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 sleeps with his father's wife, he has dishonored his father in the worst way. Both the man and the woman must be put to death, and they are responsible for their own punishment.
This verse establishes that intimate relationships with a stepmother were considered a serious violation of family honor that carried the death penalty in ancient Israel.
📚 Historical Context
In ancient Israel, God gave the Law through Moses to the Israelites as they journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land, establishing rules for moral and ritual purity to set them apart from the idolatrous practices of neighboring cultures like the Canaanites. This specific verse in Leviticus addresses sexual immorality, particularly incest, which was a common issue in those societies and seen as a direct violation of family honor and community holiness. It reflects the broader emphasis in the Old Testament on maintaining social order and God's covenant standards to prevent the moral decay that could lead to national judgment.
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