◄ Leviticus 18:15 ►
You must not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son's wife; you are not to have sexual relations with her.
Study Bible
You must not have sexual relations
This phrase is a direct command, emphasizing the prohibition of certain sexual behaviors. The Hebrew root for "sexual relations" is "גָּלָה עֶרְוָה" (galah ervah), which literally means "to uncover nakedness." This expression is used throughout Leviticus 18 to denote illicit sexual activities. The command is clear and unequivocal, reflecting the holiness code that God established for His people. It underscores the importance of maintaining purity and sanctity within familial relationships, which is a recurring theme in the Mosaic Law.

with your daughter-in-law
The term "daughter-in-law" in Hebrew is "כַּלָּה" (kallah), which refers to the wife of one's son. This relationship is significant in the family structure, and the prohibition against sexual relations with a daughter-in-law is meant to protect the integrity and sanctity of the family unit. In ancient Israelite society, family was the cornerstone of community life, and any actions that could disrupt familial harmony were strictly forbidden. This commandment serves to uphold the respect and boundaries necessary for healthy family dynamics.

She is your son’s wife
This phrase reinforces the identity and role of the daughter-in-law within the family. By stating "she is your son’s wife," the text highlights the covenantal relationship between the son and his wife, which should be honored and respected by all family members. The sanctity of marriage is a central theme in the Bible, and this commandment serves to protect the marital bond from any form of violation or dishonor. It reflects the broader biblical principle that marriage is a sacred institution ordained by God.

you are not to have sexual relations with her
The repetition of the prohibition serves to emphasize its importance. The Hebrew construction here is emphatic, underscoring the seriousness of the command. This repetition is a common literary device in the Bible, used to ensure that the audience fully understands the gravity of the instruction. It serves as a reminder of the boundaries set by God to maintain holiness and purity among His people. The commandment is not merely a cultural or societal norm but a divine mandate that reflects God's desire for His people to live in righteousness and obedience.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
- The author of Leviticus, who received the laws from God to instruct the Israelites.

2. Israelites
- The chosen people of God, to whom the laws in Leviticus were given to set them apart as holy.

3. Daughter-in-law
- The wife of one's son, specifically mentioned in this verse as someone with whom sexual relations are prohibited.

4. God
- The divine lawgiver who establishes moral and ethical boundaries for His people.

5. Mount Sinai
- The place where Moses received the laws from God, including the laws in Leviticus.
Teaching Points
Sanctity of Marriage
Marriage is a sacred covenant designed by God. This verse reinforces the importance of respecting the marital bond and the family structure.

Holiness and Purity
God calls His people to live holy lives, set apart from the practices of surrounding cultures. This includes maintaining sexual purity.

Respect for Family Boundaries
The prohibition against relations with a daughter-in-law highlights the importance of respecting family boundaries and roles.

Consequences of Disobedience
Disobeying God's commands leads to personal and communal consequences, as seen throughout Scripture.

Cultural Distinction
The Israelites were to be distinct from other nations, and adherence to God's laws was a key aspect of their identity.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the prohibition in Leviticus 18:15 reflect God's design for family and marriage?

2. In what ways can we apply the principles of holiness and purity from this verse to our modern context?

3. How does respecting family boundaries contribute to the health and stability of a community?

4. What are some contemporary challenges to maintaining sexual purity, and how can Christians address them?

5. How do the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament expand upon the laws given in Leviticus, particularly regarding sexual ethics?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 2:24
- This verse establishes the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, which is foundational to understanding the prohibitions in Leviticus.

Exodus 20:14
- The commandment against adultery, which underpins the specific prohibitions against unlawful sexual relations in Leviticus.

1 Corinthians 5:1
- Paul addresses a case of sexual immorality in the Corinthian church, highlighting the ongoing relevance of sexual purity.

Matthew 5:27-28
- Jesus expands on the commandment against adultery, emphasizing purity of heart and mind.

Hebrews 13:4
- This verse underscores the honor of marriage and the importance of sexual purity.
Sermons
Abominable DoingsJ.A. Macdonal Leviticus 18:1-30
The True Morality is Based Upon the True ReligionR.A. Redford Leviticus 18:1-30
UnworldlinessR.M. Edgar Leviticus 18:1-30
Impurity - its Extent and SourceW. Clarkson Leviticus 18:6-23
ConsanguinityA. Willet, D. D.Leviticus 18:6-30
Moral ObservationsA. Willet, D. D.Leviticus 18:6-30
Need for Marriage LawsH. Cowles, D. D.Leviticus 18:6-30
Of Unlawful MarriagesG. Bush.Leviticus 18:6-30
On Marriage with a Deceased Wife's SisterM. M. Kalisch, Ph. D.Leviticus 18:6-30
The Wilderness a Suitable Place for the Giving of These LawsBp. Kidder.Leviticus 18:6-30
People
Israelites, Molech, Moses
Places
Canaan, Egypt, Teman
Topics
Daughter, Daughter-in-law, Law, Nakedness, Relations, Sexual, Son's, Uncover, Wife
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Leviticus 18:15

     5674   daughters

Leviticus 18:1-22

     5714   men

Leviticus 18:1-24

     8273   holiness, ethical aspects

Leviticus 18:6-18

     5681   family, nature of

Leviticus 18:6-20

     6189   immorality, examples
     6237   sexual sin, nature of

Leviticus 18:6-23

     6206   offence

Leviticus 18:6-30

     7525   exclusiveness

Library
General Character of Christians.
"And they that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh, with the Affections and Lusts." St. Paul is supposed to have been the first herald of gospel grace to the Galatians; and they appear to have rejoiced at the glad tidings, and to have received the bearer with much respect. But after his departure, certain judaizing teachers went among them, and labored but too successfully, to alienate their affections from him, and turn them form the simplicity of the gospel. The malice and errors of those deceitful …
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

"They have Corrupted Themselves; their Spot is not the Spot of his Children; they are a Perverse and Crooked Generation. "
Deut. xxxii. 5.--"They have corrupted themselves; their spot is not the spot of his children; they are a perverse and crooked generation." We doubt this people would take well with such a description of themselves as Moses gives. It might seem strange to us, that God should have chosen such a people out of all the nations of the earth, and they to be so rebellious and perverse, if our own experience did not teach us how free his choice is, and how long-suffering he is, and constant in his choice. …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Doctrine of Arbitrary Scriptural Accommodation Considered.
"But the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise,--Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into Heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) or, Who shall descend into the deep?' (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth; and in thine heart:' that is, the word of Faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from …
John William Burgon—Inspiration and Interpretation

Epistle Lxiv. To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli .
To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli [174] . Here begins the epistle of the blessed Gregory pope of the city of Rome, in exposition of various matters, which he sent into transmarine Saxony to Augustine, whom he had himself sent in his own stead to preach. Preface.--Through my most beloved son Laurentius, the presbyter, and Peter the monk, I received thy Fraternity's letter, in which thou hast been at pains to question me on many points. But, inasmuch as my aforesaid sons found me afflicted with the …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

The Two Sabbath-Controversies - the Plucking of the Ears of Corn by the Disciples, and the Healing of the Man with the Withered Hand
IN grouping together the three miracles of healing described in the last chapter, we do not wish to convey that it is certain they had taken place in precisely that order. Nor do we feel sure, that they preceded what is about to be related. In the absence of exact data, the succession of events and their location must be matter of combination. From their position in the Evangelic narratives, and the manner in which all concerned speak and act, we inferred, that they took place at that particular …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Obedience
Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his commandments.' Deut 27: 9, 10. What is the duty which God requireth of man? Obedience to his revealed will. It is not enough to hear God's voice, but we must obey. Obedience is a part of the honour we owe to God. If then I be a Father, where is my honour?' Mal 1: 6. Obedience carries in it the life-blood of religion. Obey the voice of the Lord …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

The Blessings of Noah Upon Shem and Japheth. (Gen. Ix. 18-27. )
Ver. 20. "And Noah began and became an husbandman, and planted vineyards."--This does not imply that Noah was the first who began to till the ground, and, more especially, to cultivate the vine; for Cain, too, was a tiller of the ground, Gen. iv. 2. The sense rather is, that Noah, after the flood, again took up this calling. Moreover, the remark has not an independent import; it serves only to prepare the way for the communication of the subsequent account of Noah's drunkenness. By this remark, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Meditations for Household Piety.
1. If thou be called to the government of a family, thou must not hold it sufficient to serve God and live uprightly in thy own person, unless thou cause all under thy charge to do the same with thee. For the performance of this duty God was so well pleased with Abraham, that he would not hide from him his counsel: "For," saith God, "I know him that he will command his sons and his household after him that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Appendix ii. Philo of Alexandria and Rabbinic Theology.
(Ad. vol. i. p. 42, note 4.) In comparing the allegorical Canons of Philo with those of Jewish traditionalism, we think first of all of the seven exegetical canons which are ascribed to Hillel. These bear chiefly the character of logical deductions, and as such were largely applied in the Halakhah. These seven canons were next expanded by R. Ishmael (in the first century) into thirteen, by the analysis of one of them (the 5th) into six, and the addition of this sound exegetical rule, that where two …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Leviticus
The emphasis which modern criticism has very properly laid on the prophetic books and the prophetic element generally in the Old Testament, has had the effect of somewhat diverting popular attention from the priestly contributions to the literature and religion of Israel. From this neglect Leviticus has suffered most. Yet for many reasons it is worthy of close attention; it is the deliberate expression of the priestly mind of Israel at its best, and it thus forms a welcome foil to the unattractive …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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