Adultery in the Law, Part 3

The translators of the New American Bible1 chose the marriage is unlawful for πορνεία in Matthew 5:32 [Table].  So I will substitute that translation in the NET:

But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the marriage is unlawful, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

The footnote in the New American Bible references Leviticus 18:6-18 rather than Leviticus 20:11-21.  A comparison of the two passages follows.

Leviticus 18:6-18 (NET)

Leviticus 20:11-21 (NET)

No man is to approach any close relative to have sexual intercourse with her.  I am the Lord.  You must not expose your father’s nakedness by having sexual intercourse with your mother.  She is your mother; you must not have intercourse with her.  You must not have sexual intercourse with your father’s wife; she is your father’s nakedness [Table].

Leviticus 18:6-8 (NET)

If a man has sexual intercourse with his father’s wife, he has exposed his father’s nakedness.  Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Leviticus 20:11 (NET) Table

You must not have sexual intercourse with your sister, whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she is born in the same household or born outside it; you must not have sexual intercourse with either of them.

Leviticus 18:9 (NET) Table

If a man has sexual intercourse with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or his mother,   so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace.   They must be cut off in the sight of the children of their people.  He has exposed his sister’s nakedness; he will bear his punishment for iniquity.

Leviticus 20:17 (NET) Table

You must not expose the nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter by having sexual intercourse with them, because they are your own nakedness.

Leviticus 18:10 (NET)

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

Leviticus 18:11 (NET)

You must not have sexual intercourse with your father’s sister; she is your father’s flesh.  You must not have sexual intercourse with your mother’s sister, because she is your mother’s   flesh.  You must not expose the nakedness of your father’s brother; you must not approach his wife to have sexual intercourse with her.  She is your aunt.

Leviticus 18:12-14 (NET)

You must not expose the nakedness of your mother’s sister and your father’s sister, for such a person has laid bare his own close relative.  They must bear their punishment for iniquity [Table].  If a man has sexual intercourse with his aunt, he has exposed his uncle’s nakedness; they must bear responsibility for their sin, they will die childless [Table].

Leviticus 20:19, 20 (NET)

You must not have sexual intercourse with your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife. You must not have intercourse with her.

Leviticus 18:15 (NET)

If a man has sexual intercourse with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death.  They   have committed perversion; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Leviticus 20:12 (NET) Table

You must not have sexual intercourse with your brother’s wife; she is your brother’s nakedness.

Leviticus 18:16 (NET)

If a man has sexual intercourse with his brother’s wife, it is indecency.  He has exposed his brother’s nakedness; they will be childless.

Leviticus 20:21 (NET) Table

You must not have sexual intercourse with both a woman and her daughter; you must not take as wife either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter to have intercourse with them.  They are closely related to her – it is lewdness.

Leviticus 18:17 (NET)

If a man has sexual intercourse with both a woman and her mother, it is lewdness.  Both he and they must be burned to death, so there is no lewdness in your midst.

Leviticus 20:14 (NET) Table

You must not take a woman in marriage and then marry her sister as a rival wife while she is still   alive, to have sexual intercourse with her.

Leviticus 18:18 (NET)

There are offenses listed in Leviticus 18:6-18 that don’t have a corresponding punishment in Leviticus 20:11-21.  Also there are punishments for offenses in Leviticus 20:11-21 that are not mentioned in Leviticus 18:6-18.  They do appear just outside that arbitrary limit:

You must not have sexual intercourse with a male as one has sexual intercourse with a woman; it is a detestable act.

Leviticus 18:22 (NET)

If a man has sexual intercourse with a male as one has sexual intercourse with a woman, the two of them have committed an abomination.  They must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Leviticus 20:13 (NET) Table

You must not have sexual intercourse with any animal to become defiled with it, and a woman must not stand before an animal to have sexual intercourse with it; it is a perversion.

Leviticus 18:23 (NET)

If a man has sexual intercourse with any animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal [Table].  If a woman approaches any animal to have sexual intercourse with it, you must kill the woman, and the animal must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves [Table].

Leviticus 20:15, 16 (NET)

You must not approach a woman in her menstrual impurity to have sexual intercourse with her.

Leviticus 18:19 (NET)

If a man has sexual intercourse with a menstruating woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her fountain of blood and she has exposed the fountain of her blood, so both of them must be cut off from the midst of their people.

Leviticus 20:18 (NET) Table

Both lists combined still comprise a finite set of twelve dimensions.  That addresses my primary discomfort relative to the open-ended translation of πορνεία as immorality in the NET.  One would think I would be happier than I feel about it.  I want to revisit Matthew 5:32 (NET) and 19:9 (NET) with X = porneia (πορνεία).

Matthew 5:32 (NET)

Matthew 19:9 (NET)

I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for X, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for X, and marries another commits adultery.

The structure seems to imply that 1) divorce is forbidden, 2) remarriage is adultery, 3) except for πορνεία.  I took Matthew 5:32 to be saying that if the husband who divorced his wife was guilty of πορνεία, Jesus would not consider the divorced wife an adulteress when she remarried, nor hold her new husband guilty of committing adultery.  In Matthew 19:9 I assumed that the divorced wife was guilty of πορνεία and that Jesus would not hold the divorced husband liable for adultery if he remarried.

Is there an implicit permission to divorce a wife guilty of πορνεία in Matthew 19:9?  It may appear so out of context.   But if I bear in mind that Jesus’ original answer to the Pharisees’ question—Is it lawful (ἔξεστιν, a form of ἔξεστι) to divorce a wife for any cause?—was an emphatic no, that apparent permissiveness recedes into the background.  But here’s what happens if I substitute the marriage is unlawful (where the marriage is unlawful = the sets Leviticus 20:11-21 and Leviticus 18:6-18, 19, 22, 23) for X = porneia (πορνεία).

Matthew 5:32 (NET)

Matthew 19:9 (NET)

I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the marriage is unlawful, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for the marriage is unlawful, and marries another commits adultery.

Now both the divorced husband and his wife are guilty of πορνεία [e.g., their marriage was unlawful], and both are free of the charge of adultery if remarried.  And divorce in these cases, rather than being forbidden, is obligatory?  And I was entertaining the idea that this was a better translation of πορνεία than immorality?

Though the New American Bible translators were consistent in their translation of Matthew 5:32, 19:9; Acts 15:20, 29, and 21:25, they reverted to immorality in 1 Corinthians 5:1 as opposed to unlawful marriage for πορνεία.  This is the one place where Paul may actually have referred to the law in Leviticus 18:8 and 20:11, and called it πορνεία.

It is widely reported that there is immorality (πορνεία) among you, and immorality (πορνεία) of a kind not found2 even among pagans – a man living with his father’s wife.

Still, there is an incident in the Old Testament (Ezra 9, 10) where divorce was utilized as the remedy for another kind of unlawful marriage (Ezra 9:1, 2 NET):

The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the local residents who practice detestable things similar to those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.  Indeed, they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has become intermingled with the local residents.  Worse still, the leaders and the officials have been at the forefront of all of this!

 

Addendum: January 16, 2019
A table comparing 1 Corinthians 5:1 in the NET and KJV follows.

1 Corinthians 5:1 (NET)

1 Corinthians 5:1 (KJV)

It is actually reported that sexual immorality exists among you, the kind of immorality that is not permitted even among the Gentiles, so that someone is cohabiting with his father’s wife. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Ὅλως ἀκούεται ἐν ὑμῖν πορνεία, καὶ τοιαύτη πορνεία ἥτις οὐδὲ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ὥστε γυναῖκα τινα τοῦ πατρὸς ἔχειν ολως ακουεται εν υμιν πορνεια και τοιαυτη πορνεια ητις ουδε εν τοις εθνεσιν ονομαζεται ωστε γυναικα τινα του πατρος εχειν ολως ακουεται εν υμιν πορνεια και τοιαυτη πορνεια ητις ουδε εν τοις εθνεσιν ονομαζεται ωστε γυναικα τινα του πατρος εχειν

 

Addendum: October 5, 2021
Tables comparing Leviticus 18:6; 18:7; 18:10; 18:11; 18:12, 18:13; 18:14; 18:15; 18:16; 18:17; 18:18; 18:22; 18:23; 18:19; Ezra 9:1 and 9:2 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Leviticus 18:6; 18:7; 18:10; 18:11; 18:12; 18:13; 18:14; 18:15; 18:16; 18:17; 18:18; 18:22; 18:23; 18:19; Ezra (2 Esdras) 9:1 and 9:2 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Leviticus 18:6 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:6 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:6 (NET)

None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness.  I am HaShem. None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD. “‘No man is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations with her.  I am the Lord.

Leviticus 18:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπος πρὸς πάντα οἰκεῗα σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ οὐ προσελεύσεται ἀποκαλύψαι ἀσχημοσύνην ἐγὼ κύριος Ανθρωπος ἄνθρωπος πρὸς πάντα οἰκεῖα σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ οὐ προσελεύσεται ἀποκαλύψαι ἀσχημοσύνην· ἐγὼ Κύριος

Leviticus 18:6 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:6 (English Elpenor)

Person by person shall not approach any of the household of his flesh to uncover shame; I am the Lord. No man shall draw nigh to any of his near kindred to uncover their nakedness; I [am] the Lord.

Leviticus 18:7 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:7 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:7 (NET)

The nakedness of thy father, and the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. You must not expose your father’s nakedness by having sexual relations with your mother.  She is your mother; you must not have sexual relations with her.

Leviticus 18:7 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀσχημοσύνην πατρός σου καὶ ἀσχημοσύνην μητρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις μήτηρ γάρ σού ἐστιν καὶ οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς ἀσχημοσύνην πατρός σου καὶ ἀσχημοσύνην μητρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, μήτηρ γάρ σού ἐστιν, οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς

Leviticus 18:7 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:7 (English Elpenor)

You shall not uncover the shame of your father and the shame of your mother, for she is your mother; you shall not uncover her shame. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, for she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

Leviticus 18:10 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:10 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:10 (NET)

The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or of thy daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover; for theirs is thine own nakedness. The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or of thy daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness. You must not expose the nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter by having sexual relations with them, because they are your own nakedness.

Leviticus 18:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀσχημοσύνην θυγατρὸς υἱοῦ σου ἢ θυγατρὸς θυγατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῶν ὅτι σὴ ἀσχημοσύνη ἐστίν ἀσχημοσύνην θυγατρὸς υἱοῦ σου ἢ θυγατρὸς θυγατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῶν, ὅτι σὴ ἀσχημοσύνη ἐστίν

Leviticus 18:10 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:10 (English Elpenor)

You shall not uncover their shame—the shame of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, for it is your own shame. The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or thy daughter’s daughter, their nakedness thou shalt not uncover; because it is thy nakedness.

Leviticus 18:11 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:11 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:11 (NET)

The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. You must not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife born of your father; she is your sister.  You must not have sexual relations with her.

Leviticus 18:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀσχημοσύνην θυγατρὸς γυναικὸς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις ὁμοπατρία ἀδελφή σού ἐστιν οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς ἀσχημοσύνην θυγατρὸς γυναικὸς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, ὁμοπατρία ἀδελφή σού ἐστιν, οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς

Leviticus 18:11 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:11 (English Elpenor)

You shall not uncover the shame of your father’s wife’s daughter; she is your sister by the same father.  You shall not uncover her shame. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of the daughter of thy father’s wife; she is thy sister by the same father: thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

Leviticus 18:12 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:12 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:12 (NET)

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s near kinswoman. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s near kinswoman. You must not have sexual relations with your father’s sister; she is your father’s flesh.

Leviticus 18:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις οἰκεία γὰρ πατρός σού ἐστιν ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, οἰκεία γὰρ πατρός σού ἐστιν

Leviticus 18:12 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:12 (English Elpenor)

You shall not uncover the shame of your father’s sister, for she is your father’s own household. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister, for she is near akin to thy father.

Leviticus 18:13 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:13 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:13 (NET)

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister; for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister: for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman. You must not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, because she is your mother’s flesh.

Leviticus 18:13 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς μητρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις οἰκεία γὰρ μητρός σού ἐστιν ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς μητρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, οἰκεία γὰρ μητρός σού ἐστιν

Leviticus 18:13 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:13 (English Elpenor)

You shall not uncover the shame of your mother’s sister, for she is of your mother’s own household. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, for she is near akin to thy mother.

Leviticus 18:14 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:14 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:14 (NET)

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy fathers brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt. You must not expose the nakedness of your father’s brother; you must not approach his wife to have marital relations with her.  She is your aunt.

Leviticus 18:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφοῦ τοῦ πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις καὶ πρὸς τὴν γυναῗκα αὐτοῦ οὐκ εἰσελεύσῃ συγγενὴς γάρ σού ἐστιν ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφοῦ τοῦ πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις καὶ πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ οὐκ εἰσελεύσῃ, συγγενής γάρ σού ἐστιν

Leviticus 18:14 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:14 (English Elpenor)

You shall not uncover the shame of your father’s brother, and you shall not approach his wife, for she is your relative. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother, and thou shalt not go in to his wife; for she is thy relation.

Leviticus 18:15 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:15 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:15 (NET)

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter-in-law: she is thy son'[s] wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son’s wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. You must not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife.  You must not have sexual relations with her.

Leviticus 18:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀσχημοσύνην νύμφης σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις γυνὴ γὰρ υἱοῦ σού ἐστιν οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς ἀσχημοσύνην νύμφης σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, γυνὴ γὰρ υἱοῦ σού ἐστιν, οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς

Leviticus 18:15 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:15 (English Elpenor)

You shall not uncover the shame of your daughter-in-law, for she is your son’s wife; you shall not uncover her shame. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter-in-law, for she is thy son’s wife, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

Leviticus 18:16 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:16 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:16 (NET)

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness. You must not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; she is your brother’s nakedness.

Leviticus 18:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς ἀδελφοῦ σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις ἀσχημοσύνη ἀδελφοῦ σού ἐστιν ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς ἀδελφοῦ σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, ἀσχημοσύνη ἀδελφοῦ σού ἐστιν.

Leviticus 18:16 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:16 (English Elpenor)

You shall not uncover the shame of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s shame. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness.

Leviticus 18:17 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:17 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:17 (NET)

Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter; thou shalt not take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness: they are near kinswomen; it is lewdness. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness. You must not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter; you must not take as wife either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter to have sexual relations with them.  They are closely related to her—it is lewdness.

Leviticus 18:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς καὶ θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν θυγατέρα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτῆς καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς οὐ λήμψῃ ἀποκαλύψαι τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῶν οἰκεῗαι γάρ σού εἰσιν ἀσέβημά ἐστιν ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς καὶ θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις· τὴν θυγατέρα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτῆς καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς οὐ λήψῃ ἀποκαλύψαι τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῶν, οἰκεῖαι γὰρ σού εἰσιν· ἀσέβημά ἐστι

Leviticus 18:17 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:17 (English Elpenor)

You shall not uncover the shame of a woman and her daughter.  You shall not take her son’s daughter and her daughter’s daughter to uncover their shame, for they are your own household; it is a profane act. The nakedness of a woman and her daughter shalt thou not uncover; her son’s daughter, and her daughter’s daughter, shalt thou not take, to uncover their nakedness, for they are thy kinswomen: it is impiety.

Leviticus 18:18 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:18 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:18 (NET)

And thou shalt not take a woman to her sister, to be a rival to her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her lifetime. Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time. You must not take a woman in marriage and then marry her sister as a rival wife while she is still alive, to have sexual relations with her.

Leviticus 18:18 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)

γυναῗκα ἐπὶ ἀδελφῇ αὐτῆς οὐ λήμψῃ ἀντίζηλον ἀποκαλύψαι τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ ἔτι ζώσης αὐτῆς γυναῖκα ἐπ᾿ ἀδελφῇ αὐτῆς οὐ λήψῃ ἀντίζηλον ἀποκαλύψαι τήν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς ἐπ᾿ αὐτῇ, ἔτι ζώσης αὐτῆς

Leviticus 18:18 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:18 (English Elpenor)

You shall not take a woman as a rival in addition to her sister, to uncover her shame in addition to her while she is still alive. Thou shalt not take a wife in addition to her sister, as a rival, to uncover her nakedness in opposition to her, while she is yet living.

Leviticus 18:22 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:22 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:22 (NET)

Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is abomination. Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. You must not have sexual relations with a male as one has sexual relations with a woman; it is a detestable act.

Leviticus 18:22 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ μετὰ ἄρσενος οὐ κοιμηθήσῃ κοίτην γυναικός βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστιν καὶ μετὰ ἄρσενος οὐ κοιμηθήσῃ κοίτην γυναικείαν, βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστι

Leviticus 18:22 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:22 (English Elpenor)

And you shall not sleep with a male as in a bed of a woman, for it is an abomination. And thou shalt not lie with a man as with a woman, for it is an abomination.

Leviticus 18:23 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:23 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:23 (NET)

And thou shalt not lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith; neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down thereto; it is perversion. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion. You must not have sexual relations with any animal to become defiled with it, and a woman must not stand before an animal to have sexual relations with it; it is a perversion.

Leviticus 18:23 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ πρὸς πᾶν τετράπουν οὐ δώσεις τὴν κοίτην σου εἰς σπερματισμὸν ἐκμιανθῆναι πρὸς αὐτό καὶ γυνὴ οὐ στήσεται πρὸς πᾶν τετράπουν βιβασθῆναι μυσερὸν γάρ ἐστιν καὶ πρὸς πᾶν τετράπουν οὐ δώσεις τὴν κοίτην σου εἰς σπερματισμόν, ἐκμιανθῆναι πρὸς αὐτό. καὶ γυνὴ οὐ στήσεται πρὸς πᾶν τετράπουν βιβασθῆναι, μυσαρὸν γάρ ἐστι

Leviticus 18:23 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:23 (English Elpenor)

And you shall not give your bed to any quadruped for sowing to bring defilement on it, nor shall any woman stand before any quadruped so as to be mounted, for it is loathsome. Neither shalt thou lie with any quadruped for copulation, to be polluted with it: neither shall a woman present herself before any quadruped to have connexion with it; for it is an abomination.

Leviticus 18:19 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:19 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:19 (NET)

And thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness. Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness. “‘You must not approach a woman in her menstrual impurity to have sexual relations with her.

Leviticus 18:19 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ πρὸς γυναῗκα ἐν χωρισμῷ ἀκαθαρσίας αὐτῆς οὐ προσελεύσῃ ἀποκαλύψαι τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς Καὶ πρὸς γυναῖκα ἐν χωρισμῷ ἀκαθαρσίας αὐτῆς οὐκ εἰσελεύσῃ ἀποκαλύψαι τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς

Leviticus 18:19 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:19 (English Elpenor)

And you shall not approach a woman to uncover her shame in the separation of her uncleanness. And thou shalt not go in to a woman under separation for her uncleanness, to uncover her nakedness.

Ezra 9:1 (Tanakh)

Ezra 9:1 (KJV)

Ezra 9:1 (NET)

Now when these things were done, the princes drew near unto me, saying: ‘The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. Now when these things had been completed, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the local residents who practice detestable things similar to those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

Ezra 9:1 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Esdras 9:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ὡς ἐτελέσθη ταῦτα ἤγγισαν πρός με οἱ ἄρχοντες λέγοντες οὐκ ἐχωρίσθη ὁ λαὸς Ισραηλ καὶ οἱ ἱερεῗς καὶ οἱ Λευῗται ἀπὸ λαῶν τῶν γαιῶν ἐν μακρύμμασιν αὐτῶν τῷ Χανανι ὁ Εθι ὁ Φερεζι ὁ Ιεβουσι ὁ Αμμωνι ὁ Μωαβι ὁ Μοσερι καὶ ὁ Αμορι ΚΑΙ ὡς ἐτελέσθη ταῦτα, ἤγγισαν πρός με οἱ ἄρχοντες λέγοντες· οὐκ ἐχωρίσθη ὁ λαὸς ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ Λευῖται ἀπὸ λαῶν τῶν γαιῶν ἐν μακρύμμασιν αὐτῶν, τῷ Χανανί, ὁ ᾿Εθί, ὁ Φερεζί, ὁ ᾿Ιεβουσί, ὁ ᾿Αμμωνί, ὁ Μωαβὶ καὶ ὁ Μοσερὶ καὶ ὁ ᾿Αμορί,

2 Esdras 9:1 (NETS)

2 Esdras 9:1 (English Elpenor)

And after these things had been done, the rulers approached me, saying, “The people of Israel and the priests and Leuites were not separated from the peoples of the lands with their things put far away, in reference to the Chanani—the Heththi, the Pherezi, the Iebousi, the Ammoni, the Moab, the Mosri and the Amori— And when these things were finished, the princes drew near to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands in their abominations, [even] the Chananite, the Ethite, the Pherezite, the Jebusite, the Ammonite, the Moabite, and the Moserite and the Amorite.

Ezra 9:2 (Tanakh)

Ezra 9:2 (KJV)

Ezra 9:2 (NET)

For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons; so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the peoples of the lands; yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been first in this faithlessness.’ For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. Indeed, they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has become intermingled with the local residents.  Worse still, the leaders and the officials have been at the forefront of all this unfaithfulness!”

Ezra 9:2 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Esdras 9:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὅτι ἐλάβοσαν ἀπὸ θυγατέρων αὐτῶν ἑαυτοῗς καὶ τοῗς υἱοῗς αὐτῶν καὶ παρήχθη σπέρμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐν λαοῗς τῶν γαιῶν καὶ χεὶρ τῶν ἀρχόντων ἐν τῇ ἀσυνθεσίᾳ ταύτῃ ἐν ἀρχῇ ὅτι ἐλάβοσαν ἀπὸ θυγατέρων αὐτῶν ἑαυτοῖς καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτῶν, καὶ παρήχθη σπέρμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐν λαοῖς τῶν γαιῶν, καὶ χεὶρ τῶν ἀρχόντων ἐν τῇ ἀσυνθεσίᾳ ταύτῃ ἐν ἀρχῇ

2 Esdras 9:2 (NETS)

2 Esdras 9:2 (English Elpenor)

because they have taken from their daughters for themselves and for their sons, and the holy seed was influenced by the peoples of the lands, and the hand of the rulers was in this faithlessness in the beginning.” For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and their sons; and the holy seed has passed among the nations of the lands, and the hand of the rulers [has been] first in this transgression.

1 Revised New Testament of the New American Bible © 1986 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD), published by Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York, N.Y.

2 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ονομαζεται (KJV: so much as named) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not (NET: permitted).

22 thoughts on “Adultery in the Law, Part 3

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