UNROLL
The camp of Israel at dusk below the dark bulk of Mount Sinai: rows of low black goat-hair tents with their doors shut, one clay lamp glowing through the seam of a single tent door, under a deep blue evening sky.

The Book of

Leviticus 18

Between Egypt and Canaan, God draws the lines that keep a family safe and a people His own.

30 verses≈ 5 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

  1. 1–7The offeringsHow sinners draw near
  2. 8–10The priestsOrdained, and a warning
  3. 11–15Clean and uncleanLife before a holy God
  4. 16The Day of AtonementSins carried away
  5. 17–27A holy peopleBe holy, for I am holyChapter 18

Unlawful Sexual Relations

Dusk at the edge of the camp: a single empty track of pale sand leads out past the last dark goat-hair tents and away north across the wilderness toward low hills under the last light.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: I am the LORD your God. You must not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not follow the practices of the land of Canaan, into which I am bringing you.

0:17

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

You must not walk in their customs.

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You are to practice My judgments and keep My statutes by walking in them. I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 18:4

Keep My statutes and My judgments, for the man who does these things will live by them. I am the LORD.

Mount SinaiEgyptCanaan

Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

Between two lands

Israel was camped at Mount Sinai, between “the land of Egypt, where you used to live” and “the land of Canaan, into which I am bringing you.” Behind them lay the customs of Egypt; ahead, the customs of Canaan. God told them to follow neither, but His own way. The site of Mount Sinai is uncertain; it is traditionally placed in the south of the peninsula.

Question

Quick question

Before a single law in this chapter, God names two places.

Whose practices did God tell Israel not to follow?

Close on the door flap of a black goat-hair tent at night, tied shut with a cord, warm lamplight showing only through the seam.

The law

Close relatives

  1. No close relative

    None of you are to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD.

  2. Not your mother

    You must not expose the nakedness of your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have sexual relations with her.

  3. Not your father’s wife

    You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; it would dishonor your father.

  4. Not your sister or half-sister

    You must not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere.

  5. Not your granddaughter

    You must not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, for that would shame your family.

  6. Not your father’s wife’s daughter

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

  7. Not your aunt

    You must not have sexual relations with your father’s sister; she is your father’s close relative.

    You must not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s close relative.

  8. Not your uncle’s wife

    You must not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations with her; she is your aunt.

  9. Not your daughter-in-law

    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.

  10. Not your brother’s wife

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

  11. Not a woman and her daughter

    You must not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. You are not to marry her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter and have sexual relations with her. They are close relatives; it is depraved.

  12. Not your wife’s sister as a rival

    You must not take your wife’s sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is still alive.

Inside a goat-hair tent at evening: a low fire in a ring of stones, clay bowls and a round flat loaf on a wooden board, woven mats, a spindle and a water jar, all in warm firelight, with no one there.

The law

Not as the nations

  1. Not during her monthly period

    You must not approach a woman to have sexual relations with her during her menstrual period.

  2. Not your neighbor’s wife

    You must not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife and thus defile yourself with her.

  3. No child given to Molech

    You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

  4. Not with a man as with a woman

    You must not lie with a man as with a woman; that is an abomination.

  5. Not with any animal

    You must not lie carnally with any animal, thus defiling yourself with it; a woman must not stand before an animal to mate with it; that is a perversion.

Far off across a dark valley at dusk, on a bare ridge, the small squat silhouette of a bronze idol with outstretched arms against the red glow of a fire, smoke drifting; the near ground empty and in shadow.

Pray

Safe homes, clean hearts

God drew these lines to protect the weak: “She is your mother,” “she is your sister,” “that would shame your brother.” A home was meant to be a safe place. Pray today for families near you, for children to be safe and marriages to be kept faithful. Pray for your own heart to be pure. And thank God that no one who comes to Jesus in repentance is too far gone to be washed clean.

Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for by all these things the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves. Even the land has become defiled, so I am punishing it for its sin, and the land will vomit out its inhabitants.

God

Therefore anyone who commits any of these abominations must be cut off from among his people. You must keep My charge not to practice any of the abominable customs that were practiced before you, so that you do not defile yourselves by them. I am the LORD your God.”

Washed and made His

God’s gooddesignone man, one woman(Gen 2:24)We all fallshortevery one of us (Rom3:23)Washed andjustifiedin Jesus’ name (1 Cor6:11)A temple of theSpiritbought at a price (1Cor 6:19–20)I am the LORDyour Godfirst and last word(18:2, 30)

Whiteboard

The chapter begins and ends with God’s name: “I am the LORD your God.” His design for sex is good, and every one of us has fallen short of His holiness in some way. But no one is beyond His washing. Paul listed sins like these and then told the believers in Corinth that some of them had once lived that way, but they had been washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:11). Now the body belongs to Him, a temple of His Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).

Reflect

Not their customs

God did not say, ‘Be a little better than Egypt and Canaan.’ He said, “You must not walk in their customs,” and gave the reason again and again: “I am the LORD your God.” Where do the customs around you pull at your heart? Write down one place where you need His washing, and one thing He is calling you to flee. Then thank Him that in Jesus there is cleansing for every sinner who comes.

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Leviticus 18

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A verse to carry with you

You are to practice My judgments and keep My statutes by walking in them. I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 18:4

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