοξασατε δη τον θεον εν τω σωματι υμων και εν τω πνευματι υμων ατινα εστιν του θεου

1 Corinthians 6:10 (NET)	1 Corinthians 6:10 (KJV)
thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God.	Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὔτε κλέπται οὔτε πλεονέκται, οὐ μέθυσοι, οὐ λοίδοροι, οὐχ ἅρπαγες βασιλείαν θεοῦ κληρονομήσουσιν	ουτε κλεπται ουτε πλεονεκται ουτε μεθυσοι ου λοιδοροι ουχ αρπαγες βασιλειαν θεου ου κληρονομησουσιν	ουτε πλεονεκται ουτε κλεπται ουτε μεθυσοι ου λοιδοροι ουχ αρπαγες βασιλειαν θεου ου κληρονομησουσιν

1 Corinthians 7:1 (NET)	1 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV)
Now with regard to the issues you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”	Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Περὶ δὲ ὧν ἐγράψατε, καλὸν ἀνθρώπῳ γυναικὸς μὴ ἅπτεσθαι	περι δε ων εγραψατε μοι καλον ανθρωπω γυναικος μη απτεσθαι	περι δε ων εγραψατε μοι καλον ανθρωπω γυναικος μη απτεσθαι

1 Thessalonians 4:1 (NET)	1 Thessalonians 4:1 (KJV)
Finally then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us about how you must live and please God (as you are in fact living) that you do so more and more.	Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Λοιπὸν \|οὖν\|, ἀδελφοί, ἐρωτῶμεν ὑμᾶς καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν ἐν κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ, \|ἵνα\| καθὼς παρελάβετε παρ᾿ ἡμῶν τὸ πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς περιπατεῖν καὶ ἀρέσκειν θεῷ (καθὼς καὶ περιπατεῖτε) ἵνα περισσεύητε μᾶλλον	το λοιπον ουν αδελφοι ερωτωμεν υμας και παρακαλουμεν εν κυριω ιησου καθως παρελαβετε παρ ημων το πως δει υμας περιπατειν και αρεσκειν θεω ινα περισσευητε μαλλον	το λοιπον ουν αδελφοι ερωτωμεν υμας και παρακαλουμεν εν κυριω ιησου καθως παρελαβετε παρ ημων το πως δει υμας περιπατειν και αρεσκειν θεω ινα περισσευητε μαλλον

1 Thessalonians 4:6 (NET)	1 Thessalonians 4:6 (KJV)
In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly.	That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
τὸ μὴ ὑπερβαίνειν καὶ πλεονεκτεῖν ἐν τῷ πράγματι τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, διότι ἔκδικος κύριος περὶ πάντων τούτων, καθὼς καὶ προείπαμεν ὑμῖν καὶ διεμαρτυράμεθα	το μη υπερβαινειν και πλεονεκτειν εν τω πραγματι τον αδελφον αυτου διοτι εκδικος ο κυριος περι παντων τουτων καθως και προειπαμεν υμιν και διεμαρτυραμεθα	ο μη υπερβαινειν και πλεονεκτειν εν τω πραγματι τον αδελφον αυτου διοτι εκδικος ο κυριος περι παντων τουτων καθως και προειπομεν υμιν και διεμαρτυραμεθα

1 Thessalonians 4:8 (NET)	1 Thessalonians 4:8 (KJV)
Consequently the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.	He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
τοιγαροῦν ὁ ἀθετῶν οὐκ ἄνθρωπον ἀθετεῖ ἀλλὰ τὸν θεὸν τὸν [καὶ] διδόντα τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ τὸ ἅγιον εἰς ὑμᾶς	τοιγαρουν ο αθετων ουκ ανθρωπον αθετει αλλα τον θεον τον και δοντα το πνευμα αυτου το αγιον εις ημας	τοιγαρουν ο αθετων ουκ ανθρωπον αθετει αλλα τον θεον τον και δοντα το πνευμα αυτου το αγιον εις υμας

Sexual Immorality Revisited, Part 1

Back to Paul’s Religious Mind

Back to Romans, Part 2

Back to Paul’s OT Quotes – Romans 9:25-33

Back to Romans, Part 38

Back to Romans, Part 44

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 7

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 8

Back to My Reasons and My Reason, Part 1

Back to My Reasons and My Reason, Part 7

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 12

Back to Paul’s Religious Mind Revisited – Part 1

Back to Sexual Immorality Revisited, Part 2

Back to Sexual Immorality Revisited, Part 3

Back to Adultery in the Law, Part 3

Back to David’s Forgiveness, Part 10

Back to My Reasons and My Reason, Part 2

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 11

Back to Adultery in the Law, Part 1

Back to Adultery in the Law, Part 2

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 1

Back to A Monotonous Cycle Revisited, Part 1

Back to Romans, Part 82

Back to Paul in Corinth

Back to Romans, Part 13

Back to Romans, Part 48

Back to My Reasons and My Reason, Part 4

Back to Romans, Part 59

Back to Romans, Part 87

Back to Romans, Part 83

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 1

Back to Christianity, Part 11

Back to Christianity, Part 13

¹ John 17:3 (NET)

² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και εν τω πνευματι υμων ατινα εστιν του θεου (KJV: and in your spirit, which are God’s) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὐ preceding drunkards, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουτε.

⁴ 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10a (NET)

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article το preceding Finally (KJV: Furthermore). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἵνα here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁷ The phrase καθὼς καὶ περιπατεῖτε (as you are in fact living) in the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ was not in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article ο here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁹ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had προείπαμεν here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had προειπομεν.

¹⁰ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had ὑμᾶς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had ημας (KJV: unto us).

¹¹ And I must assume against their wills, otherwise this should be addressed to the women rather than the men.

¹² Cf. Genesis 34:25. When Jacob complained to his sons, Simeon and Levi replied, “Should he treat our sister like a common prostitute?” (Genesis 34:31 NET). Common prostitute was πόρνῃ in the Septuagint. Their sister Dinah was either raped, or seduced before proper wedding arrangements had been made (Genesis 34:2).

Adultery in the Law, Part 3

Posted on May 27, 2012 by admin

The translators of the New American Bible¹ chose the marriage is unlawful for πορνεία in Matthew 5:32 [Table]. So I will substitute that translation in the NET:

But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the marriage is unlawful, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

The footnote in the New American Bible references Leviticus 18:6-18 rather than Leviticus 20:11-21. A comparison of the two passages follows.

Leviticus 18:6-18 (NET)

Leviticus 20:11-21 (NET)

No man is to approach any close relative to have sexual intercourse with her. I am the Lord. You must not expose your father’s nakedness by having sexual intercourse with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have intercourse with her. You must not have sexual intercourse with your father’s wife; she is your father’s nakedness [Table].

Leviticus 18:6-8 (NET)

If a man has sexual intercourse with his father’s wife, he has exposed his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Leviticus 20:11 (NET) Table

You must not have sexual intercourse with your sister, whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she is born in the same household or born outside it; you must not have sexual intercourse with either of them.

Leviticus 18:9 (NET) Table

If a man has sexual intercourse with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or his mother, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has exposed his sister’s nakedness; he will bear his punishment for iniquity.

Leviticus 20:17 (NET) Table

You must not expose the nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter by having sexual intercourse with them, because they are your own nakedness.

Leviticus 18:10 (NET)

You must not have sexual intercourse with the daughter of your father’s wife born of your father; she is your sister. You must not have intercourse with her.

Leviticus 18:11 (NET)

You must not have sexual intercourse with your father’s sister; she is your father’s flesh. You must not have sexual intercourse with your mother’s sister, because she is your mother’s flesh. You must not expose the nakedness of your father’s brother; you must not approach his wife to have sexual intercourse with her. She is your aunt.

Leviticus 18:12-14 (NET)

You must not expose the nakedness of your mother’s sister and your father’s sister, for such a person has laid bare his own close relative. They must bear their punishment for iniquity [Table]. If a man has sexual intercourse with his aunt, he has exposed his uncle’s nakedness; they must bear responsibility for their sin, they will die childless [Table].

Leviticus 20:19, 20 (NET)

You must not have sexual intercourse with your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife. You must not have intercourse with her.

Leviticus 18:15 (NET)

If a man has sexual intercourse with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. They have committed perversion; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Leviticus 20:12 (NET) Table

You must not have sexual intercourse with your brother’s wife; she is your brother’s nakedness.

Leviticus 18:16 (NET)

If a man has sexual intercourse with his brother’s wife, it is indecency. He has exposed his brother’s nakedness; they will be childless.

Leviticus 20:21 (NET) Table

You must not have sexual intercourse with both a woman and her daughter; you must not take as wife either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter to have intercourse with them. They are closely related to her – it is lewdness.

Leviticus 18:17 (NET)

If a man has sexual intercourse with both a woman and her mother, it is lewdness. Both he and they must be burned to death, so there is no lewdness in your midst.

Leviticus 20:14 (NET) Table

You must not take a woman in marriage and then marry her sister as a rival wife while she is still alive, to have sexual intercourse with her.

Leviticus 18:18 (NET)

There are offenses listed in Leviticus 18:6-18 that don’t have a corresponding punishment in Leviticus 20:11-21. Also there are punishments for offenses in Leviticus 20:11-21 that are not mentioned in Leviticus 18:6-18. They do appear just outside that arbitrary limit:

You must not have sexual intercourse with a male as one has sexual intercourse with a woman; it is a detestable act.

Leviticus 18:22 (NET)

If a man has sexual intercourse with a male as one has sexual intercourse with a woman, the two of them have committed an abomination. They must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Leviticus 20:13 (NET) Table

You must not have sexual intercourse with any animal to become defiled with it, and a woman must not stand before an animal to have sexual intercourse with it; it is a perversion.

Leviticus 18:23 (NET)

If a man has sexual intercourse with any animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal [Table]. If a woman approaches any animal to have sexual intercourse with it, you must kill the woman, and the animal must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves [Table].

Leviticus 20:15, 16 (NET)

You must not approach a woman in her menstrual impurity to have sexual intercourse with her.

Leviticus 18:19 (NET)

If a man has sexual intercourse with a menstruating woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her fountain of blood and she has exposed the fountain of her blood, so both of them must be cut off from the midst of their people.

Leviticus 20:18 (NET) Table

Both lists combined still comprise a finite set of twelve dimensions. That addresses my primary discomfort relative to the open-ended translation of πορνεία as immorality in the NET. One would think I would be happier than I feel about it. I want to revisit Matthew 5:32 (NET) and 19:9 (NET) with X = porneia (πορνεία).

Matthew 5:32 (NET)	Matthew 19:9 (NET)
I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for X, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.	Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for X, and marries another commits adultery.

The structure seems to imply that 1) divorce is forbidden, 2) remarriage is adultery, 3) except for πορνεία. I took Matthew 5:32 to be saying that if the husband who divorced his wife was guilty of πορνεία, Jesus would not consider the divorced wife an adulteress when she remarried, nor hold her new husband guilty of committing adultery. In Matthew 19:9 I assumed that the divorced wife was guilty of πορνεία and that Jesus would not hold the divorced husband liable for adultery if he remarried.

Is there an implicit permission to divorce a wife guilty of πορνεία in Matthew 19:9? It may appear so out of context. But if I bear in mind that Jesus’ original answer to the Pharisees’ question—Is it lawful (ἔξεστιν, a form of ἔξεστι) to divorce a wife for any cause?—was an emphatic no, that apparent permissiveness recedes into the background. But here’s what happens if I substitute the marriage is unlawful (where the marriage is unlawful = the sets Leviticus 20:11-21 and Leviticus 18:6-18, 19, 22, 23) for X = porneia (πορνεία).

Matthew 5:32 (NET)	Matthew 19:9 (NET)
I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the marriage is unlawful, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.	Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for the marriage is unlawful, and marries another commits adultery.

Now both the divorced husband and his wife are guilty of πορνεία [e.g., their marriage was unlawful], and both are free of the charge of adultery if remarried. And divorce in these cases, rather than being forbidden, is obligatory? And I was entertaining the idea that this was a better translation of πορνεία than immorality?

Though the New American Bible translators were consistent in their translation of Matthew 5:32, 19:9; Acts 15:20, 29, and 21:25, they reverted to immorality in 1 Corinthians 5:1 as opposed to unlawful marriage for πορνεία. This is the one place where Paul may actually have referred to the law in Leviticus 18:8 and 20:11, and called it πορνεία.

It is widely reported that there is immorality (πορνεία) among you, and immorality (πορνεία) of a kind not found² even among pagans – a man living with his father’s wife.

Still, there is an incident in the Old Testament (Ezra 9, 10) where divorce was utilized as the remedy for another kind of unlawful marriage (Ezra 9:1, 2 NET):

The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the local residents who practice detestable things similar to those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. Indeed, they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has become intermingled with the local residents. Worse still, the leaders and the officials have been at the forefront of all of this!

Addendum: January 16, 2019
A table comparing 1 Corinthians 5:1 in the NET and KJV follows.

1 Corinthians 5:1 (NET)	1 Corinthians 5:1 (KJV)
It is actually reported that sexual immorality exists among you, the kind of immorality that is not permitted even among the Gentiles, so that someone is cohabiting with his father’s wife.	It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ὅλως ἀκούεται ἐν ὑμῖν πορνεία, καὶ τοιαύτη πορνεία ἥτις οὐδὲ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ὥστε γυναῖκα τινα τοῦ πατρὸς ἔχειν	ολως ακουεται εν υμιν πορνεια και τοιαυτη πορνεια ητις ουδε εν τοις εθνεσιν ονομαζεται ωστε γυναικα τινα του πατρος εχειν	ολως ακουεται εν υμιν πορνεια και τοιαυτη πορνεια ητις ουδε εν τοις εθνεσιν ονομαζεται ωστε γυναικα τινα του πατρος εχειν

Addendum: October 5, 2021
Tables comparing Leviticus 18:6; 18:7; 18:10; 18:11; 18:12, 18:13; 18:14; 18:15; 18:16; 18:17; 18:18; 18:22; 18:23; 18:19; Ezra 9:1 and 9:2 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Leviticus 18:6; 18:7; 18:10; 18:11; 18:12; 18:13; 18:14; 18:15; 18:16; 18:17; 18:18; 18:22; 18:23; 18:19; Ezra (2 Esdras) 9:1 and 9:2 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Leviticus 18:6 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:6 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:6 (NET)
None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness. I am HaShem.	None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.	“‘No man is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations with her. I am the Lord.

Leviticus 18:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπος πρὸς πάντα οἰκεῗα σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ οὐ προσελεύσεται ἀποκαλύψαι ἀσχημοσύνην ἐγὼ κύριος	Ανθρωπος ἄνθρωπος πρὸς πάντα οἰκεῖα σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ οὐ προσελεύσεται ἀποκαλύψαι ἀσχημοσύνην· ἐγὼ Κύριος
Leviticus 18:6 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:6 (English Elpenor)
Person by person shall not approach any of the household of his flesh to uncover shame; I am the Lord.	No man shall draw nigh to any of his near kindred to uncover their nakedness; I [am] the Lord.

Leviticus 18:7 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:7 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:7 (NET)
The nakedness of thy father, and the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.	The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.	You must not expose your father’s nakedness by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have sexual relations with her.

Leviticus 18:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀσχημοσύνην πατρός σου καὶ ἀσχημοσύνην μητρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις μήτηρ γάρ σού ἐστιν καὶ οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς	ἀσχημοσύνην πατρός σου καὶ ἀσχημοσύνην μητρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, μήτηρ γάρ σού ἐστιν, οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς
Leviticus 18:7 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:7 (English Elpenor)
You shall not uncover the shame of your father and the shame of your mother, for she is your mother; you shall not uncover her shame.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, for she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

Leviticus 18:10 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:10 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:10 (NET)
The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or of thy daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover; for theirs is thine own nakedness.	The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or of thy daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness.	You must not expose the nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter by having sexual relations with them, because they are your own nakedness.

Leviticus 18:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀσχημοσύνην θυγατρὸς υἱοῦ σου ἢ θυγατρὸς θυγατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῶν ὅτι σὴ ἀσχημοσύνη ἐστίν	ἀσχημοσύνην θυγατρὸς υἱοῦ σου ἢ θυγατρὸς θυγατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῶν, ὅτι σὴ ἀσχημοσύνη ἐστίν
Leviticus 18:10 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:10 (English Elpenor)
You shall not uncover their shame—the shame of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, for it is your own shame.	The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or thy daughter’s daughter, their nakedness thou shalt not uncover; because it is thy nakedness.

Leviticus 18:11 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:11 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:11 (NET)
The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.	The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.	You must not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife born of your father; she is your sister. You must not have sexual relations with her.

Leviticus 18:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀσχημοσύνην θυγατρὸς γυναικὸς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις ὁμοπατρία ἀδελφή σού ἐστιν οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς	ἀσχημοσύνην θυγατρὸς γυναικὸς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, ὁμοπατρία ἀδελφή σού ἐστιν, οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς
Leviticus 18:11 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:11 (English Elpenor)
You shall not uncover the shame of your father’s wife’s daughter; she is your sister by the same father. You shall not uncover her shame.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of the daughter of thy father’s wife; she is thy sister by the same father: thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

Leviticus 18:12 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:12 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:12 (NET)
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s near kinswoman.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s near kinswoman.	You must not have sexual relations with your father’s sister; she is your father’s flesh.

Leviticus 18:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις οἰκεία γὰρ πατρός σού ἐστιν	ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, οἰκεία γὰρ πατρός σού ἐστιν
Leviticus 18:12 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:12 (English Elpenor)
You shall not uncover the shame of your father’s sister, for she is your father’s own household.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister, for she is near akin to thy father.

Leviticus 18:13 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:13 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:13 (NET)
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister; for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister: for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman.	You must not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, because she is your mother’s flesh.

Leviticus 18:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς μητρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις οἰκεία γὰρ μητρός σού ἐστιν	ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς μητρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, οἰκεία γὰρ μητρός σού ἐστιν
Leviticus 18:13 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:13 (English Elpenor)
You shall not uncover the shame of your mother’s sister, for she is of your mother’s own household.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, for she is near akin to thy mother.

Leviticus 18:14 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:14 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:14 (NET)
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy fathers brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.	You must not expose the nakedness of your father’s brother; you must not approach his wife to have marital relations with her. She is your aunt.

Leviticus 18:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφοῦ τοῦ πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις καὶ πρὸς τὴν γυναῗκα αὐτοῦ οὐκ εἰσελεύσῃ συγγενὴς γάρ σού ἐστιν	ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφοῦ τοῦ πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις καὶ πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ οὐκ εἰσελεύσῃ, συγγενής γάρ σού ἐστιν
Leviticus 18:14 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:14 (English Elpenor)
You shall not uncover the shame of your father’s brother, and you shall not approach his wife, for she is your relative.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother, and thou shalt not go in to his wife; for she is thy relation.

Leviticus 18:15 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:15 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:15 (NET)
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter-in-law: she is thy son'[s] wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son’s wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.	You must not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife. You must not have sexual relations with her.

Leviticus 18:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀσχημοσύνην νύμφης σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις γυνὴ γὰρ υἱοῦ σού ἐστιν οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς	ἀσχημοσύνην νύμφης σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, γυνὴ γὰρ υἱοῦ σού ἐστιν, οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς
Leviticus 18:15 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:15 (English Elpenor)
You shall not uncover the shame of your daughter-in-law, for she is your son’s wife; you shall not uncover her shame.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter-in-law, for she is thy son’s wife, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

Leviticus 18:16 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:16 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:16 (NET)
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness.	You must not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; she is your brother’s nakedness.

Leviticus 18:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς ἀδελφοῦ σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις ἀσχημοσύνη ἀδελφοῦ σού ἐστιν	ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς ἀδελφοῦ σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, ἀσχημοσύνη ἀδελφοῦ σού ἐστιν.
Leviticus 18:16 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:16 (English Elpenor)
You shall not uncover the shame of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s shame.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness.

Leviticus 18:17 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:17 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:17 (NET)
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter; thou shalt not take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness: they are near kinswomen; it is lewdness.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness.	You must not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter; you must not take as wife either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter to have sexual relations with them. They are closely related to her—it is lewdness.

Leviticus 18:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς καὶ θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν θυγατέρα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτῆς καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς οὐ λήμψῃ ἀποκαλύψαι τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῶν οἰκεῗαι γάρ σού εἰσιν ἀσέβημά ἐστιν	ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς καὶ θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις· τὴν θυγατέρα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτῆς καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς οὐ λήψῃ ἀποκαλύψαι τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῶν, οἰκεῖαι γὰρ σού εἰσιν· ἀσέβημά ἐστι
Leviticus 18:17 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:17 (English Elpenor)
You shall not uncover the shame of a woman and her daughter. You shall not take her son’s daughter and her daughter’s daughter to uncover their shame, for they are your own household; it is a profane act.	The nakedness of a woman and her daughter shalt thou not uncover; her son’s daughter, and her daughter’s daughter, shalt thou not take, to uncover their nakedness, for they are thy kinswomen: it is impiety.

Leviticus 18:18 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:18 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:18 (NET)
And thou shalt not take a woman to her sister, to be a rival to her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her lifetime.	Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.	You must not take a woman in marriage and then marry her sister as a rival wife while she is still alive, to have sexual relations with her.

Leviticus 18:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
γυναῗκα ἐπὶ ἀδελφῇ αὐτῆς οὐ λήμψῃ ἀντίζηλον ἀποκαλύψαι τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ ἔτι ζώσης αὐτῆς	γυναῖκα ἐπ᾿ ἀδελφῇ αὐτῆς οὐ λήψῃ ἀντίζηλον ἀποκαλύψαι τήν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς ἐπ᾿ αὐτῇ, ἔτι ζώσης αὐτῆς
Leviticus 18:18 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:18 (English Elpenor)
You shall not take a woman as a rival in addition to her sister, to uncover her shame in addition to her while she is still alive.	Thou shalt not take a wife in addition to her sister, as a rival, to uncover her nakedness in opposition to her, while she is yet living.

Leviticus 18:22 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:22 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:22 (NET)
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is abomination.	Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.	You must not have sexual relations with a male as one has sexual relations with a woman; it is a detestable act.

Leviticus 18:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ μετὰ ἄρσενος οὐ κοιμηθήσῃ κοίτην γυναικός βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστιν	καὶ μετὰ ἄρσενος οὐ κοιμηθήσῃ κοίτην γυναικείαν, βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστι
Leviticus 18:22 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:22 (English Elpenor)
And you shall not sleep with a male as in a bed of a woman, for it is an abomination.	And thou shalt not lie with a man as with a woman, for it is an abomination.

Leviticus 18:23 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:23 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:23 (NET)
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 perversion.	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.	You must not have sexual relations with any animal to become defiled with it, and a woman must not stand before an animal to have sexual relations with it; it is a perversion.

Leviticus 18:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ πρὸς πᾶν τετράπουν οὐ δώσεις τὴν κοίτην σου εἰς σπερματισμὸν ἐκμιανθῆναι πρὸς αὐτό καὶ γυνὴ οὐ στήσεται πρὸς πᾶν τετράπουν βιβασθῆναι μυσερὸν γάρ ἐστιν	καὶ πρὸς πᾶν τετράπουν οὐ δώσεις τὴν κοίτην σου εἰς σπερματισμόν, ἐκμιανθῆναι πρὸς αὐτό. καὶ γυνὴ οὐ στήσεται πρὸς πᾶν τετράπουν βιβασθῆναι, μυσαρὸν γάρ ἐστι
Leviticus 18:23 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:23 (English Elpenor)
And you shall not give your bed to any quadruped for sowing to bring defilement on it, nor shall any woman stand before any quadruped so as to be mounted, for it is loathsome.	Neither shalt thou lie with any quadruped for copulation, to be polluted with it: neither shall a woman present herself before any quadruped to have connexion with it; for it is an abomination.

Leviticus 18:19 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:19 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:19 (NET)
And thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.	Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.	“‘You must not approach a woman in her menstrual impurity to have sexual relations with her.

Leviticus 18:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ πρὸς γυναῗκα ἐν χωρισμῷ ἀκαθαρσίας αὐτῆς οὐ προσελεύσῃ ἀποκαλύψαι τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς	Καὶ πρὸς γυναῖκα ἐν χωρισμῷ ἀκαθαρσίας αὐτῆς οὐκ εἰσελεύσῃ ἀποκαλύψαι τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς
Leviticus 18:19 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:19 (English Elpenor)
And you shall not approach a woman to uncover her shame in the separation of her uncleanness.	And thou shalt not go in to a woman under separation for her uncleanness, to uncover her nakedness.

Ezra 9:1 (Tanakh)	Ezra 9:1 (KJV)	Ezra 9:1 (NET)
Now when these things were done, the princes drew near unto me, saying: ‘The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.	Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.	Now when these things had been completed, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the local residents who practice detestable things similar to those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

Ezra 9:1 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Esdras 9:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὡς ἐτελέσθη ταῦτα ἤγγισαν πρός με οἱ ἄρχοντες λέγοντες οὐκ ἐχωρίσθη ὁ λαὸς Ισραηλ καὶ οἱ ἱερεῗς καὶ οἱ Λευῗται ἀπὸ λαῶν τῶν γαιῶν ἐν μακρύμμασιν αὐτῶν τῷ Χανανι ὁ Εθι ὁ Φερεζι ὁ Ιεβουσι ὁ Αμμωνι ὁ Μωαβι ὁ Μοσερι καὶ ὁ Αμορι	ΚΑΙ ὡς ἐτελέσθη ταῦτα, ἤγγισαν πρός με οἱ ἄρχοντες λέγοντες· οὐκ ἐχωρίσθη ὁ λαὸς ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ Λευῖται ἀπὸ λαῶν τῶν γαιῶν ἐν μακρύμμασιν αὐτῶν, τῷ Χανανί, ὁ ᾿Εθί, ὁ Φερεζί, ὁ ᾿Ιεβουσί, ὁ ᾿Αμμωνί, ὁ Μωαβὶ καὶ ὁ Μοσερὶ καὶ ὁ ᾿Αμορί,
2 Esdras 9:1 (NETS)	2 Esdras 9:1 (English Elpenor)
And after these things had been done, the rulers approached me, saying, “The people of Israel and the priests and Leuites were not separated from the peoples of the lands with their things put far away, in reference to the Chanani—the Heththi, the Pherezi, the Iebousi, the Ammoni, the Moab, the Mosri and the Amori—	And when these things were finished, the princes drew near to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands in their abominations, [even] the Chananite, the Ethite, the Pherezite, the Jebusite, the Ammonite, the Moabite, and the Moserite and the Amorite.

Ezra 9:2 (Tanakh)	Ezra 9:2 (KJV)	Ezra 9:2 (NET)
For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons; so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the peoples of the lands; yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been first in this faithlessness.’	For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.	Indeed, they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has become intermingled with the local residents. Worse still, the leaders and the officials have been at the forefront of all this unfaithfulness!”

Ezra 9:2 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Esdras 9:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ἐλάβοσαν ἀπὸ θυγατέρων αὐτῶν ἑαυτοῗς καὶ τοῗς υἱοῗς αὐτῶν καὶ παρήχθη σπέρμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐν λαοῗς τῶν γαιῶν καὶ χεὶρ τῶν ἀρχόντων ἐν τῇ ἀσυνθεσίᾳ ταύτῃ ἐν ἀρχῇ	ὅτι ἐλάβοσαν ἀπὸ θυγατέρων αὐτῶν ἑαυτοῖς καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτῶν, καὶ παρήχθη σπέρμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐν λαοῖς τῶν γαιῶν, καὶ χεὶρ τῶν ἀρχόντων ἐν τῇ ἀσυνθεσίᾳ ταύτῃ ἐν ἀρχῇ
2 Esdras 9:2 (NETS)	2 Esdras 9:2 (English Elpenor)
because they have taken from their daughters for themselves and for their sons, and the holy seed was influenced by the peoples of the lands, and the hand of the rulers was in this faithlessness in the beginning.”	For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and their sons; and the holy seed has passed among the nations of the lands, and the hand of the rulers [has been] first in this transgression.

Ezra and Divorce

Back to Sexual Immorality Revisited, Part 2

Back to Who Am I? Part 5

Back to Paul’s Religious Mind

Back to What is Sexual Immorality?

Back to Is Sin Less Than Sin? Part 3

Back to Is Sin Less Than Sin? Part 4

Back to My Reasons and My Reason, Part 7

Back to Paul’s Religious Mind Revisited, Part 1

Back to Paul’s Religious Mind Revisited, Part 3

Back to Paul’s Religious Mind Revisited, Part 7

Back to Is Sin Less Than Sin? Part 1

Back to My Reasons and My Reason, Part 2

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 11

Back to Sexual Immorality Revisited, Part 2

Back to Paul’s Religious Mind Revisited, Part 6

² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ονομαζεται (KJV: so much as named) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not (NET: permitted).

Adultery in the Law, Part 1

Posted on May 25, 2012 by admin

I want to study the background information in the Old Testament to see if I can understand what Jesus, Paul and the New Testament writers meant by πορνεία. Since I’m treating πορνεία like the unknown X, I’ll track the Hebrew word נָאַף (nā’ap̄), equivalent to μοιχάω in Greek, to commit adultery.

The first occurrence is Exodus 20:14 (NET) [Table]: You shall not commit adultery (nā’ap̄, תנאף). And the next is Leviticus 20:10 (NET Table) where the penalty for ינאף (nā’ap̄) is described:

If a man commits adultery (nā’ap̄, ינאף) with his neighbor’s wife, both the adulterer (nā’ap̄, הנאף) and the adulteress (nā’ap̄, והנאפת) must be put to death [See Addendum below].

What follows is a list of other capital offenses (Leviticus 20:11 NET Table):

If a man has sexual intercourse (šāḵaḇ, ישכב) with his father’s wife, he has exposed his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

I assume that the father was already dead, otherwise the law is redundant and falls under נָאַף (nā’ap̄). Similarly in Leviticus 20:12 (NET) I assume that the son was dead:

If a man has sexual intercourse (šāḵaḇ, ישכב) with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. They have committed (ʿāśâ, עשׁו) perversion (teḇel, תבל); their blood guilt is on themselves.

The list continues (Leviticus 20:13-16 NET):

If a man has sexual intercourse (šāḵaḇ, ישכב) with a male as one has sexual intercourse (miškāḇ, משכבי) with a woman, the two of them have committed (ʿāśâ, עשׁו) an abomination (tôʿēḇâ, תועבה). They must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves. If a man has sexual intercourse (lāqaḥ, יקח) with both a woman and her mother, it is lewdness (zimmâ, זמה). Both he and they must be burned to death, so there is no lewdness (zimmâ, זמה) in your midst [See Addendum below]. If a man has (nāṯan, יתן) sexual intercourse (šᵊḵōḇeṯ, שכבתו) with any animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal. If a woman approaches any animal to have sexual intercourse (rāḇaʿ, לרבעה) with it, you must kill the woman, and the animal must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

In Leviticus 20:17 (NET) offenders are to be cut off (probably executed) in the sight of the children of their people, and in verse 18 (NET), cut off from the midst of their people.

If a man has sexual intercourse (lāqaḥ, יקח) with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or his mother, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace (ḥeseḏ, חסד). They must be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has exposed his sister’s nakedness; he will bear his punishment for iniquity [Table]. If a man has sexual intercourse (šāḵaḇ, ישכב) with a menstruating woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her fountain of blood and she has exposed the fountain of her blood, so both of them must be cut off from the midst of their people.

Finally, the punishment incurred in Leviticus 20:19-21 was childlessness.

You must not expose the nakedness of your mother’s sister and your father’s sister, for such a person has laid bare his own close relative. They must bear their punishment for iniquity [Table]. If a man has sexual intercourse (šāḵaḇ, ישכב) with his aunt, he has exposed his uncle’s nakedness; they must bear responsibility for their sin, they will die childless [Table]. If a man has sexual intercourse with (lāqaḥ, יקח) his brother’s wife, it is indecency (nidâ, נדה). He has exposed his brother’s nakedness; they will be childless.

I assume that the execution of this sentence was intentionally left to God (in the form of reproductive issues) rather than to men (infanticide). But it would be difficult to demonstrate except in the most oblique way. Abraham (Abram) for instance married his niece¹ Sarai more than four hundred thirty years² before the law prohibited³ such marriage. What is intriguing about this is that until God intervened, fulfilling his promise to Abram, Sarai was barren; she had no children.⁴

Whether these sentences were ever actually executed in a systematic way in Israel is a question I’ll leave for others. My interest is simply to introduce the question: Is Leviticus 20:11-21 what Jesus, Paul and the New Testament writers meant by the Greek word πορνεία?

Addendum: January 16, 2019
A table comparing Galatians 3:17 in the NET and KJV follows.

Galatians 3:17 (NET)	Galatians 3:17 (KJV)
What I am saying is this: The law that came four hundred thirty years later does not cancel a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to invalidate the promise.	And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
τοῦτο δὲ λέγω· διαθήκην προκεκυρωμένην ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ μετὰ τετρακόσια καὶ τριάκοντα ἔτη γεγονὼς νόμος οὐκ ἀκυροῖ εἰς τὸ καταργῆσαι τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν	τουτο δε λεγω διαθηκην προκεκυρωμενην υπο του θεου εις χριστον ο μετα ετη τετρακοσια και τριακοντα γεγονως νομος ουκ ακυροι εις το καταργησαι την επαγγελιαν	τουτο δε λεγω διαθηκην προκεκυρωμενην υπο του θεου εις χριστον ο μετα ετη τετρακοσια και τριακοντα γεγονως νομος ουκ ακυροι εις το καταργησαι την επαγγελιαν

Addendum: September 17, 2021
Note 21 in the NET reads:

The reading of the LXX minuscule mss has been followed here (see the BHS footnote a-a). The MT has a dittography, repeating “a man who commits adultery with the wife of” (see the explanation in J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 328). The duplication found in the MT is reflected in some English versions, e.g., KJV, ASV, NASB, NIV.

Both versions of the Septuagint I’ve been using seem to confirm the Masoretic text here.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 20:10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Leviticus 20:10 (NET)	Leviticus 20:10 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:10 (Elpenor English)
And the man that committeth adultery (יִנְאַף֙) with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery (יִנְאַ֖ף) with his neighbour’s wife, both the adulterer (הַנֹּאֵ֖ף) and the adulteress (וְהַנֹּאָֽפֶת) shall surely be put to death.	If a man commits adultery (nā’ap̄, ינאף) with his neighbor’s wife, both the adulterer (nā’ap̄, הנאף) and the adulteress (nā’ap̄, והנאפת) must be put to death.	A person who commits adultery (μοιχεύσηται) with the wife of a man or who commits adultery (μοιχεύσηται) with the wife of his neighbor—let both the adulterer (μοιχεύων) and the adulteress (μοιχευομένη) by death be put to death.	Whatever man shall commit adultery (μοιχεύσηται) with the wife of a man, or whoever shall commit adultery (μοιχεύσηται) with the wife of his neighbour, let them die the death, the adulterer (μοιχεύων) and the (μοιχευομένη) adulteress.

The Greek translations of זִמָּ֖ה (zimmâ) in Leviticus 20:14 surprised me enough to be highlighted. I’m not grasping the general, specific, technical or emotional connotations of זִמָּ֖ה (zimmâ), ἀνόμημά or ἀνομία apparently.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 20:14 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:14 (NET)	Leviticus 20:14 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:14 (Elpenor English)
And if a man take (יִקַּ֧ח) with his wife also her mother, it is wickedness (זִמָּ֣ה): they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness (זִמָּ֖ה) among you.	If a man has marital relations (lāqaḥ, יקח) with both a woman and her mother, it is lewdness (zimmâ, זמה). Both he and they must be burned to death, so there is no lewdness (zimmâ, זמה) in your midst.	He who takes (λάβῃ) a wife and her mother—it is transgression of the law (ἀνόμημά); they shall burn both him and them with fire, and there shall be no lawlessness (ἀνομία) among you.	Whosoever shall take (λάβῃ) a woman and her mother, it is iniquity (ἀνόμημά): they shall burn him and them with fire; so there shall not be iniquity (ἀνομία) among you.

Tables comparing Leviticus 20:12; 20:13; 20:14; 20:15; 20:16; 20:18; 20:21 and Genesis 11:30 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Leviticus 20:12; 20:13; 20:14; 20:15; 20:16; 20:18; 20:21 and Genesis 11:30 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Leviticus 20:12 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:12 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:12 (NET)
And if a man lie with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have wrought corruption; their blood shall be upon them.	And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them.	If a man goes to bed with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. They have committed perversion; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Leviticus 20:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐάν τις κοιμηθῇ μετὰ νύμφης αὐτοῦ θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν ἀμφότεροι ἠσεβήκασιν γάρ ἔνοχοί εἰσιν	καὶ ἐάν τις κοιμηθῇ μετὰ νύμφης αὐτοῦ, θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν ἀμφότεροι· ἠσεβήκασι γάρ, ἔνοχοί εἰσι
Leviticus 20:12 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:12 (English Elpenor)
And if anyone lies with his daughter-in-law, let both of them by death be put to death, for they have behaved impiously; they are liable.	And if any one should lie with his daughter-in-law, let them both be put to death; for they have wrought impiety, they are guilty.

Leviticus 20:13 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:13 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:13 (NET)
And if a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.	If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.	If a man goes to bed with a male as one goes to bed with a woman, the two of them have committed an abomination. They must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Leviticus 20:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὃς ἂν κοιμηθῇ μετὰ ἄρσενος κοίτην γυναικός βδέλυγμα ἐποίησαν ἀμφότεροι θανατούσθωσαν ἔνοχοί εἰσιν	καὶ ὃς ἂν κοιμηθῇ μετά ἄρσενος κοίτην γυναικός, βδέλυγμα ἐποίησαν ἀμφότεροι· θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν, ἔνοχοί εἰσιν
Leviticus 20:13 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:13 (English Elpenor)
And he who lies with a male in a bed for a woman, both have committed an abomination; by death let them be put to death; they are liable.	And whoever shall lie with a male as with a woman, they have both wrought abomination; let them die the death, they are guilty.

Leviticus 20:14 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:14 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:14 (NET)
And if a man take with his wife also her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.	And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.	If a man has marital relations with both a woman and her mother, it is lewdness. Both he and they must be burned to death, so there is no lewdness in your midst.

Leviticus 20:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὃς ἐὰν λάβῃ γυναῗκα καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτῆς ἀνόμημά ἐστιν ἐν πυρὶ κατακαύσουσιν αὐτὸν καὶ αὐτάς καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ἀνομία ἐν ὑμῗν	ὃς ἂν λάβῃ γυναῖκα καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτῆς, ἀνόμημά ἐστιν, ἐν πυρὶ κατακαύσουσιν αὐτὸν καὶ αὐτάς, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ἀνομία ἐν ὑμῖν
Leviticus 20:14 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:14 (English Elpenor)
He who takes a wife and her mother—it is transgression of the law; they shall burn both him and them with fire, and there shall be no lawlessness among you.	Whosoever shall take a woman and her mother, it is iniquity: they shall burn him and them with fire; so there shall not be iniquity among you.

Leviticus 20:15 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:15 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:15 (NET)
And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death; and ye shall slay the beast.	And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.	If a man has sexual relations with any animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal.

Leviticus 20:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὃς ἂν δῷ κοιτασίαν αὐτοῦ ἐν τετράποδι θανάτῳ θανατούσθω καὶ τὸ τετράπουν ἀποκτενεῗτε	καὶ ὃς ἂν δῷ κοιτασίαν αὐτοῦ ἐν τετράποδι, θανάτῳ θανατούσθω, καὶ τὸ τετράπουν ἀποκτενεῖτε
Leviticus 20:15 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:15 (English Elpenor)
And he who gives his sleeping-with to a quadruped, by death let him be put to death, and you shall kill the quadruped.	And whosoever shall lie with a beast, let him die the death; and ye shall kill the beast.

Leviticus 20:16 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:16 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:16 (NET)
And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.	And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.	If a woman approaches any animal to copulate with it, you must kill the woman, and the animal must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Leviticus 20:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ γυνή ἥτις προσελεύσεται πρὸς πᾶν κτῆνος βιβασθῆναι αὐτὴν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἀποκτενεῗτε τὴν γυναῗκα καὶ τὸ κτῆνος θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν ἔνοχοί εἰσιν	καὶ γυνή, ἥτις προσελεύσεται πρὸς πᾶν κτῆνος βιβασθῆναι αὐτὴν ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ἀποκτενεῖτε τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ τὸ κτῆνος· θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν, ἔνοχοί εἰσιν
Leviticus 20:16 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:16 (English Elpenor)
And a woman who shall approach any animal for her to be mounted by it—you shall kill the woman and the animal; by death the shall be put to death; they are liable.	And whatever woman shall approach any beast, so as to have connexion with it, ye shall kill the woman and the beast: let them die the death, they are guilty.

Leviticus 20:18 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:18 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:18 (NET)
And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness–he hath made naked her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood–both of them shall be cut off from among their people.	And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.	If a man goes to bed with a menstruating woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her fountain of blood, and she has exposed the fountain of her blood, so both of them must be cut off from the midst of their people.

Leviticus 20:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀνήρ ὃς ἂν κοιμηθῇ μετὰ γυναικὸς ἀποκαθημένης καὶ ἀποκαλύψῃ τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς τὴν πηγὴν αὐτῆς ἀπεκάλυψεν καὶ αὕτη ἀπεκάλυψεν τὴν ῥύσιν τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς ἐξολεθρευθήσονται ἀμφότεροι ἐκ τοῦ γένους αὐτῶν	καὶ ἀνήρ, ὃς ἂν κοιμηθῇ μετὰ γυναικὸς ἀποκαθημένης καὶ ἀποκαλύψῃ τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς, τὴν πηγὴν αὐτῆς ἀπεκάλυψε, καὶ αὕτη ἀπεκάλυψε τὴν ῥύσιν τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς· ἐξολοθρευθήσονται ἀμφότεροι ἐκ τῆς γενεᾶς αὐτῶν
Leviticus 20:18 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:18 (English Elpenor)
And a man who lies with a woman who sits apart and uncovers her shame—he has laid bare her spring, and she has laid bare her flow of blood; both of them shall be exterminated from their race.	And whatever man shall lie with a woman that is set apart [for a flux], and shall uncover her nakedness, he has uncovered her fountain, and she has uncovered the flux of her blood: they shall both be destroyed from among their generation.

Leviticus 20:21 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:21 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:21 (NET)
And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is impurity: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.	And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.	If a man has marital relations with his brother’s wife, it is indecency. He has exposed his brother’s nakedness; they will be childless.

Leviticus 20:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὃς ἂν λάβῃ τὴν γυναῗκα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀκαθαρσία ἐστίν ἀσχημοσύνην τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψεν ἄτεκνοι ἀποθανοῦνται	ὃς ἐὰν λάβῃ γυναῖκα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, ἀκαθαρσία ἐστίν· ἀσχημοσύνην τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψεν, ἄτεκνοι ἀποθανοῦνται
Leviticus 20:21 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:21 (English Elpenor)
He who takes the wife of his brother—it is impurity; he has uncovered his brother’s shame; they shall die childless.	Whoever shall take his brother’s wife, it is uncleanness; he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall die childless.

Genesis 11:30 (Tanakh)	Genesis 11:30 (KJV)	Genesis 11:30 (NET)
And Sarai was barren; she had no child.	But Sarai was barren; she had no child.	But Sarai was barren; she had no children.

Genesis 11:30 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 11:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἦν Σαρα στεῗρα καὶ οὐκ ἐτεκνοποίει	καὶ ἦν Σάρα στεῖρα καὶ οὐκ ἐτεκνοποίει
Genesis 11:30 (NETS)	Genesis 11:30 (English Elpenor)
And Sara was barren, and she was not bearing children.	And Sara was barren, and did not bear children.

Adultery in the Law, Part 2

Back to Who Am I? Part 5

Back to Romans, Part 20

Back to Adultery in the Law, Part 3

Back to Adultery in the Prophets, Part 2

Back to Christianity, Part 12

¹ Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran…. And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah. (Genesis 11:27a, 29 NET) Was Sarah the Sister and Wife of Abraham?

² Galatians 3:17

³ I am assuming that, You must not expose the nakedness of your father’s brother; you must not approach his wife to have sexual intercourse with her (Leviticus 18:14 NET), includes a niece (who literally exposes the nakedness of her father’s brother). Reversibility seems to be indicated in the command against sexual intercourse with a sister (Leviticus 20:17 NET): …so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace.

⁴ Genesis 11:30 NET

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

An attempt to distinguish the mind of Christ from the ordinary religious mind.

Tag Archives: Leviticus 20:11

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