Leviticus

Leviticus 20:17–21

¹⁷If a man marries his sister, whether the daughter of his father or of his mother, and they have sexual relations,^c it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of their people. He has uncovered the nakedness of his sister; he shall bear his iniquity.

¹⁸If a man lies with a menstruating woman and has sexual relations with her,^d he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has uncovered the source of her blood. Both of them must be cut off from among their people.

¹⁹You must not have sexual relations with the sister of your mother or your father, for it is exposing one’s own kin; both shall bear their iniquity.

²⁰If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered the nakedness of his uncle. They will bear their sin; they shall die childless.

²¹If a man marries his brother’s wife, it is an act of impurity. He has uncovered the nakedness of his brother; they shall be childless.

Footnotes

c 20:17 Literally and he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness
d 20:18 Literally uncovers her nakedness; similarly in verse 19

Read all of Leviticus 20

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Leviticus 20:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If a man	וְאִ֣ישׁ	wə·’îš	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
marries	יִקַּ֣ח	yiq·qaḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
his sister	אֲחֹת֡וֹ	’ă·ḥō·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H269 sister
whether the daughter	בַּת־	baṯ-	Noun - feminine singular construct	H1323 daughter
of his father	אָבִ֣יו	’ā·ḇîw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1 father
or	א֣וֹ	’ōw	Conjunction	H176 or
of his mother	אִ֠מּוֹ	’im·mōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H517 mother
and they have sexual relations	וְרָאָ֨ה	wə·rā·’āh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H7200 see
it	ה֔וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
is a disgrace	חֶ֣סֶד	ḥe·seḏ	Noun - masculine singular	H2617 goodness, kindness
They must be cut off	וְנִ֨כְרְת֔וּ	wə·niḵ·rə·ṯū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H3772 cut off, cut down
in the sight	לְעֵינֵ֖י	lə·‘ê·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - cdc	H5869 eye
of	בְּנֵ֣י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
their people	עַמָּ֑ם	‘am·mām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H5971 people
He has uncovered	גִּלָּ֖ה	gil·lāh	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1540 uncover, remove
the nakedness	עֶרְוַ֧ת	‘er·waṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H6172 nakedness, pudenda
of his sister	אֲחֹת֛וֹ	’ă·ḥō·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H269 sister
he shall bear	יִשָּֽׂא׃	yiś·śā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5375 lift, take, carry
his iniquity	עֲוֺנ֥וֹ	‘ă·wō·nōw	Noun - common singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5771 iniquity, guilt, or punishment of iniquity

Leviticus 20:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If a man	וְ֠אִישׁ	wə·’îš	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
lies	יִשְׁכַּ֨ב	yiš·kaḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7901 lie down
with	אֶת־	’eṯ-	Preposition	H853 mark of the accusative
a menstruating	דָּוָ֗ה	dā·wāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H1739 faint, unwell
woman	אִשָּׁ֜ה	’iš·šāh	Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
and has sexual relations with her	וְגִלָּ֤ה	wə·ḡil·lāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H1540 uncover, remove
he has exposed	הֶֽעֱרָ֔ה	he·‘ĕ·rāh	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6168 be naked, bare
the source of her flow	מְקֹרָ֣הּ	mə·qō·rāh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H4726 spring, fountain
and she	וְהִ֕יא	wə·hî	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person feminine singular	H1931 he, she
has uncovered	גִּלְּתָ֖ה	gil·lə·ṯāh	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H1540 uncover, remove
the source	מְק֣וֹר	mə·qō·wr	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4726 spring, fountain
of her blood	דָּמֶ֑יהָ	dā·me·hā	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H1818 blood
Both	שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם	šə·nê·hem	Number - masculine dual construct; third person masculine plural	H8147 two
of them must be cut off	וְנִכְרְת֥וּ	wə·niḵ·rə·ṯū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H3772 cut off, cut down
from among	מִקֶּ֥רֶב	miq·qe·reḇ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7130 inward part, midst
their people	עַמָּֽם׃	‘am·mām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H5971 people

Leviticus 20:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You must not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
have sexual relations with	וְעֶרְוַ֨ת	wə·‘er·waṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct	H6172 nakedness, pudenda
the sister	אֲח֧וֹת	’ă·ḥō·wṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H269 sister
of your mother	אִמְּךָ֛	’im·mə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H517 mother
or your father	אָבִ֖יךָ	’ā·ḇî·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1 father
for	כִּ֧י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
it is exposing	הֶעֱרָ֖ה	he·‘ĕ·rāh	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6168 be naked, bare
one’s own kin	שְׁאֵר֛וֹ	šə·’ê·rōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7607 flesh
both shall bear	יִשָּֽׂאוּ׃	yiś·śā·’ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5375 lift, take, carry
their iniquity	עֲוֺנָ֥ם	‘ă·wō·nām	Noun - common singular construct; third person masculine plural	H5771 iniquity, guilt, or punishment of iniquity

Leviticus 20:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If a man	וְאִ֗ישׁ	wə·’îš	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
lies	יִשְׁכַּב֙	yiš·kaḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7901 lie down
with	אֶת־	’eṯ-	Preposition	H853 mark of the accusative
his uncle’s wife	דֹּ֣דָת֔וֹ	dō·ḏā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1733 aunt
he has uncovered	גִּלָּ֑ה	gil·lāh	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1540 uncover, remove
the nakedness	עֶרְוַ֥ת	‘er·waṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H6172 nakedness, pudenda
of his uncle	דֹּד֖וֹ	dō·ḏōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1730 beloved, love
They will bear	יִשָּׂ֖אוּ	yiś·śā·’ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5375 lift, take, carry
their sin	חֶטְאָ֥ם	ḥeṭ·’ām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H2399 sin
they shall die	יָמֻֽתוּ׃	yā·mu·ṯū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H4191 die
childless	עֲרִירִ֥ים	‘ă·rî·rîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H6185 stripped

Leviticus 20:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
If a man	וְאִ֗ישׁ	wə·’îš	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
marries	יִקַּ֛ח	yiq·qaḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
his brother’s	אָחִ֖יו	’ā·ḥîw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
wife	אֵ֥שֶׁת	’ê·šeṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H802 woman, wife, female
it	הִ֑וא	hî	Pronoun - third person feminine singular	H1931 he, she
is an act of impurity	נִדָּ֣ה	nid·dāh	Noun - feminine singular	H5079 impurity
He has uncovered	גִּלָּ֖ה	gil·lāh	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1540 uncover, remove
the nakedness	עֶרְוַ֥ת	‘er·waṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H6172 nakedness, pudenda
of his brother	אָחִ֛יו	’ā·ḥîw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
they shall be	יִהְיֽוּ׃	yih·yū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
childless	עֲרִירִ֥ים	‘ă·rî·rîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H6185 stripped

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Leviticus 20:17 Leviticus 18:9 · Deuteronomy 27:22

Leviticus 20:18 Leviticus 15:24 · Leviticus 18:19

Leviticus 20:19 Leviticus 18:6

Leviticus 20:20 Leviticus 18:14

Leviticus 20:21 Leviticus 18:16 · Matthew 14:3–4

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.