Leviticus 18:16

Translations

Modern

You must not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; that would shame your brother.

Traditional

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness.

Literal

The nakedness of the wife of your brother you shall not uncover; it is the nakedness of your brother.

Latin

Turpitudinem uxoris fratris tui non revelabis: quia turpitudo fratris tui est.

Original

Hebrew

English

You must not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; that would shame your brother.

Notes

Leviticus 18:16

Having sexual relations with your sister-in-law would be adulterous and would disgrace your brother. An exception was the law of levirate marriage (see Deuteronomy 25:5–10). This required a man to marry his brother’s widow to produce an heir who was considered the dead brother’s son.

Theme notes and profiles

Herod Antipas Ancient Law Codes Family, Community, and Sexual Sin Holiness and Sexual Purity Holy War Human Sexuality

Related verses

Deuteronomy 25:5
When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law for her.
Leviticus 20:21
If 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.
Matthew 22:24
“Teacher,” they said, “Moses declared that if a man dies without having children, his brother is to marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.
Mark 12:19
“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him.
Mark 6:17
For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had married.
Luke 3:19
But when he rebuked Herod the tetrarch regarding his brother’s wife Herodias and all the evils he had done,
Matthew 14:3–4
Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,

Leviticus 18:16

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