I am disgruntled every time I must go out to accomplish anything during this pandemic. Still, I sense the Holy Spirit pumping God’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and goodness into me like a racing heart. And my God will supply your every need, Paul wrote believers in Philippi, according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.[1] As I look around me, waiting in line, it’s hard to imagine that others aren’t feeling something of the same frustration inwardly, yet outwardly they are as placid and pleasant as I am.
I’ve been considering yehôvâh’s (יהוה) fearful pronouncement: I punish (pâqad, פקד) the sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons for the sin of the fathers who reject me…[2] There is a fairly succinct review in another essay. I hope to wrap up this side excursion with what seems to me like the single most irrelevant law in Leviticus.
|
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Leviticus 20:19, 20 (Tanakh) | Leviticus 20:19, 20 (NET) | Leviticus 20:19, 20 (NETS) |
Leviticus 20:19, 20 (Elpenor English) |
| And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness (וְעֶרְוַ֨ת) of thy mother’s sister, nor of thy father’s sister; for he hath made naked his near kin; they shall bear (יִשָּֽׂאוּ) their iniquity (עֲוֹנָ֥ם). | You must not expose the nakedness (ʽervâh, וערות) of your mother’s sister or your father’s sister, for such a person has exposed his own close relative. They must bear (nâśâʼ, ישׁאו) their punishment for iniquity (ʽâvôn, עונם). | And you shall not uncover the shame (ἀσχημοσύνην) of your father’s sister or of your mother’s sister, for one has laid bare one’s own blood family; they shall carry (ἀποίσονται) guilt (ἁμαρτίαν). | And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness (ἀσχημοσύνην) of thy father’s sister, or of the sister of thy mother; for that man has uncovered the nakedness of one near akin: they shall bear (ἀποίσονται) their iniquity (ἁμαρτίαν). |
| And if a man shall lie with his uncle’s wife—he hath uncovered his uncle’s nakedness (עֶרְוַ֥ת)—they shall bear (יִשָּׂ֖אוּ) their sin;[3] they shall die childless. | If a man goes to bed with his aunt, he has exposed his uncle’s nakedness (ʽervâh, ערות); they must bear (nâśâʼ, ישׁאו) responsibility for their sin, they will die childless. | He who lies with one who is his relative—he has uncovered the shame (ἀσχημοσύνην) of his kinship; they shall die childless. | Whosoever shall lie with his near kinswoman, has uncovered the nakedness (ἀσχημοσύνην) of one near akin to him: they shall die childless. |
For all of my ἀσέβειαν (ἀσεβείας? NET: ungodliness) and all my many sins it never entered my mind to even want to see any of my aunts naked, much less to uncover their nakedness, have sex with them or children by them. Granted, none of my ten uncles or three great uncles had married women anywhere near my age. If they had, well, who knows?
The Hebrew words translated nakedness were וְעֶרְוַ֨ת (ʽervâh) and עֶרְוַ֥ת (ʽervâh). The rabbis chose ἀσχημοσύνην (a form of ἀσχημοσύνη). This is not the naked of Genesis.
|
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Genesis 2:25 (Tanakh) | Genesis 2:25 (NET) | Genesis 2:25 (NETS) |
Genesis 2:25 (Elpenor English) |
| And they were both naked (עֲרוּמִּ֔ים), the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. | The man and his wife were both naked (ʽârôm, ערומים), but they were not ashamed. | And the two were naked (γυμνοί), both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed. | And the two were naked (γυμνοί), both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed. |
There is a table below listing all occurrences of forms of עָרוֹם (ʽârôm) in the Old Testament along with their translations in the Septuagint (all forms of γυμνὸς). Here is the first occurrence of עֶרְוַ֣ת (ʽervâh) in the Masoretic text.
|
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Genesis 9:22, 23 (Tanakh) | Genesis 9:22, 23 (NET) | Genesis 9:22, 23 (NETS) |
Genesis 9:22, 23 (Elpenor English) |
| And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness (עֶרְוַ֣ת) of his father, and told his two brethren without. | Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness (ʽervâh, ערות) and told his two brothers who were outside. | And Cham, the father of Channan, saw the nakedness (γύμνωσιν) of his father, and after he had gone out he told his two brothers outside. | And Cham the father of Chanaan saw the nakedness (γύμνωσιν) of his father, and he went out and told his two brothers without. |
| And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness (עֶרְוַ֣ת) of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness (וְעֶרְוַ֥ת). | Shem and Japheth took the garment and placed it on their shoulders. Then they walked in backwards and covered up their father’s nakedness (ʽervâh, ערות). Their faces were turned the other way so they did not see their father’s nakedness (ʽervâh, וערות). | And Sem and Iapheth, when they had taken the garment, laid it on their two backs and walked backward and covered the nakedness (γύμνωσιν) of their father, and their face was looking backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness (γύμνωσιν). | And Sem and Japheth having taken a garment, put it on both their backs and went backwards, and covered the nakedness (γύμνωσιν) of their father; and their face [was] backward, and they saw not the nakedness (γύμνωσιν) of their father. |
The rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose γύμνωσιν (a form of γύμνωσις). They didn’t begin to use forms of ἀσχημοσύνη until Exodus (Table below). Christopher Fisher in his essay “was Canaan the child of Ham and Noah’s wife” quoted Leviticus 20:11 to make his point.
|
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Leviticus 20:11 (Tanakh) | Leviticus 20:11 (NET) Table | Leviticus 20:11 (NETS) |
Leviticus 20:11 (Elpenor English) |
| And the man that lieth with his father’s wife–he hath uncovered (גִּלָּ֑ה) his father’s nakedness–both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. | If a man goes to bed with his father’s wife, he has exposed (galah, גלה) his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves. | And if anyone lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered (ἀπεκάλυψεν) his father’s shame; let both of them by death be put to death; they are liable. | And if any one should lie with his father’s wife, he has uncovered (ἀπεκάλυψε) his father’s nakedness: let them both die the death, they are guilty. |
By equating Ham…saw (râʼâh, וַיַּ֗רְא; Septuagint: εἶδε(ν), a form of ὁράω) the nakedness of his father with he hath uncovered (galah, גִּלָּ֑ה; Septuagint: ἀπεκάλυψε(ν), a form of ἀποκαλύπτω) his father’s nakedness, Mr. Fisher argued that the former was a euphemism for Ham’s seduction/rape of his mother.
Gen 9:22 Ham (father of Canaan is highlighted) seeing that his father is incapacitated makes advances on his mother. After all, sex is pleasurable, men tend to desire multiple partners, not many women are available after a global flood, and his mother is probably still attractive due to pre-flood aging conditions. He gloats of his conquest to his brothers.
Gen 9:23 The brothers try damage control. They cover up their mother (is she drunk also?). The Bible tends to omit relevant facts about woman in Genesis (what was her name?).[4]
If I wanted to convict Ham anachronistically of violating Leviticus 20:11, I would say that he uncovered or exposed his father’s nakedness when he told his brothers about it rather than simply covering his father and going on about his day.
Dr. Rabbi David Frankel in his essay “Noah, Ham and the Curse of Canaan: Who Did What to Whom in the Tent? A new solution to why Canaan (not Ham) was cursed” argued that “Leviticus 20:17 shows that ‘seeing nakedness’ is a euphemism for sex.”
|
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Leviticus 20:17 (Tanakh) | Leviticus 20:17 (NET) Table | Leviticus 20:17 (NETS) |
Leviticus 20:17 (Elpenor English) |
| And if a man shall take (יִקַּ֣ח) his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see (וְרָאָ֨ה) her nakedness, and she see (תִרְאֶ֤ה) his nakedness: it is a shameful thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity. | If a man has marital relations (lâqach, יקח) with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or of his mother, so that he sees (râʼâh, וראה) her nakedness and she sees (râʼâh, תראה) 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. | He who takes (λάβῃ) his sister, from his father or from his mother, and sees (ἴδῃ) her shame, and she sees (ἴδῃ) his shame; it is a disgrace; they shall be exterminated before the sons of their race; he has uncovered his sister’s shame; he shall bear guilt. | Whosoever shall take (λάβῃ) his sister by his father or by his mother, and shall see (ἴδῃ) her nakedness, and she see (ἴδῃ) his nakedness, it is a reproach: they shall be destroyed before the children of their family; he has uncovered his sister’s nakedness, they shall bear their sin. |
I agree with the NET translators here that יִקַּ֣ח (lâqach; Tanakh: shall take) is the “euphemism for sex.” More to the point marital relations is a possible meaning for both יִקַּ֣ח (lâqach) and λάβῃ (a form of λαμβάνω). The clauses—and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness—clarified which meaning of shall take God intended. Without any indication that Ham “took” Noah, Dr. Frankel imagined “an earlier version” of the story:
As already anticipated by the Rabbis,[1] and suggested by some modern scholars, an earlier version of our story probably related a much more severe crime – the homosexual rape of his father when he was inebriated. This indeed is the kind of offense that would most naturally provoke the severe reaction depicted in the text.[5]
Why is it so difficult for us (for I’ve done it, too) to acknowledge the obvious truth that seeing his father’s nakedness and telling his brothers about it does not merit Noah’s angry curse? Not for Ham, certainly not for Canaan. I want to approach an answer a little differently this time (Ezekiel 33:10-20 NET).
“And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what you have said: “Our rebellious acts and our sins have caught up with us, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live? [Table]”’ Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but prefer that the wicked change his behavior and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil deeds! Why should you die, O house of Israel? [Table]’
“And you, son of man, say to your people, ‘The righteousness of the righteous will not deliver him if he rebels. As for the wicked, his wickedness will not make him stumble if he turns from it. The righteous will not be able to live by his righteousness if he sins [Table].’ Suppose I tell the righteous that he will certainly live, but he becomes confident in his righteousness and commits iniquity. None of his righteous deeds will be remembered; because of the iniquity he has committed he will die. Suppose I say to the wicked, ‘You must certainly die,’ but he turns from his sin and does what is just and right. He returns what was taken in pledge, pays back what he has stolen, and follows the statutes that give life, committing no iniquity. He will certainly live—he will not die. None of the sins he has committed will be counted against him. He has done what is just and right; he will certainly live.
“Yet your people say, ‘The behavior of the Lord is not right,’ when it is their behavior that is not right. When a righteous man turns from his godliness and commits iniquity, he will die for it. When the wicked turns from his sin and does what is just and right, he will live because of it. Yet you say, ‘The behavior of the Lord is not right.’ House of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his behavior.”
This is God’s own description of his criteria for judgment after the law was given, and before Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.[6] The Hebrew word translated righteous in, Suppose I tell the righteous that he will certainly live, was לַצַּדִּיק֙ (tsaddı̂yq). The rabbis chose δικαίῳ, a form of δίκαιος in the Septuagint. Moses described Noah as follows:
|
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Genesis 6:9 (Tanakh) | Genesis 6:9 (NET) Table | Genesis 6:9 (NETS) |
Genesis 6:9 (Elpenor English) |
| These are the generations of Noah. Noah was in his generations a man righteous (צַדִּ֛יק) and wholehearted; Noah walked with G-d. | This is the account of Noah. Noah was a godly (tsaddı̂yq, צדיק) man; he was blameless among his contemporaries. He walked with God. | Now these are the generations of Noe. Noe was a righteous (δίκαιος) man, being perfect in his era; Noe was well-pleasing to God. | And these [are] the generations of Noe. Noe was a just (δίκαιος) man; being perfect in his generation, Noe was well-pleasing to God. |
Before I fear too much for his soul I’m reminded of Paul’s description of Noah’s time: for before the law was given, sin was in the world, but there is no accounting for sin when there is no law.[7] Noah had a bad morning after a drunken night. The effect over time of his angry outburst was so horrific we want to blame it on God rather than sin. We’re not told how Canaan reacted to Noah’s curse, only how the Canaanites turned out vis-à-vis Noah’s God (Leviticus 20:22, 23).
|
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Leviticus 20:22, 23 (Tanakh) | Leviticus 20:22, 23 (NET) | Leviticus 20:22, 23 (NETS) |
Leviticus 20:22, 23 (Elpenor English) |
| Ye shall therefore keep (וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤ם) all My statutes, and all Mine ordinances, and do (וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם) them, that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, vomit you not out. | “‘You must be sure (shâmar, ושמרתם) to obey (ʽâśâh, ועשׁיתם) all my statutes and regulations, so that the land to which I am about to bring you to take up residence does not vomit you out. | And you shall keep (φυλάξασθε) all my ordinances and all my judgments and do (ποιήσετε) them, and the land to which I bring you there to settle in it will never be angry with you. | And keep (φυλάξασθε) ye all my ordinances, and my judgments; and ye shall do (ποιήσετε) them, and the land shall not be aggrieved with you, into which I bring you to dwell upon it. |
| And ye shall not walk in the customs of the nation, which I am casting out before you; for they did (עָשׂ֔וּ) all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. | You must not walk in the statutes of the nations which I am about to drive out before you, because they have done (ʽâśâh, עשׁו) all these things and I am filled with disgust against them. | And you shall not walk by the precepts of the nations that I am sending out away from you. Because they did (ἐποίησαν) all these things, I also abhorred them. | And walk ye not in the customs of the nations which I drive out from before you; for they have done (ἐποίησαν) all these things, and I have abhorred them: |
Though Jesus said, I have not come to call the righteous (δικαίους, another form of δίκαιος), but sinners to repentance,[8] Noah’s bad example highlights the same take home message for the righteous as it does for sinners: Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’[9] So what does this have to do with I punish the sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons for the sin of the fathers who reject me?
Meditating on a law I’ve never thought to break seems clearer somehow than those that tempt me. This is law; they shall die childless is a penalty for violating a law, a punishment. I thought that God’s raison d’etre was to punish me for sin.[10] Mr. Fisher was offended by “literalists.” Dr. Frankel must understand the Old Testament without Jesus’ confidence or guidance. We’ve all come to the Bible and to God with personal issues to work through and erroneous beliefs in need of correction.
There was a time when I regarded children as God’s punishment[11] for sex. What if I had meditated on Leviticus 20:19 and 20 fifty years ago? Would I have discovered the errors in my thinking? Or would I have found my aunts a whole lot sexier?
Banging my head against a wall hurts and causes bruises, bumps and bleeding. Given my history, thinking of pain, bruises, bumps and bleeding as God’s punishment for banging my head against a wall seems too much like serving under the old written code rather than in the new life of the Spirit.[12] Of course, God could have made me in such a way that banging my head against a wall didn’t cause me any pain, bruises, bumps or bleeding. So I suppose some may think of pain, bruises, bumps or bleeding as punishment. The point—whether I think of it as punishment or not—is to stop banging my head against a wall.
A table of occurrences of all the forms of עָרוֹם (ʽârôm) and their translations in two versions of the Septuagint follows.
| Reference | Tanakh (Chabad.org) | NET Parallel Greek | BLB Septuagint | Elpenor Septuagint |
| Genesis 2:25 | עֲרוּמִּ֔ים | ʽârôm, ערומים | γυμνοί | γυμνοί |
| 1 Samuel (1 Kings) 19:24 | עָרֹ֔ם | ʽârôm, ערם | γυμνὸς | γυμνὸς |
| Job 1:21 | עָרֹ֨ם | ʽârôm, ערם | γυμνὸς | γυμνὸς |
| וְעָרֹם֙ | ʽârôm, וערם | γυμνὸς | γυμνὸς | |
| Job 22:6 | עֲרוּמִּ֣ים | ʽârôm, ערומים | γυμνῶν | γυμνῶν |
| Job 24:7 | עָר֣וֹם | ʽârôm, ערום | γυμνοὺς | γυμνοὺς |
| Job 24:10 | עָר֣וֹם | ʽârôm, ערום | γυμνοὺς | γυμνοὺς |
| Job 26:6 | עָר֣וֹם | ʽârôm, ערום | γυμνὸς | γυμνὸς |
| Ecclesiastes 5:15 (5:14) | עָר֛וֹם | ʽârôm, ערום | γυμνός | γυμνός |
| Isaiah 20:2 | עָר֥וֹם | ʽârôm, ערום | γυμνὸς | γυμνὸς |
| Isaiah 20:3 | עָר֣וֹם | ʽârôm, ערום | γυμνὸς | γυμνὸς |
| Isaiah 20:4 | עָר֣וֹם | ʽârôm, ערום | γυμνοὺς | γυμνοὺς |
| Isaiah 58:7[13] | עָרֹם֙ | ʽârôm, ערם | γυμνόν | γυμνόν |
| Hosea 2:3 (2:5) | עֲרֻמָּ֔ה | ʽârôm, ערמה | γυμνὴν | γυμνὴν |
| Amos 2:16 | עָר֛וֹם | ʽârôm, ערום | γυμνὸς | γυμνὸς |
| Micah 1:8 | וְעָר֑וֹם | ʽârôm, וערום | γυμνή | γυμνή |
A table of occurrences of forms of עֶרְוָה (ʽervâh) in Genesis through Leviticus and their translations in two versions of the Septuagint follows.
| Reference | Tanakh (Chabad.org) | NET Parallel Greek | BLB Septuagint | Elpenor Septuagint |
| Genesis 9:22 | עֶרְוַ֣ת | ʽervâh, ערות | γύμνωσιν | γύμνωσιν |
| Genesis 9:23 | עֶרְוַ֣ת | ʽervâh, ערות | γύμνωσιν | γύμνωσιν |
| וְעֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, וערות | γύμνωσιν | γύμνωσιν | |
| Genesis 42:9 | עֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἴχνη | ἴχνη |
| Genesis 42:12 | עֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἴχνη | ἴχνη |
| Exodus 20:26 (20:23) | עֶרְוָֽתְךָ֖ | ʽervâh, ערותך | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| Exodus 28:42 (28:38) | עֶרְוָ֑ה | ʽervâh, ערוה | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| Leviticus 18:6 | עֶרְוָ֑ה | ʽervâh, ערוה | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| Leviticus 18:7 | עֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| וְעֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, וערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην | |
| עֶרְוָתָֽהּ | ʽervâh, ערותה | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην | |
| Leviticus 18:8 | עֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| עֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνη | ἀσχημοσύνη | |
| Leviticus 18:9 | עֶרְוַ֨ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| עֶרְוָתָֽן | ʽervâh, ערותן | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην | |
| Leviticus 18:10 | עֶרְוַ֤ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| עֶרְוָתָ֑ן | ʽervâh, ערותן | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην | |
| עֶרְוָֽתְךָ֖ | ʽervâh, ערותך | ἀσχημοσύνη | ἀσχημοσύνη | |
| Leviticus 18:11 | עֶרְוַ֨ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| עֶרְוָתָֽהּ | ʽervâh, ערותה | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην | |
| Leviticus 18:12 | עֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| Leviticus 18:13 | עֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| Leviticus 18:14 | עֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| Leviticus 18:15 | עֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| עֶרְוָתָֽהּ | ʽervâh, ערותה | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην | |
| Leviticus 18:16 | עֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| עֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνη | ἀσχημοσύνη | |
| Leviticus 18:17 | עֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| עֶרְוָתָ֔הּ | ʽervâh, ערותה | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην | |
| Leviticus 18:18 | עֶרְוָתָ֛הּ | ʽervâh, ערותה | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| Leviticus 18:19 | עֶרְוָתָֽהּ | ʽervâh, ערותה | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| Leviticus 20:11 | עֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| Levitiscus 20:17 | עֶרְוָתָ֜הּ | ʽervâh, ערותה | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| עֶרְוָתוֹ֙ | ʽervâh, ערותו | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην | |
| עֶרְוַ֧ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην | |
| Leviticus 20:18 | עֶרְוָתָהּ֙ | ʽervâh, ערותה | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| Leviticus 20:19 | וְעֶרְוַ֨ת | ʽervâh, וערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| Leviticus 20:20 | עֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
| Leviticus 20:21 | עֶרְוַ֥ת | ʽervâh, ערות | ἀσχημοσύνην | ἀσχημοσύνην |
Tables comparing Leviticus 20:19; 20:20; Genesis 2:25; 9:22; 9:23; Leviticus 20:11; 20:17; Ezekiel 33:13; 33:14; 33:15; 33:16; 33:17; 33:18; 33:19; 33:20; Genesis 6:9; Leviticus 20:22 and 20:23 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Leviticus 20:19; 20:20; Genesis 2:25; 9:22; 9:23; Leviticus 20:11; 20:17; Ezekiel 33:13; 33:14; 33:15; 33:16; 33:17; 33:18; 33:19; 33:20; Genesis 6:9; Leviticus 20:22 and 20:23 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.
| Leviticus 20:19 (KJV) | ||
| And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, nor of thy father’s sister; for he hath made naked his near kin; they shall bear their iniquity. | And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, nor of thy father’s sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity. | You must not expose the nakedness of your mother’s sister or your father’s sister, for such a person has exposed his own close relative. They must bear their punishment for iniquity. |
| καὶ ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς πατρός σου καὶ ἀδελφῆς μητρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις τὴν γὰρ οἰκειότητα ἀπεκάλυψεν ἁμαρτίαν ἀποίσονται | καὶ ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς πατρός σου καὶ ἀδελφῆς μητρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις· τὴν γὰρ οἰκειότητα ἀπεκάλυψεν, ἁμαρτίαν ἀποίσονται |
| And you shall not uncover the shame of your father’s sister or of your mother’s sister, for one has laid bare one’s own blood family; they shall carry guilt. | And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister, or of the sister of thy mother; for that man has uncovered the nakedness of one near akin: they shall bear their iniquity. |
| Leviticus 20:20 (KJV) | ||
| And if a man shall lie with his uncle’s wife–he hath uncovered his uncle’s nakedness–they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless. | And if a man shall lie with his uncle’s wife, he hath uncovered his uncle’s nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless. | If a man goes to bed with his aunt, he has exposed his uncle’s nakedness; they must bear responsibility for their sin, they will die childless. |
| ὃς ἂν κοιμηθῇ μετὰ τῆς συγγενοῦς αὐτοῦ ἀσχημοσύνην τῆς συγγενείας αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψεν ἄτεκνοι ἀποθανοῦνται | ὃς ἂν κοιμηθῇ μετὰ τῆς συγγενοῦς αὐτοῦ, ἀσχημοσύνην τῆς συγγενείας αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψεν, ἄτεκνοι ἀποθανοῦνται |
| He who lies with one who is his relative—he has uncovered the shame of his kinship; they shall die childless. | Whosoever shall lie with his near kinswoman, has uncovered the nakedness of one near akin to him: they shall die childless. |
| Genesis 2:25 (KJV) | ||
| And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. | And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. | The man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed. |
| καὶ ἦσαν οἱ δύο γυμνοί ὅ τε Αδαμ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ᾐσχύνοντο | καὶ ἦσαν οἱ δύο γυμνοί, ὅ τε ᾿Αδὰμ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ᾐσχύνοντο |
| And the two were naked, both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed. | And the two were naked, both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed. |
| Genesis 9:22 (KJV) | ||
| And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. | And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. | Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers who were outside. |
| καὶ εἶδεν Χαμ ὁ πατὴρ Χανααν τὴν γύμνωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἀνήγγειλεν τοῗς δυσὶν ἀδελφοῗς αὐτοῦ ἔξω | καὶ εἶδε Χὰμ ὁ πατὴρ Χαναὰν τὴν γύμνωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἀνήγγειλε τοῖς δυσὶν ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ ἔξω |
| And Cham, the father of Channan, saw the nakedness of his father, and after he had gone out he told his two brothers outside. | And Cham the father of Chanaan saw the nakedness of his father, and he went out and told his two brothers without. |
| Genesis 9:23 (KJV) | ||
| And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. | And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. | Shem and Japheth took the garment and placed it on their shoulders. Then they walked in backwards and covered up their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so they did not see their father’s nakedness. |
| καὶ λαβόντες Σημ καὶ Ιαφεθ τὸ ἱμάτιον ἐπέθεντο ἐπὶ τὰ δύο νῶτα αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν ὀπισθοφανῶς καὶ συνεκάλυψαν τὴν γύμνωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν ὀπισθοφανές καὶ τὴν γύμνωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν οὐκ εἶδον | καὶ λαβόντες Σὴμ καὶ ᾿Ιάφεθ τὸ ἱμάτιον ἐπέθεντο ἐπὶ τὰ δύο νῶτα αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν ὀπισθοφανῶς καὶ συνεκάλυψαν τὴν γύμνωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν, καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν ὀπισθοφανῶς, καὶ τὴν γύμνωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν οὐκ εἶδον |
| And Sem and Iapheth, when they had taken the garment, laid it on their two backs and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father, and their face was looking backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. | And Sem and Japheth having taken a garment, put it on both their backs and went backwards, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their face [was] backward, and they saw not the nakedness of their father. |
| Leviticus 20:11 (KJV) | ||
| And the man that lieth with his father’s wife–he hath uncovered his father’s nakedness–both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. | 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 goes to bed 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. |
| ἐάν τις κοιμηθῇ μετὰ γυναικὸς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἀσχημοσύνην τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψεν θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν ἀμφότεροι ἔνοχοί εἰσιν | καὶ ἐάν τις κοιμηθῇ μετὰ γυναικὸς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, ἀσχημοσύνην τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψε, θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν, ἀμφότεροι ἔνοχοί εἰσι |
| And if anyone lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s shame; let both of them by death be put to death; they are liable. | And if any one should lie with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness: let them both die the death, they are guilty. |
| Leviticus 20:17 (KJV) | ||
| And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness: it is a shameful thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity. | And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity. | If a man has marital relations with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or of 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. |
| ὃς ἐὰν λάβῃ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ ἐκ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἢ ἐκ μητρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἴδῃ τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς καὶ αὕτη ἴδῃ τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτοῦ ὄνειδός ἐστιν ἐξολεθρευθήσονται ἐνώπιον υἱῶν γένους αὐτῶν ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψεν ἁμαρτίαν κομιοῦνται | ὃς ἂν λάβῃ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ ἐκ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἢ ἐκ μητρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἴδῃ τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς καὶ αὕτη ἴδῃ τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτοῦ, ὄνειδός ἐστιν, ἐξολοθρευθήσονται ἐνώπιον υἱῶν γένους αὐτῶν· ἀσχημοσύνην ἀδελφῆς αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψεν, ἁμαρτίαν κομιοῦνται |
| He who takes his sister, from his father or from his mother, and sees her shame, and she sees his shame; it is a disgrace; they shall be exterminated before the sons of their race; he has uncovered his sister’s shame; he shall bear guilt. | Whosoever shall take his sister by his father or by his mother, and shall see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness, it is a reproach: they shall be destroyed before the children of their family; he has uncovered his sister’s nakedness, they shall bear their sin. |
| Ezekiel 33:13 (KJV) | ||
| When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. | When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. | Suppose I tell the righteous that he will certainly live, but he becomes confident in his righteousness and commits iniquity. None of his righteous deeds will be remembered; because of the iniquity he has committed he will die. |
| ἐν τῷ εἶπαί με τῷ δικαίῳ οὗτος πέποιθεν ἐπὶ τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιήσῃ ἀνομίαν πᾶσαι αἱ δικαιοσύναι αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ ἀναμνησθῶσιν ἐν τῇ ἀδικίᾳ αὐτοῦ ᾗ ἐποίησεν ἐν αὐτῇ ἀποθανεῗται | ἐν τῷ εἰπεῖν με τῷ δικαίῳ· οὗτος πέποιθεν ἐπὶ τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ποιήσει ἀνομίαν, πᾶσαι αἱ δικαιοσύναι αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ ἀναμνησθῶσιν· ἐν τῇ ἀδικίᾳ αὐτοῦ, ᾗ ἐποίησεν, ἐν αὐτῇ ἀποθανεῖται |
| When I say to the righteous, “He trusts in his righteousness,” and should he commit lawlessness, none of his righteous acts shall be recalled in his injustice that he has committed; in it he shall die. | When I say to the righteous, [Thou shalt live; and] he trusts in his righteousness, and shall commit iniquity, none of his righteousnesses shall be remembered; in his unrighteousness which he has wrought, in it shall he die. |
| Ezekiel 33:14 (KJV) | ||
| Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; | Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; | Suppose I say to the wicked, ‘You must certainly die,’ but he turns from his sin and does what is just and right. |
| καὶ ἐν τῷ εἶπαί με τῷ ἀσεβεῗ θανάτῳ θανατωθήσῃ καὶ ἀποστρέψῃ ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιήσῃ κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην | καὶ ἐν τῷ εἰπεῖν με τῷ ἀσεβεῖ· θανάτῳ θανατωθήσῃ, καὶ ἀποστρέψει ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιήσει κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην |
| And when I say to the impious, “By death you shall be put to death, and you shall turn back from your sin,” and should he perform judgment and righteousness | And when I say to the ungodly, Thou shalt surely die; and he shall turn from his sin, and do judgment and justice, |
| Ezekiel 33:15 (KJV) | ||
| If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. | If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. | He returns what was taken in pledge, pays back what he has stolen, and follows the statutes that give life, committing no iniquity. He will certainly live—he will not die. |
| καὶ ἐνεχύρασμα ἀποδῷ καὶ ἅρπαγμα ἀποτείσῃ ἐν προστάγμασιν ζωῆς διαπορεύηται τοῦ μὴ ποιῆσαι ἄδικον ζωῇ ζήσεται καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ | καὶ ἐνεχύρασμα ἀποδῷ καὶ ἅρπαγμα ἀποτίσει, ἐν προστάγμασι ζωῆς διαπορεύηται τοῦ μὴ ποιῆσαι ἄδικον, ζωῇ ζήσεται καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ |
| and restore a pledge and give back robbery, walk in the ordinances of life so as not to do what is wrong, by life he shall live, and he shall not die; | and return the pledge, and repay that which he has robbed, [and] walk in the ordinances of life, so as to do no wrong; he shall surely live, and shall not die. |
| Ezekiel 33:16 (KJV) | ||
| None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live. | None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live. | None of the sins he has committed will be counted against him. He has done what is just and right; he will certainly live. |
| πᾶσαι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτοῦ ἃς ἥμαρτεν οὐ μὴ ἀναμνησθῶσιν ὅτι κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην ἐποίησεν ἐν αὐτοῗς ζήσεται | πᾶσαι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτοῦ, ἃς ἥμαρτεν, οὐ μὴ ἀναμνησθῶσιν, ὅτι κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην ἐποίησεν, ἐν αὐτοῖς ζήσεται |
| none of his sins that he has committed shall be recalled, for he has performed judgment and righteousness; in them he shall live. | None of his sins which he has committed shall be remembered: because he has wrought judgment and righteousness; by them shall he live. |
| Ezekiel 33:17 (KJV) | ||
| Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. | Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. | “Yet your people say, ‘The behavior of the Lord is not right,’ when it is their behavior that is not right. |
| καὶ ἐροῦσιν οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ λαοῦ σου οὐκ εὐθεῗα ἡ ὁδὸς τοῦ κυρίου καὶ αὕτη ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτῶν οὐκ εὐθεῗα | καὶ ἐροῦσιν οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ λαοῦ σου· οὐκ εὐθεῖα ἡ ὁδὸς τοῦ Κυρίου· καὶ αὕτη ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτῶν οὐκ εὐθεῖα |
| And the sons of your people shall say, “The way of the Lord is not right,” and this way of theirs is not right. | Yet the children of thy people will say, The way of the Lord is not straight: whereas this their way is not straight. |
| Ezekiel 33:18 (KJV) | ||
| When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. | When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. | When a righteous man turns from his godliness and commits iniquity, he will die for it. |
| ἐν τῷ ἀποστρέψαι δίκαιον ἀπὸ τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιήσῃ ἀνομίας καὶ ἀποθανεῗται ἐν αὐταῗς | ἐν τῷ ἀποστρέψαι δίκαιον ἀπὸ τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιήσει ἀνομίας, καὶ ἀποθανεῖται ἐν αὐταῖς |
| When a righteous one has turned back from his righteousness and should he commit acts of lawlessness, he shall die in them. | When the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and shall commit iniquities, then shall he die in them. |
| Ezekiel 33:19 (KJV) | ||
| But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. | But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. | When the wicked turns from his sin and does what is just and right, he will live because of it. |
| καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀποστρέψαι τὸν ἁμαρτωλὸν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιήσῃ κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην ἐν αὐτοῗς αὐτὸς ζήσεται | καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀποστρέψαι τὸν ἁμαρτωλὸν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιήσει κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην, ἐν αὐτοῖς αὐτὸς ζήσεται |
| And when the sinner turns back from his lawlessness and performs judgment and righteousness, in them he shall live. | And when the sinner turns from his iniquity, and shall do judgment and righteousness, he shall live by them. |
| Ezekiel 33:20 (KJV) | ||
| Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways. | Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways. | Yet you say, ‘The behavior of the Lord is not right.’ House of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his behavior.” |
| καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν ὃ εἴπατε οὐκ εὐθεῗα ἡ ὁδὸς κυρίου ἕκαστον ἐν ταῗς ὁδοῗς αὐτοῦ κρινῶ ὑμᾶς οἶκος Ισραηλ | καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὃ εἴπατε· οὐκ εὐθεῖα ἡ ὁδὸς Κυρίου· ἕκαστον ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ κρινῶ ὑμᾶς, οἶκος ᾿Ισραήλ |
| And this is what you said, “The way of the Lord is not right”; I will judge each of you by his ways, O house of Israel. | And this is that which ye said, The way of the Lord is [not] straight. I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one for his ways. |
| Genesis 6:9 (KJV) | ||
| These are the generations of Noah. Noah was in his generations a man righteous and wholehearted; Noah walked with G-d. | These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. | This is the account of Noah. Noah was a godly man; he was blameless among his contemporaries. He walked with God. |
| αὗται δὲ αἱ γενέσεις Νωε Νωε ἄνθρωπος δίκαιος τέλειος ὢν ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ αὐτοῦ τῷ θεῷ εὐηρέστησεν Νωε | Αὗται δὲ αἱ γενέσεις Νῶε· Νῶε ἄνθρωπος δίκαιος, τέλειος ὢν ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ αὐτοῦ· τῷ Θεῷ εὐηρέστησε Νῶε |
| Now these are the generations of Noe. Noe was a righteous man, being perfect in his era; Noe was well-pleasing to God. | And these [are] the generations of Noe. Noe was a just man; being perfect in his generation, Noe was well-pleasing to God. |
| Leviticus 20:22 (KJV) | ||
| Ye shall therefore keep all My statutes, and all Mine ordinances, and do them, that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, vomit you not out. | Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out. | “‘You must be sure to obey all my statutes and regulations, so that the land to which I am about to bring you to take up residence does not vomit you out. |
| καὶ φυλάξασθε πάντα τὰ προστάγματά μου καὶ τὰ κρίματά μου καὶ ποιήσετε αὐτά καὶ οὐ μὴ προσοχθίσῃ ὑμῗν ἡ γῆ εἰς ἣν ἐγὼ εἰσάγω ὑμᾶς ἐκεῗ κατοικεῗν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς | Καὶ φυλάξασθε πάντα τὰ προστάγματά μου, καὶ τὰ κρίματά μου καὶ ποιήσετε αὐτά, καὶ οὐ μὴ προσοχθίσῃ ὑμῖν ἡ γῆ, εἰς ἣν ἐγὼ εἰσάγω ὑμᾶς ἐκεῖ κατοικεῖν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς |
| And you shall keep all my ordinances and all my judgments and do them, and the land to which I bring you there to settle in it will never be angry with you. | And keep ye all my ordinances, and my judgments; and ye shall do them, and the land shall not be aggrieved with you, into which I bring you to dwell upon it. |
| Leviticus 20:23 (KJV) | ||
| And ye shall not walk in the customs of the nation, which I am casting out before you; for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. | And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. | You must not walk in the statutes of the nations which I am about to drive out before you, because they have done all these things and I am filled with disgust against them. |
| καὶ οὐχὶ πορεύεσθε τοῗς νομίμοις τῶν ἐθνῶν οὓς ἐξαποστέλλω ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν ὅτι ταῦτα πάντα ἐποίησαν καὶ ἐβδελυξάμην αὐτούς | καὶ οὐχὶ πορεύεσθε τοῖς νομίμοις τῶν ἐθνῶν, οὓς ἐξαποστέλλω ἀφ᾿ ὑμῶν· ὅτι ταῦτα πάντα ἐποίησαν, καὶ ἐβδελυξάμην αὐτούς. |
| And you shall not walk by the precepts of the nations that I am sending out away from you. Because they did all these things, I also abhorred them. | And walk ye not in the customs of the nations which I drive out from before you; for they have done all these things, and I have abhorred them: |
[1] Philippians 4:19 (NET) Table
[2] Deuteronomy 5:9b (NET) Table
[3] This clause translated from the Masoretic text was ignored by the rabbis who translated the Septuagint or absent from the Hebrew source they translated.
[4] Christopher Fisher, “was Canaan the child of Ham and Noah’s wife”
[5] Dr. Rabbi David Frankel, “Noah, Ham and the Curse of Canaan: Who Did What to Whom in the Tent? A new solution to why Canaan (not Ham) was cursed”
[10] Who Am I? Part 2; Who Am I? Part 3; Torture, Part 4
[11] David’s Forgiveness, Part 2; Torture, Part 4; Romans, Part 2
[13] It is extremely interesting to compare Isaiah 58:6-11 with Matthew 25:31-46.