Leviticus 18 commentary

Here is a law against all conformity to the corrupt usages of the heathen. Also laws against incest, against brutal lusts, and barbarous idolatries; and the enforcement of these laws from the ruin of the Canaanites. God here gives moral precepts. Close and constant adherence to God's ordinances is the most effectual preservative from gross sin. The grace of God only will secure us; that grace is to be expected only in the use of the means of grace. Nor does He ever leave any to their hearts' lusts, till they have left him and his services.

1. And the Lord spoke unto Moses. I have not introduced this declaration amongst other similar ones, which had for their object the preparation of their minds for the reverent reception of the Law, because, whatever conformity there may be in the words themselves, in their substance there is a great difference; for they were general, whereas this is specially confined to a single point. For it was not God’s intention here merely to exhort the people to the study of the Law, but the address respecting the keeping of His statutes is directed to the present cause, since He does not refer indifferently to all the statutes of Himself and of the Gentiles, but restricts Himself to the subject-matter, as it is called; and thus, by the statutes of the Gentiles, He means those corruptions whereby they had perverted His pure institution as to holy matrimony. First, however, tie forbids them from following the customs of the Egyptians, and then includes all the Canaanitish nations. For, since all the Orientals are libidinous, they never had any scruple in polluting themselves by incestuous marriages; whilst it is abundantly proved by history, how great were the excesses of the Egyptians “A very objectionable custom, which is not only noticed by Diodorus, but is fully authenticated by the sculptures both of Upper and Lower Egypt, existed among them from the earliest times, the origin and policy of which it is not easy to explain — the marriage of brother and sister, which Diodorus supposes to have been owing to, and sanctioned by, that of His and Osiris; but as this was purely an allegorical fable, and these ideal personages never lived on earth, his conjecture is of little weight; nor does any ancient writer offer a satisfactory explanation of so strange a custom.” — Wilkinson’s Popular Account of the Ancient Egyptians, 2:224. in this respect. A brother had no abhorrence against marrying his uterine sister, nor a paternal or maternal uncle his niece; in a word, they were so dead to. shame that they were carried away by their lusts to trample upon all the laws of nature. This is the reason why God here enumerates the kinds of incest of which the mention would else have been superfluous.

4. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments. Because it is no less difficult to correct vices, to which men have been long accustomed, than to cure diseases of long standing, especially because people in general so pertinaciously cleave to bad examples, God adduces His statutes, in order to recall the people from the errors of their evil habits into the right way. For nothing is more absurd than for us to fix our minds on the actions of men, and not on God’s word, in which is to be found the rule of a holy life. It is, therefore, just as if God would overthrow whatever had been received from long custom, and abolish the universal consent of the world by the authority of His doctrine. With this object He commands His Law to be regarded not once only, as we have already seen, lest the Israelites should abandon themselves to filthy lusts; but He diligently inculcates upon them, that they should turn away from all abuses, and keep themselves within the bounds and ordinances of His Law. And to this refers the expression, “I am the Lord your God;” containing a comparison between Himself and the heathen nations, between whom and His people He had interposed, as it were, a wall of partition.

5. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes. Although Moses introduces this passage, where he exhorts the Israelites to cultivate chastity in respect to marriage, and not to fall into the incestuous pollutions of the Gentiles, yet, as it is a remarkable one, and contains general instruction, from whence Paul derives his definition of the righteousness of the Law, (Romans 10:5,) it seems to me to come in very appropriately here, inasmuch as it sanctions and confirms the Law by the promise of reward. The hope of eternal life is, therefore, given to all who keep the Law; for those who expound the passage as referring to this earthly and transitory life are mistaken. “This some understand only of temporal life and prosperity in this world, Origen, Tostat. Oleaster, Vatablus; and make this to be the meaning, — that, as the transgressors of the Law were to die, so they which kept it should preserve their life, Thom. Aquin. 1. 2. q. 100, a. 12; but I prefer rather Hesychius’ judgment, — Per quas oeterna vita hominibus datur,” etc. — Willet Hexapla, in loco. There appears to be unusual discrepancy on this point between the commentators, whether Romanist or Protestant. Bush and Holden apply it to temporal life. Bonar says, “If, as most think, we are to take, in this place, the words ‘live in them,’ as meaning ‘eternal life to be got by them,’ the scope of the passage is, that so excellent are God’s laws, and every special minute detail of these laws, that if a man were to keep these always and perfectly, the very keeping would be eternal life to him. And the quotations in Romans 10:5, and Galatians 3:12, would seem to determine this to be the true and only sense here.” C.’s view appears to be confirmed by our Lord’s reply in Matthew 19:17, referred to in Poole’s Synopsis. The cause of this error was, because they feared that thus the righteousness of faith might be subverted, and salvation grounded on the merit of works. But Scripture does not therefore deny that men are justified by works, because the Law itself is imperfect, or does not give instructions for perfect righteousness; but because the promise is made of none effect by our corruption and sin. Paul, therefore, as I have just said, when he teaches that righteousness is to be sought for in the grace of Christ by faith, (Romans 10:4,) proves his statement by this argument, that none is justified who has not fulfilled what the Law commands. Elsewhere also he reasons by contrast, where he contends that the Law does not accord with faith as regards the cause of justification, because the Law requires works for the attainment of salvation, whilst faith directs us to Christ, that we may be delivered from the curse of the Law. Foolishly, then, do some reject as an absurdity the statement, that if a man fulfills the Law he attains to righteousness; for the defect does not arise from the doctrine of the Law, but from the infirmity of men, as is plain from another testimony given by Paul. (Romans 8:3.) We must observe, however, that salvation is not to be expected from the Law unless its precepts be in every respect complied with; for life is not promised to one who shall have done this thing, or that thing, but, by the plural word, full obedience is required of us. The pratings of the Popish theologians about partial righteousness are frivolous and silly, since God embraces at once all the commandments; and who is there that can boast of having thoroughly fulfilled them? If, then, none was ever clear of transgression, or ever will be, although God by no means deceives us, yet the promise becomes ineffectual, because we do not perform our part of the agreement.

Deuteronomy 27

Deuteronomy 27:11-26

11. And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,

11. Praecepitque Moses populo eo die, dicendo:

12. These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin.

12. Hi stabunt ad benedicendum populo super montem Garizim, quando transieris Jordanem, Simon, et Levi, et Juda, et Issachar, et Joseph, et Benjamin:

13. And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Ashur, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

13. Isti vero stabunt ad maledictionem in monte Ebal, Ruben, Gad, et Aser, et Zebulon, Dan et Nephthali.

14. And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice,

14. Loquentur autem Levitae, ac dicent ad omnem virum Israel voce excelsa:

15. Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place: and all the people shall answer and say, Amen.

15. Maledictus vir ille qui fecerit sculptile, et conflatile, abominationem Jehovae, opus manuum artificis, et posuerit in abscondito: et respondebunt universus populus, ac dicent, Amen.

16. Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother: and all the people shall say, Amen.

16. Maledictus qui vilipenderit patrem suum, aut matrem suam: et dicet universus populus, Amen.

17. Cursed be he that removeth his neighbor’s land-mark: and all the people shall say, Amen.

17. Maledictus qui transfert terminum proximi sui, et dicet universus populus, Amen.

18. Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way: and all the people shall say, Amen.

18. Maledictus qui aberrare facit caecum in via: et dicet universus populus, Amen.

19. Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow: and all the people shall say, Amen.

19. Maledictus qui pervertit judicium peregrini, pupilli, et viduae: et dicet universus populus, Amen.

20. Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife; because he uncovereth his father’s skirt: and all the people shall say, Amen.

20. Maledictus qui coierit cum uxore patris sui, quia discooperuit oram patris sui, et dicet universus populus, Amen.

21. Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast: and all the people shall say, Amen.

21. Maledictus qui coierit cum quovis animali, et dicet universus populus, Amen.

22. Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother: and all the people shall say, Amen.

22. Maledictus qui coierit cum sorore sua, filia patris sui, vel filia matris suae, et dicet universus populus, Amen.

23. Cursed be he that lieth with his mother-in-law: and all the people shall say, Amen.

23. Maledictus qui coierit cum socru sua: et dicet universus populus, Amen.

24. Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbor secretly: and all the people shall say, Amen.

24. Maledictus qui percusscrit proximum suum abscondite: et dicet universus populus, Amen.

25. Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person: and all the people shall say, Amen.

25. Maledictus qui acceperit munus, ut percutiat plaga animae sanguinem innocentem: et dicet universus populus, Amen.

26. Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them: and all the people shall say, Amen.

26. Maledictus qui non stabilierit verba Legis istius faciendo illa: et dicet universus populus, Amen.

6. None of you shall approach to any that is near. This name does not include all female relations; for cousin-ger-mans of the father’s or mother’s side are permitted to intermarry; but it must be restricted to the degrees, which He proceeds to enumerate, and is merely a brief preface, declaring that there are certain degrees of relationship which render marriages incestuous. We may, therefore, define these female relations of blood to be those which are spoken of immediately afterwards, viz., that a son should not marry his mother, nor a son-in-law his mother-in-law; nor a paternal or maternal uncle his niece, nor a grandfather his granddaughter, nor a brother his sister, nor a nephew his paternal or maternal aunt, or his uncle’s wife, nor a father-in-law his daughter-in-law, nor a brother-in-law his brother’s wife, nor a step-father his stepdaughter. The Roman laws accord with the rule prescribed by God, as if their authors had learnt from Moses what was decorous and agreeable to nature. The phrase which God uses frequently “to uncover the turpitude,” is intended to awaken abhorrence, in order that the Israelites may beware more diligently of all incest. The Hebrew word, indeed, ערוה, gnervah, signifies nakedness, therefore some translate it actively, “the nakedness of thy father,” i e., the womb which thy father hath uncovered; but this meaning would not be suitable to the nakedness of thy daughter, or thy daughter-in-law, or thy sister. Consequently, there is no doubt but that Moses means to denote that it is a filthy and shameful thing.

We must remember, what I have already hinted, that not only are incestuous connections out of wedlock condemned, but that the degrees are pointed out, within which marriages are unlawful. It is true, indeed, that this was a part of the political constitution which God established for His ancient people; still, it must be borne in mind, that whatever is prescribed here is deduced from the source of rectitude itself, and from the natural feelings implanted in us by Him. Absurd is the cleverness which some persons but little versed in Scripture pretend to, Thus, the third Canon of the 24th Session of the Council of Trent declares; “Si quis dixerit, eos tantum consanguinitatis et affinitatis gradus, qui Levitico exprimentur, posse impedire matrimonium, et dirimere contractum: nec posse Ecclesiam in nonnullis illorum dispensare, aut constituere, ut plures impediant, et dirimant, anathema sit.” “Atqui plane certum est, (says Lorinus, in loco,) praecepta de gradibus in isto capite contenta, cum non sint omnia pure moralia, et naturalia, sed quaedam positiva, et judicialia, per se non obligare Christianos, et idcirco posse per Ecclesiam in quibusdam dispensari.” who assert that the Law being abrogated, the obligations under which Moses laid his countrymen are now dissolved; for it is to be inferred from the preface above expounded, that. the instruction here given is not, nor ought to be accounted, merely political. For, since their lusts had led astray all the neighboring nations into incest, God, in order to inculcate chastity amongst his people, says; “I am the Lord your God, ye shall therefore keep my statutes; walk not after the doings of the land of Egypt and of Canaan;” and then He adds what are the degrees of consanguinity and affinity within which the marriage of men and women is forbidden. If any again object that what has been disobeyed in many countries is not to be accounted the law of the Gentiles, the reply is easy, viz., that the barbarism, which prevailed in the East, does not nullify that chastity which is opposed to the abominations of the Gentiles; since what is natural cannot be abrogated by any consent or custom. In short, the prohibition of incests here set forth, is by no means of the number of those laws which are commonly abrogated according to the circumstances of time and place, since it flows from the fountain of nature itself, and is founded on the general principle of all laws, which is perpetual and inviolable. Certainly God declares that the custom which had prevailed amongst the heathen was displeasing to Him; and why is this, but because nature itself repudiates and abhors filthiness, although approved of by the consent (suffragiis) of men? Wherefore, when God would by this distinction separate His chosen people from heathen nations, we may assuredly conclude that the incests which He commands them to avoid are absolute pollutions. Paul, on a very trifling point, sets before our eyes the law of nature; for, when he teaches that it is shameful and indecorous for women to appear in public without veils, he desires them to consider, whether it would be decent for them to present themselves publicly with their heads shorn; and finally adds, that nature itself does not permit it. (1 Corinthians 11:14.) Wherefore, I do not see, that, under the pretext of its being a political Law, “Sous couverture que la Loy de Moyse a cesse” — Fr. Under the pretext that the Law of Moses has ceased. the purity of nature is to be abolished, from whence arises the distinction between the statutes of God, and the abuses of the Gentiles. If this discipline were founded on the utility of a single people, or on the custom of a particular time, or on present necessity, or on any other circumstances, the laws deduced from it might be abrogated for new reasons, or their observance might be dispensed with in regard to particular persons, by special privilege; but since, in their enactment, the perpetual decency of nature was alone regarded, not even a dispensation of them would be permissible. It may indeed be decreed that it should be lawful and unpunished, since it is in the power of princes to remit penalties; yet no legislator can effect that a thing, which nature pronounces to be vicious, should not be vicious; and, if tyrannical arrogance dares to attempt it, the light of nature will presently shine forth and prevail. When, formerly, the Emperor Claudius had married his niece Agrippina, “Nec Claudius ultra expectato, obvium apud forum praebet se gratantibus; senatumque ingressus ‘decretum postulat, quo justae inter patruos, fratrumque filias nuptiae etiam in posterum statuerentur.’ Neque tamen repertus est, nisi unus talis matrimonii cupitor, T. Alladius Severus, eques Romanus, quem plerique Agrippinae gratia impulsum ferebant.” — Tacitus Ann., Lib. 12:7. for the purpose of averting the shame, he procured a Senatusconsultum, which licensed such marriages; yet no one was found to imitate his example, except one freedman. Hence, just and reasonable men will acknowledge that, even amongst heathen nations, this Law was accounted indissoluble, as if implanted and engraved on the hearts of men. On this ground Paul, more severely to reprove the incest of a step-son with his father’s wife, says, that such an occurrence “is not so much as named among the Gentiles.” (1 Corinthians 5:1.)

If it be objected that such marriages are not prohibited to us in the New Testament, I reply, that the marriage of a father with his daughter is not forbidden; nor is a mother prohibited from marrying her son; and shall it therefore be lawful for those, who are near of kin, to form promiscuous connections? “Leur sera il pourtant licite de se mesler confusement ensemble comme bestes?” shall it therefore be lawful to them to mix together confusedly like beasts? Although Paul expressly mentions only one kind of incest, yet he establishes its disgrace by adducing the example of the Gentiles, that at least we should be ashamed if more delicacy and chastity is seen amongst them. And:. in fact, another admonition of the same Paul is enough for me, who thus writes to the Philippians:

“Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8.)

As to those who ascend or descend ill a direct line, it, sufficiently appears that there is a monstrous indecency in the connection of father and daughter, or mother and son. A licentious poet, Ovid. Metam., 10:300.

“Dira canam: procul hinc natae, procul este parentes.” being about to relate the frantic incest of Myrrha, says:

“Daughters and fathers, from my song retire, I sing of horror.”

In the collateral line, the uncles on both sides represent the father, and the aunts the mother; and, consequently, connection with them is forbidden, inasmuch as it would be of somewhat similar impropriety. The same rule affects affinity; for the step-mother, or mother-in-law, is held to stand in the relation of mother; and the step-daughter, or daughter-in-law, in that of daughter; as also the wife of the paternal or maternal uncle is to be regarded in the relation of mother. And, although express mention may not be made of it here, we must form our judgment by analogy as to what is prohibited; — the uncle on the father’s or mother’s side is not here forbidden to marry his niece; but, since the nephew is interdicted from marrying his paternal or maternal aunt, the mutual relation of the inferior to the superior degree must prevail. But if any should contend that there is a difference, the reason added by Moses refutes his objection, for it is said, “She is thy father’s or thy mother’s near kinswoman.” Hence it follows, that a niece is guilty of incest if she marries her uncle on either side. As to brothers and sisters, God pronounces that marriage with a sister, although she be not uterine, is unlawful; for He forbids the uncovering of the turpitude of a sister, who is either the daughter of thy father or thy mother.

16. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife. They are bad In Willet this exposition is attributed to Radulph., Blesensis, and Borrhaus. interpreters who raise a controversy on this passage, and expound it, that a brother’s wife must not be taken from his bed, or, if she be divorced, that manage with her would be unlawful whilst her husband was still alive; for it is incongruous to twist into different senses declarations which are made in the same place, and in the same words. God forbids the uncovering of the turpitude of the wife of a father, an uncle, and a son; and when He lays down the same rule respecting a brother’s wife in the very same words, it is absurd to invent a different meaning for them. If, therefore, it be not lawful to marry the wife of a father, a son, an uncle, or a nephew, we must. hold precisely the same opinion with respect to a brother’s wife, concerning whom an exactly similar law is enacted in the same passage and context. I am not, however, ignorant of the source from whence those, who think otherwise, have derived their mistake; for, whereas God gives a command in another place, that if a man shall have died without issue, his surviving brother shall take his widow to wife, in order that he may raise up of her seed to the departed, (Deuteronomy 25:5,) they have incorrectly and ignorantly restricted this to own-brothers, although God rather designates other degrees of relationship. It is a well-known Hebrew idiom, to embrace under the name of brother all near kinsmen in general; and the Latins also formerly so denominated cousins-german. Thus Augustine (De Civit. Dei. 15:16. Section 2,) says, — “quod fiebat cum consobrina, pene cum sorore fieri videbatur: quia et ipsi inter se propter tam propinquam consanguinitatem fratres vocantur, et pene germani sunt.” The law, then, now before us, respecting marriage with a deceased brother’s wife, is only addressed to those relations who are not otherwise prohibited from such a marriage, since it was not God’s purpose to prevent the loss of a deceased person’s name by permitting those incestuous marriages, which tie had elsewhere condemned. Wherefore these two points agree perfectly well, that an own-brother was prohibited from marrying his brother’s widow, whilst the next of kin were obliged to raise up seed for the dead, by the right of their relationship, wherever their marriage was otherwise permissible by the enactment’s of the law. On this ground Boaz married Ruth, who had previously been married to his near kinsman; and it is abundantly clear from the history, that the law applied to all the near kinsmen. But if any still contend that own-brothers were included in the number of these, on the same grounds the daughter-in-law must be married by her father-in-law, and the nephew’s wife by the uncle, and even the mother-in-law by the son-in-law, which it is an abomination to speak of. If any object that Er, Onan, and Shelah, the sons of Judah, were own-brothers, and still that Tamar married two of them, the difficulty is easily solved, viz., that Judah, following the common and received practice of the Gentiles, acted improperly in permitting it. It is plain enough, from the histories of all ages, that there were disgusting and shameless mixtures in the marriages of Oriental nations. By evil communications, then, as is ever the case, Judah was led into giving the same wife to his second son as had before been married to the eldest. And, in fact, God expressly says that this offense was rife among the Gentiles, where tie condemns incestuous connections. This, therefore, I still hold to be unquestionable, that, by the law of Moses, marriage with the widow of an own-brother is forbidden.

18. Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister. By this passage certain froward persons pretend that it is permitted, if a man has lost his wife, to marry her own sister, because the restriction is added, not to take the one in the lifetime of the other. From whence they infer, that it is not forbidden that she should succeed in the place of the deceased. But they ought to have considered the intention of the legislator from his own express words, for mention is made not only of incest and filthiness, but of the jealousy and quarrels, which arise from hence. If it had merely been said, “Thou shalt not uncover her turpitude,” there would have been some color to their pretext, that the husband being a widower, he would be free to marry his wife’s sister; but, when a different object for the law is expressly stated, i e., lest she, who was legally married, should be troubled by quarrels and contentions, it is plain that the license for polygamy is restricted by this exception, in order that the Israelites should be contented with one evil, and, at least, should not expose two sisters to hostile contention with each other. The condition of the first wife was already painful enough, when she was compelled to put up with a rival and a concubine; but it was more intolerable to be constantly quarrelling with her near relative. The name of sister is not, therefore, restricted, I think, to actual sisters, but other relations are included in it, whose marriages would not otherwise have been incestuous. In a word, it is not incest which is condemned, so much as the cruelty of a husband, if he chose to contract a further marriage with the near kinswoman of his wife. Nor can we come to any other conclusion from the words of Moses; for if the turpitude of a brother is uncovered when his brother marries his widow, no less is the turpitude of a sister uncovered when her sister marries her husband after her decease. But hence we plainly see the diabolical arrogance of the Pope, who, by inventing new degrees of kindred, would be wiser than God; whilst he also betrays his cunning, because from this kind of sport he made himself a fat game-bag.

Since from long custom it is established that cousins-german should not marry, we must beware of giving scandal lest too unbridled a liberty should expose the Gospel to much reproach; and we must bear in mind Paul’s admonition, to abstain even from things lawful when they are not expedient. (1 Corinthians 10:23.)

Deuteronomy 22

Deuteronomy 22:30

30. A man shall not take his father’s wife, nor discover his father’s skirt.

30. Non accipiet quisquam uxorem patris sui, neque discooperiet oram patris sui.

The object of this passage is the same as that of the foregoing ones. For, whilst all fornication pollutes a man, there is grosser impurity in adultery, because the sanctity of marriage is violated, and by the commingling of seed a spurious and illegitimate offspring is derived. Wherefore, God has justly enumerated this crime amongst the abominations of the Gentiles, as may be more clearly seen from the exordium of the chapter from whence this passage is taken.

Supplements of the Seventh Commandment

Leviticus 18

Leviticus 18:22-30

22. Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind: it is abomination.

22. Cure masculo ne concumbas concubitu mulieris: abominatio est.

23. 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.

23. Cum animali non coibis ut polluaris cum eo: nec mulier prostituet se animali ut coeat cum eo: turpitudo est.

24. Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you.

24. Ne polluamini in omnibus his: nam in his omnibus polluerunt se gentes quas ego ejiciam a facie vestra.

25. And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

25. Polluta fuit terra, et visitavi iniquitatem ejus super eam, evomuitque terra habitatores suos.

26. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you;

26. Vos ergo custodite statuta mea, et judicia mea: et ne faciatis ex omnibus abominationibus istis, indigena, vel peregrinus qui peregrinatur in medio vestri.

27. (For all these abominations have the men of the land done which were before you, and the land is defiled;)

27. Omnes enim abominationes istas fecerunt homines terrae qui fuerunt ante vos, et polluta fuit terra.

28. That the land spur not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spewed out the nations that were before you.

28. Ne evomat vos terra quod contaminetis eam, quemadmodum evomuit gentem quae fuit ante vos.

29. For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

29. Quisquis enim fecerit ex omnibus abominationibus istis, animae quae fecerint excidentur e medio populi sui.

30. Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the Lord your God.

30. Custodite custodias meas, nec facietis e statutis abominationum quae facta sunt ante vos, neque polluatis vos in illis: ego Jehova Deus vester.

Political Supplements. Omitted in Fr.

Exodus 22

Exodus 22:19

19. Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.

19. Quisquis concubuerit cum animali, morte moriatur.

18:21. Thou shalt not let any of thy seed. In these three precepts Moses more lightly touches on what we have lately seen set forth at greater length in Deuteronomy; for there he condemns impious offerings, as well as the responses of familiar spirits, magical arts, and enchantments. He now in the first place adverts to adulterous sacrifices, especially to that impure and detestable service of consecrating their children to Moloch, as they called him, the idol of the Gentiles; and then adds a prohibition, that they should give no heed to false revelations. But in these two passages of Leviticus he only enumerates two classes, “Il en raconte seulement quatre especes; mais il y comprend toutes celles que nous avons veus par ci-devant;” he mentions only four sorts, but comprehends in them all those which we have before observed. — Fr. viz., to use auguries and divinations, and to seek responses from familiar spirits, and to consult magicians or enchanters; yet he includes all the others of which we have previously spoken. And, lest they should think the crime a light one, he says that all they are “defiled” who devote themselves to this kind of curiosity. The confirmation, which is added at the end of both clauses, has relation to the sum of the First Commandment; for when God declares Himself to be “Jehovah, and the God of Israel,” he both claims the worship which is due to Him alone, and also condemns all the superstitions whereby pure religion is adulterated. There is also an antithesis implied, in which God contrasts Himself with all fictitious idols; and therefore the words may be thus paraphrased, — Since I am the eternal God, and separated from all others which the Gentiles foolishly make to themselves, and since I have chosen you to myself as my peculiar people, I would have you, as you ought to be, pure and separated from all defilements.

Deuteronomy 12

Deuteronomy 12:29-32

29. When the Lord thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;

29. Quum exciderit Jehova Deus tuns gentes ad quas tu venis possidendas a facie tua, et eas possederis, et habitaveris in terra ipsarum.

30. Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

30. Cave tibi ne to illaquees post ipsas, postquam deletae fuerint a facie tua: et ne inquiras ad deos earum, dicendo, Quomodo servierunt gentes istae diis suis, sic etiam ego faciam.

31. Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord which he hateth have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

31. Non facies sic Jehovae Deo tuo: quia quicquid abominatio est Jehovae, et quod odit, fecerunt diis suis: quinetiam filios suos et filias suas combusserunt igni diis suis.

32. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

32. Omne igitur verbum quod ego praecipio vobis, observabitis ad faciendum: non adjicies super illud, neque minues quicquam ex eo.

We learn from these passages that the people were not only prohibited from adultery, but also from all sins “Toutes dissolutions vilenes.” — Fr. which are repugnant to the modesty of nature itself. In order that all impurity may be the more detestable, He enumerates two species of unnatural lust, from whence it is evident that when men indulge themselves in this respect, they are carried away by an impulse, which is more than beastly, to defile themselves by shameful wickedness. The beasts are satisfied with natural connection; it is therefore a gross enormity that this distinction should be confounded by man endowed with reason; for what is the use of our judgment and intelligent faculties if it be not that greater self-restraint should exist in us than in the brute animals? It is plain, therefore, that they must be blinded in a horrible manner who so shamefully defile themselves, as Paul says. (Romans 1:28.) The madness of lust has, however, invented several monstrous vices, whose names it would be better to bury, if God had not chosen that these shameful monuments should exist, to inspire us with fear and horror. It has at length advanced to such excesses, that men created in God’s image, both male and female, have had connection with brutes.

Leviticus 18:24. Defile not yourselves in any of these things. An old proverb See vol. 2, p. 281, and note. says, that good laws have sprung from evil habits; and God reminds us that for this reason He has been induced expressly to advert to these disgusting and wicked things; for the monstrosities which He mentions would have been concealed in eternal silence had not necessity compelled Him to bring them to light. But since the Canaanitish nations had advanced to such a pitch of licentiousness, that the prodigious sins, which else would have been better concealed, had been but too familiarly known from their wicked habits, God warns His people to beware of their fatal examples. First, when He says that these abominations prevailed amongst the Gentiles, He indicates that evil habits by no means avail as an excuse; nay, that public consent is in vain alleged in defense of vice. But the better to deter them from imitating them, He sets before their eyes the vengeance He is about to take. It is true, indeed, that the nations of Canaan were destroyed for other reasons, but it is not without cause that He sets forth this amongst the rest, for undoubtedly God was offended by such pollutions.

26. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes He here contrasts His Law with the abominations of the Gentiles. The exhibition of His severity, which He had referred to, might indeed have sufficed for the instruction of His people; but in order to influence them more strongly, He at the same time adduces the way pointed out to them in the Law, which would not suffer them to go astray, if only they refused not to follow God. For that the Gentiles, who were destitute of light, should have been drawn aside in every direction was not surprising; but whilst they thus proved their blindness, it behooved true believers, on the contrary, to testify that they were not children of darkness, but of light. And to this Paul seems to allude, when he exhorts believers not to walk, like the Gentiles, “in the vanity of their mind.” (Ephesians 4:17.) On this account God not only commends to them His precepts and statutes, but also His ordinances (custodias,) because He had omitted nothing in the Law which would be useful for the direction of men’s lives. The sum is, that unless they order themselves constantly by the doctrine which enlightens them, the same destruction awaited them also which was about to overwhelm the (Canaanitish) nations.

Leviticus 20

Leviticus 20:13, 15, 16

13. If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

13. Quicunque coierit cum masculo coitu mulieris, abominationem fecerunt ambo: morte morientur, sanguis eorum super eos.

15. And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death; and ye shall slay the beast.

15. Si quis intulerit coitum suum in brutum, moriendo morietur, et jumentum occidetis.

16. And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

16. Si mulier accesserit ad unum animal ad coeundum cum eo, occides mulierem et animal, moriendo morientur, sanguis eorum super eos.

CHAPTER 18

Le 18:1-30. Unlawful Marriages.

2-4. I am the Lord your God--This renewed mention of the divine sovereignty over the Israelites was intended to bear particularly on some laws that were widely different from the social customs that obtained both in Egypt and Canaan; for the enormities, which the laws enumerated in this chapter were intended to put down, were freely practised or publicly sanctioned in both of those countries; and, indeed, the extermination of the ancient Canaanites is described as owing to the abominations with which they had polluted the land.

5. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them--A special blessing was promised to the Israelites on condition of their obedience to the divine law; and this promise was remarkably verified at particular eras of their history, when pure and undefiled religion prevailed among them, in the public prosperity and domestic happiness enjoyed by them as a people. Obedience to the divine law always, indeed, ensures temporal advantages; and this, doubtless, was the primary meaning of the words, "which if a man do, he shall live in them." But that they had a higher reference to spiritual life is evident from the application made of them by our Lord (Lu 10:28) and the apostle (Ro 10:2).

6. None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him--Very great laxity prevailed amongst the Egyptians in their sentiments and practice about the conjugal relation, as they not only openly sanctioned marriages between brothers and sisters, but even between parents and children. Such incestuous alliances Moses wisely prohibited, and his laws form the basis upon which the marriage regulations of this and other Christian nations are chiefly founded. This verse contains a general summary of all the particular prohibitions; and the forbidden intercourse is pointed out by the phrase, "to approach to." In the specified prohibitions that follow, all of which are included in this general summary, the prohibited familiarity is indicated by the phrases, to "uncover the nakedness" [Le 18:12-17], to "take" [Le 18:17, 18], and to "lie with" [Le 18:22, 23]. The phrase in this sixth verse, therefore, has the same identical meaning with each of the other three, and the marriages in reference to which it is used are those of consanguinity or too close affinity, amounting to incestuous connections.

18. Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her--The original is rendered in the Margin, "neither shalt thou take one wife to another to vex her," and two different and opposite interpretations have been put upon this passage. The marginal construction involves an express prohibition of polygamy; and, indeed, there can be no doubt that the practice of having more wives than one is directly contrary to the divine will. It was prohibited by the original law of marriage, and no evidence of its lawfulness under the Levitical code can be discovered, although Moses--from "the hardness of their hearts" [Mt 19:8; Mr 10:5]--tolerated it in the people of a rude and early age. The second interpretation forms the ground upon which the "vexed question" has been raised in our times respecting the lawfulness of marriage with a deceased wife's sister. Whatever arguments may be used to prove the unlawfulness or inexpediency of such a matrimonial relation, the passage under consideration cannot, on a sound basis of criticism, be enlisted in the service; for the crimes with which it is here associated warrant the conclusion that it points not to marriage with a deceased wife's sister, but with a sister in the wife's lifetime, a practice common among the ancient Egyptians, Chaldeans, and others.

21. thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, &c.--Molech, or Moloch, which signifies "king," was the idol of the Ammonites. His statue was of brass, and rested on a pedestal or throne of the same metal. His head, resembling that of a calf, was adorned with a crown, and his arms were extended in the attitude of embracing those who approached him. His devotees dedicated their children to him; and when this was to be done, they heated the statue to a high pitch of intensity by a fire within, and then the infants were either shaken over the flames, or passed through the ignited arms, by way of lustration to ensure the favor of the pretended deity. The fire-worshippers asserted that all children who did not undergo this purifying process would die in infancy; and the influence of this Zabian superstition was still so extensively prevalent in the days of Moses, that the divine lawgiver judged it necessary to prohibit it by an express statute.

neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God--by giving it to false or pretended divinities; or, perhaps, from this precept standing in close connection with the worship of Molech, the meaning rather is, Do not, by devoting your children to him, give foreigners occasion to blaspheme the name of your God as a cruel and sanguinary deity, who demands the sacrifice of human victims, and who encourages cruelty in his votaries.

24. Defile not yourselves in any of these things--In the preceding verses seventeen express cases of incest are enumerated; comprehending eleven of affinity [Le 18:7-16], and six of consanguinity [Le 18:17-20], together with some criminal enormities of an aggravated and unnatural character. In such prohibitions it was necessary for the instruction of a people low in the scale of moral perception, that the enumeration should be very specific as well as minute; and then, on completing it, the divine lawgiver announces his own views of these crimes, without any exception or modification, in the remarkable terms employed in this verse.

in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you, &c.--Ancient history gives many appalling proofs that the enormous vices described in this chapter were very prevalent, nay, were regularly practised from religious motives in the temples of Egypt and the groves of Canaan; and it was these gigantic social disorders that occasioned the expulsion, of which the Israelites were, in the hands of a righteous and retributive Providence, the appointed instruments (Ge 15:16). The strongly figurative language of "the land itself vomiting out her inhabitants" [Le 18:25], shows the hopeless depth of their moral corruption.

25. therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it; and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants--The Canaanites, as enormous and incorrigible sinners, were to be exterminated; and this extermination was manifestly a judicial punishment inflicted by a ruler whose laws had been grossly and perseveringly outraged. But before a law can be disobeyed, it must have been previously in existence; and hence a law, prohibiting all the horrid crimes enumerated above--a law obligatory upon the Canaanites as well as other nations--was already known and in force before the Levitical law of incest was promulgated. Some general Iaw, then, prohibiting these crimes must have been published to mankind at a very early period of the world's history; and that law must either have been the moral law, originally written on the human heart, or a law on the institution of marriage revealed to Adam and known to the Canaanites and others by tradition or otherwise.

29. the souls that commit them shall be cut off--This strong denunciatory language is applied to all the crimes specified in the chapter without distinction: to incest as truly as to bestiality, and to the eleven cases of affinity [Le 18:7-16], as fully as to the six of consanguinity [Le 18:17-20]. Death is the punishment sternly denounced against all of them. No language could be more explicit or universal; none could more strongly indicate intense loathing and abhorrence.

30. Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs--In giving the Israelites these particular institutions, God was only re-delivering the law imprinted on the natural heart of man; for there is every reason to believe that the incestuous alliances and unnatural crimes prohibited in this chapter were forbidden to all men by a law expressed or understood from the beginning of the world, or at least from the era of the flood, since God threatens to condemn and punish, in a manner so sternly severe, these atrocities in the practice of the Canaanites and their neighbors, who were not subject to the laws of the Hebrew nation.

The doings of the land of Egypt - the land of Canaan - The worshipping of demons, beasts, etc., as mentioned in the preceding chapter, Lev 17:7, and the abominations mentioned in this chapter from Lev 18:21-23.

Any that is near of kin - כל שאר בשרו col shear besaro, any remnant of his flesh, i.e., to any particularly allied to his own family, the prohibited degrees in which are specified from the 7th to the 17th verse (Lev 18:7-17) inclusive. Notwithstanding the prohibitions here, it must be evident that in the infancy of the world, persons very near of kin must have been joined in matrimonial alliances; and that even brothers must have matched with their own sisters. This must have been the case in the family of Adam. In these first instances necessity required this; when this necessity no longer existed, the thing became inexpedient and improper for two reasons:

1. That the duties owing by nature to relatives might not be confounded with those of a social or political kind; for could a man be a brother and a husband, a son and a husband, at the same time, and fulfill the duties of both? Impossible.

2. That by intermarrying with other families, the bonds of social compact might be strengthened and extended, so that the love of our neighbor, etc., might at once be felt to be not only a maxim of sound policy, but also a very practicable and easy duty; and thus feuds, divisions, and wars be prevented.

Thy brother's wife - This was an illegal marriage, unless the brother died childless. In that case it was not only lawful for her to marry her brother-in-law, but he was obliged by the law, Deu 25:5, to take her to wife.

A wife to her sister - Thou shalt not marry two sisters at the same time, as Jacob did Rachel and Leah; but there is nothing in this law that rendered it illegal to marry a sister-in-law when her sister was dead; therefore the text says, Thou shalt not take her in her life time, to vex her, alluding probably to the case of the jealousies and vexations which subsisted between Leah and Rachel, and by which the family peace was so often disturbed. Some think that the text may be so understood as also to forbid polygamy.

As long as she is put apart - See Clarke's note on Lev 15:24.

Thy neighbor's wife - See Clarke's note on Exo 20:14.

Pass through the fire to Molech - The name of this idol is mentioned for the first time in this place. As the word מלח molech or melech signifies king or governor, it is very likely that this idol represented the sun; and more particularly as the fire appears to have been so much employed in his worship. There are several opinions concerning the meaning of passing through the fire to Molech.

1. Some think that the semen humanum was offered on the fire to this idol.

2. Others think that the children were actually made a burnt-offering to him.

3. But others suppose the children were not burnt, but only passed through the fire, or between two fires, by way of consecration to him.

That some were actually burnt alive to this idol several scriptures, according to the opinion of commentators, seem strongly to intimate; see among others, Psa 106:38; Jer 7:31, and Eze 23:37-39. That others were only consecrated to his service by passing between two fires the rabbins strongly assert; and if Ahaz had but one son, Hezekiah, (though it is probable he had others, see 2Chr 28:3), he is said to have passed through the fire to Molech, 2Kgs 16:3, yet he succeeded his father in the kingdom, 2Kgs 18:1, therefore this could only be a consecration, his idolatrous father intending thereby to initiate him early into the service of this demon. See Clarke's note on Lev 20:2.

With mankind - This abominable crime, frequent among the Greeks and Romans as well as the Canaanites, may be punished with death in this country.

With any beast - This abomination is also punishable with death by the laws of this country. Any woman stand before a beast - That this was often done in Egypt there can be no doubt; and we have already seen, from the testimony of Herodotus, that a fact of this kind actually took place while he was in Egypt. See Clarke's note on Lev 17:7, and See Clarke on Lev 20:16 (note).

The land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants - This is a very nervous prosopopoeia or personification; a figure by which any part of inanimate nature may be represented as possessing the passions and reason of man. Here the land is represented as an intelligent being, with a deep and refined sense of moral good and evil: information concerning the abominations of the people is brought to this personified land, with which it is so deeply affected that a nausea is produced, and it vomits out its abominable and accursed inhabitants. It was natural for the inspired penman to make use of such a figure, as the description he was obliged to give of so many and enormous abominations must have affected him nearly in the same way in which he represents the land to be affected.

Shall ye keep mine ordinance - The only way to be preserved from all false worship is seriously to consider and devoutly to observe the ordinances of the true religion. He who in the things of God goes no farther than he can say, Thus it is written, and thus it behoves me to do, is never likely to receive a false creed, nor perform a superstitious act of worship.

1. How true is that word, The law of the Lord is Perfect! In a small compass, and in a most minute detail, it comprises every thing that is calculated to instruct, direct, convince, correct, and fortify the mind of man. Whatever has a tendency to corrupt or injure man, that it forbids; whatever is calculated to comfort him, promote and secure his best interests, that it commands. It takes him in all possible states, views him in all connections, and provides for his present and eternal happiness.

2. As the human soul is polluted and tends to pollution, the great doctrine of the law is holiness to the Lord: this it keeps invariably in view in all its commands, precepts, ordinances, rites, and ceremonies. And how forcibly in all these does it say, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; and thy neighbor as thyself! This is the prominent doctrine of the preceding chapter; and this shall be fulfilled in all them who believe, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to them that believe.

Reader, magnify God for his law, for by it is the knowledge of sin; and magnify him for his Gospel, for by this is the cure of sin. Let the law be thy schoolmaster to bring thee to Christ, that thou mayest be justified by faith; and that the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in thee, and that thou mayest walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Your God - Your sovereign, and lawgiver. This is often repeated because the things here forbidden were practised and allowed by the gentiles, to whose custom he opposes divine authority and their obligation to obey his commands.

Egypt and Canaan - These two nations he mentions, because their habitation and conversation among them made their evil example in the following matters more dangerous. But under them he includes all other nations.

My judgments - Though you do not see the particular reason of some of them, and though they be contrary to the laws and usages of the other nations.

He shall live in them - Not only happily here, but eternally hereafter. This is added as a powerful argument why they should follow God's commands, rather than mens examples, because their life and happiness depend upon it. And though in strictness, and according to the covenant of works they could not challenge life for so doing, except their obedience was universal, perfect, constant and perpetual, and therefore no man since the fall could be justified by the law, yet by the covenant of grace this life is promised to all that obey God's commands sincerely.

To uncover their nakedness - I think Mr. Free has made it highly probable, that this phrase does not mean marriage, but fornication, throughout this chapter. So it unquestionably means in the twentieth chapter.

Thy brother's wife - God afterwards commanded, that in one case, a man should marry his brother's widow.

Thou shalt not take a wife to her sister - Perhaps this text doth not simply forbid the taking one wife to another, but the doing it in such a manner or for such an end, that he may vex or punish, or revenge himself of the former; which probably was a common motive amongst that hardhearted people to do so.

As long as she is set apart - No not to thy own wife. This was not only a ceremonial pollution, but an immorality also, whence it is put amongst gross sins, Eze 18:6. And therefore it is now unlawful under the gospel.

Pass through fire - This was done, either by burning them in the fire, or by making them pass between two great fires, which was a kind of consecration of them to that God. Moloch - Called also Milcom, was an idol chiefly of the Ammonites. He seems to be the Saturn of the heathens, to whom especially children and men were sacrificed. This is mentioned, because the neighbours of Israel were most infected with this idolatry, and therefore they are particularly cautioned against it, though under this one instance all other idols and acts, or kinds of idolatry, are manifestly comprehended and forbidden.

I visit - I am about to visit, that is, to punish.

Nor any stranger - In nation or religion, of what kind soever. For though they might not force them to submit to their religion, yet they might restrain them from the publick contempt of the Jewish laws, and from the violation of natural laws, which, besides the offence against God and nature, were matters of evil example to the Israelites themselves.

Cut off - This phrase therefore of cutting off, is to be understood variously, either of ecclesiastical, or civil punishment, according to the differing natures of the offences for which it is inflicted.

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God .

Your Soveraign, and Lawgiver, This is oft repeated here, because the things here forbidden were practised and allowed by the Gentiles, to whose custom he here opposeth Divine authority and their obligation to obey his commands.

3 After the doings of the land of Egypt , wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do; and after the doings of the land of Canaan , whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances .

These two nations he mentions, because their habitation and conversation among them made their evil example in the following matters more dangerous. But under them he includes all other nations, as he elsewhere expresseth it.

These two nations he mentions, because their habitation and conversation among them made their evil example in the following matters more dangerous. But under them he includes all other nations, as he elsewhere expresseth it.

Or statutes, either because their laws did indeed allow such things, or because prevailing customes have the force of laws,

4 Ye shall do my judgments , and keep mine ordinances , to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.

Mine universally, Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. for though the words be indefinite, the matter is necessary, and mine solely, Deut. 6. 13. compared with Mat. 4. 10. and therefore those that here follow, though you do not see the particular reason of some of them, and though they be contrary to the laws and usages of the nations.

Mine universally, Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. for though the words be indefinite, the matter is necessary, and mine solely, Deut. 6. 13. compared with Mat. 4. 10. and therefore those that here follow, though you do not see the particular reason of some of them, and though they be contrary to the laws and usages of the nations.

5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them : I am the LORD.

Not onely happily here, but also eternally hereafter, as it is expounded, Mat. 19. 17. Rom. 10. 5. This is added as a powerful argument why they should follow Gods commands rather than mens examples, because their life and happiness depends upon the one▪ not the other. And though in strictness and according to the law or covenant of works they could not challenge life [illegible: 1+ letters]or doing, except their obedience was universal, perfect, constant and perpetual, and therefore no man since the fall could be justified by the law, as the Apostle affirms and proves, Rom. 4. and Gal. 3. yet by the covenant of grace this life is promised to all that obey Gods commands sincerely, though not perfectly, 1 Tim. 4. 8.

Marginal references: Ezek. 20▪ 11, 13. Luk. 10▪ 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 12.

6 None of you shall approach ▪ to any that is near of kin to him , to uncover their nakedness : I am the LORD.

Heb. No man. For though the women also be bound by this law, yet the men alone are mentioned▪ both because they are most active in the choice of their Yoke-fellows▪ and therefore most likely to transgress these laws, and because they having authority over the women could have the greater influence upon them by their power, counsel, or example to oblige them either to the observation or violation, of them.

This word signifies the conjugal act here, as it doth Gen. 20. 4. Isa. 8. 3. but because it is ambiguous in it self it is so limited and explained in the end of the verse.

This is the general rule, which is particularly expounded and applied in the following instances. And these laws are so just and reasonable, that although the barbarous nations did allow of such incestuous marriages, yet wiser and civil heathens by the meer light of nature condemned them, as may be seen in Suetonius, Tacitus, Catullus▪ and others.

(i. e.) Their secret parts, so called to put us in mind of the fall of our first Parents, whose first sence and shame of their nakedness had its rise from thence. This phrase notes the same thing with knowing, Gen. 4. 1. and with discovering ones skirt, Deut. 22. 30. and 27. 20.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] ▪ der of his [illegible: 1 word].

7 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.

Heb and, put for that is, or to wit, as it is oft used. Here it notes, that the nakedness of the father, and the nakedness of the mother are one and the same thing, because they two are one flesh, and therefore her nakedness is his also. Which further appears because the mother onely is mentioned in the following words, which contain the reason of the law.

And therefore even nature teacheth thee to abhor such incest. Yet the Persians used to marry their mother, therein worse than the very Camels, whom no force will drive to that act with their dams.

8 The nakedness of thy fathers wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy fathers nakedness .

(i. e.) Thy Step-mother. Examples of this are Gen. 35. 22. and 49. 4. 1 Cor. 5. 1.

By interest and relation, that which he onely may uncover.

Marginal references: chap. [illegible: 1+ letters]. 11. Deut. 22. 30. and 27. 20. Amos 2. [illegible: 1+ letters].

9 The nakedness of thy sister , the daughter of thy father , or daughter of thy mother , whether she be born at home , or born abroad , even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

By both parents.

Thy sister by either of thy parents.

Thy sister by either of thy parents.

To wit of thy father by another wife, whom he hath taken into his house.

Either of thy mother, by another, whether a former, or a second, husband in another house and family: or, of thy father by some strange woman: for there might be some doubt in these cases.

Marginal references: chap. 20. 17. 2 Sam. 13. 12. Ezek. 22. 11.

10 The nakedness of thy sons daughter, or of thy daughters daughter , even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness .

And consequently of all thy children and childrens children and all downwards.

They are a part of thy self as coming out of thy loins, and out of thy wife, whose nakedness is thine own.

11 The nakedness of thy fathers wives daughter, begotten of thy father , (she is thy sister) thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

Or, being akin to thy father. He seems to speak of the daughter of the fathers brother by his wife, whom the father here spoken of, being brother to the deceased person, married by vertue of that law, Deut. 25. 5. by which marriage there was a near kindred contracted between the two families, so that the son of the one could not marry the daughter of the other. Thus this law is differing from that ver. 9. And that seems more probable, than that in so brief a table of laws the same thing should be forbidden both there and here. Obj. The word being the same here and ver. 9. must be understood in the same sence, and therefore here must be rendred begotten or born, as it is there. Ans. It may be rendred there as well as here, akin, as some render the words there, of domestick, or of another, a forreign, kindred: and if the word had been participially put for begotten or born, it is likely the preposition Mem or Lamed would have been prefixed to the Hebrew word, abicha, as is common in those cases.

12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy fathers sister : she is thy fathers near kinswoman .

Thy Aunt by the fathers side, as the next verse speaks of the Aunt by the mothers side. If Amrams example be alledged to the contrary, see on Exod. 6. 20.

Heb. thy fathers flesh, a member and product of the same flesh from which thy father came. z (i. e.) of his wife, as the next words explain it. And as a man may not marry his aunt, so neither may a woman marry her Uncle, there being altogether the same distance in kindred, and the self-same reason of the law. And for the examples of Abraham, Amram, Othoniel, &c. to the contrary, they were before the publication of this law, by which it pleased God to restrain the liberty allowed formerly when the holy seed was in a narrower compass, and fewer persons, which altered the case. For in that regard there was a time when God allowed brethren and sisters to marry, to wit, when there were no other in the World, which was the case of Adams immediate children. We learn from hence, that the same degrees are forbidden in consanguinity or kindred by blood, and in affinity or kindred by marriage.

Marginal references: chap. 20. 19.; Heb. flesh. Gen. 37. 27.

14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy fathers brother , thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.

Some infer from hence, that it is unlawful for cousin-germans, or the children of brethren and sisters to marry. But there is not the same reason, nor the same degree of distance, for my uncle or aunt are nearer akin to me th[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ [illegible: 1+ letters] their children are. Yet because it seems doubtful to many, and may hereafter prove occasion of grievous perplexities of mind, especially to tender and scrupulous consciences, Christian prudence directs us to chuse the safest way, there being so great a latitude of unquestionable persons.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters]hap▪ [illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ [illegible: 1 word] ▪

16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brothers wife : it is thy brothers nakedness.

Neither in his life time, nor after his death, and therefore a woman might not marry her husbands brother, nor might a man marry his wives sister, either before or after his wives death, for so all the prohibitions are to be understood: which will give light to ver. 18. But God, who can undoubtedly dispense with his own laws, did afterwards make one exception to this rule, of which see Deut. 25. 5.

Marginal references: chap. 20. 21. Matth. 14. 4.

17 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter , neither shalt thou take her sons daughter, or her daughters daughter, to uncover her nakedness: For they are her near kins-women: it is wickedness .

To wit, her step-daughter, and so her step-sons daughter, &c.

Because they are very near to thy wife by consanguinity, as coming directly from her, and therefore they are as near to thee by affinity, which binds as much as consanguinity, the wife, who is onely related by affinity▪ being nearer to a man than any other by consanguinity, they two being made one flesh, and therefore the same distance is to be observed in both of them.

Marginal references: chap. 20. 14.

18 Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister , to vex her, to uncover her nakedness besides the other, in her life time .

The word sister is here understood either 1. properly, so some: whence others infer, that it is lawful to marry ones wives sister after the wives death. Or 2. improperly for any other woman, as not onely persons, but things, of the same kind are oft called, Gsters and brethren, of which see plain examples, Exod. 32. 27, 29. Ezek. 16. 45, 48, 49. So the sence is, thou shalt not take one woman to another. And this sence may seem more probable, 1. because else here were a tautology, the marriage of a man with his wives sister being sufficiently forbidden ver. 16. where marriage with his brothers wife is forbidden, as also ver. 9. and 11. where he forbids the marriage of ones own sister, and consequently the marriage of ones wives sister, it being manifest and confessed that affinity and consanguinity are of the same consideration and obligation in these matters. Nor can this be added for explication, for then the comment would be darker than the text, nay it would destroy the Text, for then what was simply and absolutely and universally forbidden before, is here forbidden doubtfully and restrainedly, and might at least seem to be allowed after the wives death; which is reiected by those who own the former interpretation. 2. Because the reason of this prohibition, which is least he should vex her thereby, is much more proper and effectual against marrying any other woman than against marrying the wives sister, so near and dear a relation being most commonly and probably a means to induce them rather to love and please and serve, than to vex, one another in such a relation. And therefore to take her natural sister to vex her would seem a course unsuitable to his end or design. 3. Some add another reason, that Polygamy, which Christ condemns Mat. 19. 5. is either forbidden here or no where in the law. But this may admit of great dispute. And it is observable that Christ confutes Polygamy and divorces nor by any of Moses his laws (which probably he would not have omitted, if they had been to his purpose) but by the first institution of marriage, Gen. 2. 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. whence also [illegible: 1 word] seems to fetch his argument chap. 2. 14, 15. And that law Deut. 21. 15, 16. may seem to intimate that God did then, in consideration of the hard-heartedness of the Iewi[illegible: 1+ letters]h Nation, dispense with that first and primitive law▪ especially if we consider the practise of divers holy men amongst the Iews, not onely before the law, as Abraham and Iacob, but also after it, as Ella[illegible: 1+ letters], and David, who would never have lived in the violation of a known law, or, if they had, would have been blamed for it, whereas on the contrary God mentions it as one of his favours vouch[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ ed to David, that he [illegible: 1 word] him his [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] into his [illegible: 1 word], 2 Sam. 12. 8. and a[illegible: 1+ letters]rms, that [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 span] matter of Ur[illegible: 1+ letters]ah, 1 King. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] deserve some consideration which a learned [illegible: 1+ letters]n in part suggests, that this Text doth not simply forbid the taking of one wife to another, but the doing of it in such a manner or for such an end, that he may vex or punish or revenge himself of the former, which probably was a common motive amongst that hard-hearted people to do so, and therefore the forbidding hereof might give a great check to the practise of Polygamy amongst them.

This clause is added to signifie Gods allowance to Marry one Wife after another, when she is dead, and thereby to intimate how the word Sister is to be understood.

Marginal references: Or, one wife to another.

19 Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.

No not to thy own Wife. See chap. 12. 2. and 15. 24, 25▪ This was not onely a ceremonial pollution, but an immorality also, whence it is put amongst gross sins, Ezek. 18. 6. There is also a natural turpitude in this action. And therefore it is now unlawful under the Gospel.

Marginal references: chap. 20. 18. Ezek. 22. 11.

21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed, pass through the fire to Molech , neither [illegible: 1+ letters]halt thou prophane the name of thy God . I am the LORD.

This was done two ways, either 1. By burning them in the fire, of which see 2 King. 3. 27. 2 Chron. 28. 3. Psal. 106. 37, 38. Esa. 57. 1. Or 2. By making them pass between two great fires, which was a kind of lustration or consecration of them to that God. Which latter seems to be here meant. See on Deut. 18. 10. where the word fire, here understood, is expressed.

Or, Moloch, called also Milcom, an Idol chiefly of the Ammonites, as appears from 1 King. 11. 7. 2 King. 23. 13. Ier. 49. 1, 3. This seems to be the Saturn of the Heathens, to whom especially children and men were sacrificed. This is mentioned, because the neighbours of Israel were most infected with this Idolatry, and therefore they are particularly cautioned against it, though under this one instance all other Idols and acts or kinds of Idolatry are manifestly comprehended and forbidden.

Either by joyning him with, or by forsaking him for, such a base and bloody Idol, whereby the name, honour, and service of God would be horribly defiled, and exposed to the scorn of the Heathen, as if he were but one of the same kind with their mungrel-deities.

Marginal references: chap. 20. 2. 2 King. 2[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ 10▪; called Act. 7. 43. Moloch.

22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind , as with woman-kind: it is abomination.

See L[illegible: 1+ letters]vit. 20. 13. 1 King. 14. 24.

Marginal references: 1 Cor. 6. 9. 1 Tim. 1. 10.

23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thy self therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto, it is confusion .

An horrible confusion of the natures which God hath distinguished, and of the order which God hath appointed, and an overthrow of all bounds of Religion, Honesty, Sobriety and Modesty.

Marginal references: chap. 20. 15. and 22. 19.

24 Defile not ye your selves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled, which I cast out before you.

To wit, above mentioned sins. Whence it is apparent, that the several incests here prohibited are not onely against the positive and particular Law given by God to the Jews, but also against the general Law and Light of nature. And therefore the Law about these things was one of the seven Precepts of Noah. And the sober Heathens condemned such incestuous Marriages. The Roman Historians observe, that when Claudius the Emperour had married his Neece, (which is one of the lowest kinds of incest here mentioned) and the Senate in complaisance with him had made it lawful for any to do so, yet there was but one, and he too an obscure person, that followed his example.

25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land it self vomiteth out her inhabitants .

I am now visiting, or about to visit▪ i. e. to punish. See Es[illegible: 1+ letters]. 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. 21.

As no less burdens to the Earth than corrupted [illegible: 1+ letters]ood is to the stomack. See Ier. 9. 19. Mich. 2. 10.

26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, neither and of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:

In Nation or Religion, of what kind soever. For though they might not force them to submit to their Religion, yet they might restrain them from the publick contempt of the Jewish Laws, and from the violation of natural Laws, which, besides the offence against God and nature, were matters of evil example and consequence to the Israelites themselves.

Marginal references: chap. 20. 22.

29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them, shall be cut off , from among their people.

To wit, by death to be inflicted by the Magistrates, as it is apparent in case of Idolatry with Moloch or other false Gods; and, in case of the Magistrates neglect, by God himself. This phrase therefore of cutting off, is to be understood variously, as many other phrases are, either of Ecclesiastical, or Civil and Corporal punishment, according to the differing natures of the offences for which it is inflicted.

Lev 18:1-4

By the words, “I am Jehovah your God,” which are placed at the head and repeated at the close (Lev 18:30), the observance of the command is enforced upon the people as a covenant obligation, and urged upon them most strongly by the promise, that through the observance of the ordinances and judgments of Jehovah they should live (Lev 18:5).

Lev 18:5

“The man who does them (the ordinances of Jehovah) shall live (gain true life) through them” (see at Exo 1:16 and Gen 3:22).

Lev 18:6-7

The laws against incest are introduced in Lev 18:6 with the general prohibition, descriptive of the nature of this sin, “None of you shall approach בּשׂרו אל־כּל־שׁאר to any flesh of his flesh, to uncover nakedness.” The difference between שׁאר flesh, and בּשׂר flesh, is involved in obscurity, as both words are used in connection with edible flesh (see the Lexicons). “Flesh of his flesh” is a flesh that is of his own flesh, belongs to the same flesh as himself (Gen 2:24), and is applied to a blood-relation, blood-relationship being called שׁארה (or flesh-kindred) in Hebrew (Lev 18:17). Sexual intercourse is called uncovering the nakedness of another (Eze 16:36; Eze 23:18). The prohibition relates to both married and unmarried intercourse, though the reference is chiefly to the former (see Lev 18:18; Lev 20:14, Lev 20:17, Lev 20:21). Intercourse is forbidden (1) with a mother, (2) with a step-mother, (3) with a sister or half-sister, (4) with a granddaughter, the daughter of either son or daughter, (5) with the daughter of a step-mother, (6) with an aunt, the sister of either father or mother, (7) with the wife of an uncle on the father’s side, (8) with a daughter-in-law, (9) with a sister-in-law, or brother’s wife, (10) with a woman and her daughter, or a woman and her granddaughter, and (11) with two sisters at the same time. No special reference is made to sexual intercourse with (a) a daughter, (b) a full sister, (c) a mother-in-law; the last, however, which is mentioned in Deu 27:23 as an accursed crime, is included here in No. 10, and the second in No. 3, whilst the first, like parricide in Exo 21:15, is not expressly noticed, simply because the crime was regarded as one that never could occur. Those mentioned under Nos. 1, 2, 3, 8, and 10 were to be followed by the death or extermination of the criminals (Lev 20:11-12, Lev 20:14, Lev 20:17), on account of their being accursed crimes (Deu 23:1; Deu 27:20, Deu 27:22-23). On the other hand, the only threat held out in the case of the connection mentioned under Nos. 6, 7, and 9, was that those who committed such crimes should bear their iniquity, or die childless (Lev 20:19-21). The cases noticed under Nos. 4 and 5 are passed over in ch. 20, though they no doubt belonged to the crimes which were to be punished with death, and No. 11, for which no punishment was fixed, because the wrong had been already pointed out in Lev 18:18.The marriage laws and customs were much more lax among the Gentiles. With the Egyptians it was lawful to marry sisters and half-sisters (Diod. Sic. i. 27), and the licentiousness of the women was very great among them (see at Gen 39:6.). With the Persians marriage was allowed with mother, daughter, and sister (Clem. Al. strom. iii. p. 431;Eusebii praep. ev. vi. 10); and this is also said to have been the case with the Medians, Indians, and Ethiopians, as well as with the Assyrians (Jerome adv. Jovin. ii. 7; Lucian, Sacriff. 5); whereas the Greeks and Romans abhorred such marriages, and the Athenians and Spartans only permitted marriages with half-sisters (cf. Selden de jure nat. et gent. v. 11, pp. 619ff.). The ancient Arabs, before the time of Mohammed, were very strict in this respect, and would not allow of marriage with a mother, daughter, or aunt on either the father’s or mother’s side, or with two sisters at the same time. The only cases on record of marriage between brothers and sisters are among the Arabs of Marbat (Seetzen, Zach’s Mon. Corresp. Oct. 1809). This custom Mohammed raised into a law, and extended it to nieces, nurses, foster-sisters, etc. (Koran, Sure iv. 20ff.).

Elaborate commentaries upon this chapter are to be found in Michaelis Abhandl. über die Ehegesetze Mosis, and his Mos. Recht; also in Saalschütz Mos. Recth. See also my Archäologie ii. p. 108. For the rabbinical laws and those of the Talmud, see Selden oxur ebr. lib. 1, c. 1ff., and Saalschütz ut sup.

The enumeration of the different cases commences in Lev 18:7 very appropriately with the prohibition of incest with a mother. Sexual connection with a mother is called “uncovering the nakedness of father and mother.” As husband and wife are one flesh (Gen 2:24), the nakedness of the husband is uncovered in that of his wife, or, as it is described in Deu 22:30; Deu 27:20, the wing, i.e., the edge, of the bedclothes of the father’s bed, as the husband spreads his bedclothes over his wife as well as himself (Rth 3:9). For, strictly speaking, ערוה גּלּה is only used with reference to the wife; but in the dishonouring of his wife the honour of the husband is violated also, and his bed defiled, Gen 49:4. It is wrong, therefore, to interpret the verse, as Jonathan and Clericus do, as relating to carnal intercourse between a daughter and father. Not only is this at variance with the circumstance that all these laws are intended for the man alone, and addressed expressly to him, but also with Lev 18:8, where the nakedness of the father’s wife is distinctly called the father’s shame.

Lev 18:8

Intercourse with a father’s wife, i.e., with a step-mother, is forbidden as uncovering the father’s nakedness; since a father’s wife stood in blood-relationship only to the son whose mother she was. But for the father’s sake her nakedness was to be inaccessible to the son, and uncovering it was to be punished with death as incest (Lev 20:11; Deu 27:20). By the “father’s wife” we are probably to understand not merely his full lawful wife, but his concubine also, since the father’s bed was defiled in the latter case no less than in the former (Gen 49:4), and an accursed crime was committed, the punishment of which was death. At all events, it cannot be inferred from Lev 19:20-22 and Exo 21:9, as Knobel supposes, that a milder punishment was inflicted in this case.

Lev 18:9

By the sister, the daughter of father or mother, we are to understand only the step-or half-sister, who had either the same father or the same mother as the brother had. The clause, “whether born at home or born abroad,” does not refer to legitimate or illegitimate birth, but is to be taken as a more precise definition of the words, daughter of thy father or of thy mother, and understood, as Lud. de Dieu supposes, as referring to the half-sister “of the first marriage, whether the father’s daughter left by a deceased wife, or the mother’s daughter left by a deceased husband,” so that the person marrying her would be a son by a second marriage. Sexual intercourse with a half-sister is described as חסד in Lev 20:17, and threatened with extermination. This word generally signifies sparing love, favour, grace; but here, as in Pro 14:34, it means dishonour, shame, from the Piel חסּד, to dishonour.

Lev 18:10

The prohibition of marriage with a granddaughter, whether the daughter of a son or daughter, is explained in the words, “for they are thy nakedness,” the meaning of which is, that as they were directly descended from the grandfather, carnal intercourse with them would be equivalent to dishonouring his own flesh and blood.

Lev 18:11

“The daughter of thy father’s wife (i.e., thy step-mother), born to thy father,” is the half-sister by a second marriage; and the prohibition refers to the son by a first marriage, whereas Lev 18:9 treats of the son by a second marriage. The notion that the man’s own mother is also included, and that the prohibition includes marriage with a full sister, is at variance with the usage of the expression “thy father’s wife.”

Lev 18:12-13

Marriage or conjugal intercourse with the sister of either father or mother (i.e., with either the paternal or maternal aunt) was prohibited, because she was the blood-relation of the father or mother. שׁאר = בּשׂר שׁאר (Lev 18:6, as in Lev 20:19; Lev 21:2; Num 27:11), hence שׁארה, blood-relationship (Lev 18:17).

Lev 18:14

So, again, with the wife of the father’s brother, because the nakedness of the uncle was thereby uncovered. The threat held out in Lev 20:19 and Lev 20:20 against the alliances prohibited in Lev 18:12-14, is that the persons concerned should bear their iniquity or sin, i.e., should suffer punishment in consequence (see at Lev 5:1); and in the last case it is stated that they should die childless. From this it is obvious that sexual connection with the sister of either father or mother was not to be punished with death by the magistrate, but would be punished with disease by God Himself.

Lev 18:15

Sexual connection with a daughter-in-law, a son’s wife, is called תּבל in Lev 20:12, and threatened with death to both the parties concerned. תּבל, from בּלל to mix, to confuse, signifies a sinful mixing up or confusing of the divine ordinances by unnatural unchastity, like the lying of a woman with a beast, which is the only other connection in which the word occurs (Lev 18:23).

Lev 18:16

Marriage with a brother’s wife was a sin against the brother’s nakedness, a sexual defilement, which God would punish with barrenness. This prohibition, however, only refers to cases in which the deceased brother had left children; for if he had died childless, the brother not only might, but was required to marry his sister-in-law (Deu 25:5).

Lev 18:17

Marriage with a woman and her daughter, whether both together or in succession, is described in Deu 27:20 as an accursed lying with the mother-in-law; whereas here it is the relation to the step-daughter which is primarily referred to, as we may see from the parallel prohibition, which is added, against taking the daughter of her son or daughter, i.e., the granddaughter-in-law. Both of these were crimes against blood-relationship which were to be punished with death in the case of both parties (Lev 20:14), because they were “wickedness,” זמּה, lit., invention, design, here applied to the crime of licentiousness and whoredom (Lev 19:29; Jdg 20:6; Job 31:11).

Lev 18:18

Lastly, it was forbidden to take a wife to her sister (עליה upon her, as in Gen 28:9; Gen 31:50) in her life-time, that is to say, to marry two sisters at the same time, לצרר “to pack together, to uncover this nakedness,” i.e., to pack both together into one marriage bond, and so place the sisters in carnal union through their common husband, and disturb the sisterly relation, as the marriage with two sisters that was forced upon Jacob had evidently done. No punishment is fixed for the marriage with two sisters; and, of course, after the death of the first wife a man was at liberty to marry her sister.Prohibition of other kinds of unchastity and of unnatural crimes. - Lev 18:19 prohibits intercourse with a woman during her uncleanness. טמאה נדּת signifies the uncleanness of a woman’s hemorrhage, whether menstruation or after childbirth, which is called in Lev 12:7; Lev 20:18, the fountain of bleeding. The guilty persons were both of them to be cut off from their nation according to Lev 20:18, i.e., to be punished with death.

Lev 18:20 “To a neighbour’s wife thou shalt not give שׁכבתּך thy pouring as seed” (i.e., make her pregnant), “to defile thyself with her,” viz., by the emissio seminis (Lev 15:16-17), a defilement which was to be punished as adultery by the stoning to death of both parties (Lev 20:10; Deu 22:22, cf. Joh 9:5).

Lev 18:21

To bodily unchastity there is appended a prohibition of spiritual whoredom. “Thou shalt not give of thy seed to cause to pass through (sc., the fire; Deu 18:10) for Moloch.” המּלך is constantly written with the article: it is rendered by the lxx ἄρχων both here and in Lev 20:2., but ὁ Μολόχ βασιλεύς in other places (2Ki 23:10; Jer 32:35). Moloch was an old Canaanitish idol, called by the Phoenicians and Carthaginians Melkarth, Baal-melech, Malcom, and other such names, and related to Baal, a sun-god worshipped, like Kronos and Saturn, by the sacrifice of children. It was represented by a brazen statue, which was hollow and capable of being heated, and formed with a bull’s head, and arms stretched out to receive the children to be sacrificed. From the time of Ahaz children were slain at Jerusalem in the valley of Ben-hinnom, and then sacrificed by being laid in the heated arms and burned (Eze 16:20-21; Eze 20:31; Jer 32:35; 2Ki 23:10; 2Ki 16:3; 2Ki 17:17; 2Ki 21:6, cf. Psa 106:37-38). Now although this offering of children in the valley of Ben-hinnom is called a “slaughtering” by Ezekiel (Eze 16:21), and a “burning through (in the) fire” by Jeremiah (Jer 7:31), and although, in the times of the later kings, children were actually given up to Moloch and burned as slain-offerings, even among the Israelites; it by no means follows from this, that “passing through to Moloch,” or “passing through the fire,” or “passing through the fire to Moloch” (2Ki 23:10), signified slaughtering and burning with fire, though this has been almost unanimously assumed since the time of Clericus. But according to the unanimous explanation of the Rabbins, fathers, and earlier theologians, “causing to pass through the fire” denoted primarily going through the fire without burning, a februation, or purification through fire, by which the children were consecrated to Moloch; a kind of fire-baptism, which preceded the sacrificing, and was performed, particularly in olden time, without actual sacrificing, or slaying and burning. For februation was practised among the most different nations without being connected with human sacrifices; and, like most of the idolatrous rites of the heathen, no doubt the worship of Moloch assumed different forms at different times and among different nations. If the Israelites had really sacrificed their children to Moloch, i.e., had slain and burned them, before the time of Ahaz, the burning would certainly have been mentioned before; for Solomon had built a high place upon the mountain to the east of Jerusalem for Moloch, the abomination of the children of Ammon, to please his foreign wives (1Ki 11:7 : see the Art. Moloch in Herzog's Cycl.). This idolatrous worship was to be punished with death by stoning, as a desecration of the name of Jehovah, and a defiling of His sanctuary (Lev 20:3), i.e., as a practical contempt of the manifestations of the grace of the living God (Lev 20:2-3).

Lev 18:22-23

Lastly, it was forbidden to “lie with mankind as with womankind,” i.e., to commit the crime of paederastia, that sin of Sodom (Gen 19:5), to which the whole of the heathen were more or less addicted (Rom 1:27), and from which even the Israelites did not keep themselves free (Jdg 19:22.); or to “lie with any beast.” “Into no beast shalt thou give thine emission of seed,...and a woman shall not place herself before a beast to lie down thereto.” רבע = רבץ “to lie,” is the term used particularly to denote a crime of this description (Lev 20:13 and Lev 20:15, Lev 20:16, cf. Exo 22:18). Lying with animals was connected in Egypt with the worship of the goat; at Mendes especially, where the women lay down before he-goats (Herodotus, 2, 46; Strabo, 17, p. 802). Aelian (nat. an. vii. 19) relates an account of the crime being also committed with a dog in Rome; and according to Sonnini, R. 11, p. 330, in modern Egypt men are said to lie even with female crocodiles.

Lev 18:24-30

In the concluding exhortation God pointed expressly to the fact, that the nations which He was driving out before the Israelites (the participle משׁלּח is used of that which is certainly and speedily coming to pass) had defiled the land by such abominations as those, that He had visited their iniquity and the land had spat out its inhabitants, and warned the Israelites to beware of these abominations, that the land might not spit them out as it had the Canaanites before them. The pret. ותּקא (Lev 18:25) and קאה (Lev 18:28) are prophetic (cf. Lev 20:22-23), and the expression is poetical. The land is personified as a living creature, which violently rejects food that it dislikes. “Hoc enim tropo vult significare Scriptura enormitatem criminum, quod scilicet ipsae creaturae irrationales suo creatori semper obedientes et pro illo pugnantes detestentur peccatores tales eosque terra quasi evomat, cum illi expelluntur ab ea” (C. a Lap.).

Cautions against Idolatrous Practices. (b. c. 1490.)

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the Lord your God. 3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances. 4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the Lord your God. 5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord .

After divers ceremonial institutions, God here returns to the enforcement of moral precepts. The former are still of use to us as types, the latter still binding as laws. We have here, 1. The sacred authority by which these laws are enacted: I am the Lord your God (v. 1, 4, 30), and I am the Lord, v. 5, 6, 21. "The Lord, who has a right to rule all; your God, who has a peculiar right to rule you." Jehovah is the fountain of being, and therefore the fountain of power, whose we are, whom we are bound to serve, and who is able to punish all disobedience. "Your God to whom you have consented, in whom you are happy, to whom you lie under the highest obligations imaginable, and to whom you are accountable." 2. A strict caution to take heed of retaining the relics of the idolatries of Egypt, where they had dwelt, and of receiving the infection of the idolatries of Canaan, whither they were now going, v. 3. Now that God was by Moses teaching them his ordinances there was aliquid dediscendum—something to be unlearned, which they had sucked in with their milk in Egypt, a country noted for idolatry: You shall not do after the doings of the land of Egypt. It would be the greatest absurdity in itself to retain such an affection for their house of bondage as to be governed in their devotions by the usages of it, and the greatest ingratitude to God, who had so wonderfully and graciously delivered them. Nay, as if governed by a spirit of contradiction, they would be in danger, even after they had received these ordinances of God, of admitting the wicked usages of the Canaanites and of inheriting their vices with their land. Of this danger they are here warned, You shall not walk in their ordinances. Such a tyrant is custom that their practices are called ordinances, and they became rivals even with God's ordinances, and God's professing people were in danger of receiving law from them. 3. A solemn charge to them to keep God's judgments, statutes, and ordinances, v. 4, 5. To this charge, and many similar ones, David seems to refer in the many prayers and professions he makes relating to God's laws in the 119th Psalm. Observe here, (1.) The great rule of our obedience—God's statutes and judgments. These we must keep to walk therein. We must keep them in our books, and keep them in our hands, that we may practise them in our hearts and lives. Remember God's commandments to do them, Ps. ciii. 18. We must keep in them as our way to travel in, keep to them as our rule to work by, keep them as our treasure, as the apple of our eye, with the utmost care and value. (2.) The great advantage of our obedience: Which if a man do, he shall live in them, that is, "he shall be happy here and hereafter." We have reason to thank God, [1.] That this is still in force as a promise, with a very favourable construction of the condition. If we keep God's commandments in sincerity, though we come short of sinless perfection, we shall find that the way of duty is the way of comfort, and will be the way to happiness. Godliness has the promise of life, 1 Tim. iv. 8. Wisdom has said, Keep my commandments and live: and if through the Spirit we mortify the deeds of the body (which are to us as the usages of Egypt were to Israel) we shall live. [2.] That it is not so in force in the nature of a covenant as that the least transgression shall for ever exclude us from this life. The apostle quotes this twice as opposite to the faith which the gospel reveals. It is the description of the righteousness which is by the law, the man that doeth them shall live en autois—in them (Rom. x. 5), and is urged to prove that the law is not of faith, Gal. iii. 12. The alteration which the gospel has made is in the last word: still the man that does them shall live, but not live in them; for the law could not give life, because we could not perfectly keep it; it was weak through the flesh, not in itself; but now the man that does them shall live by the faith of the Son of God. He shall owe his life to the grace of Christ, and not to the merit of his own works; see Gal. iii. 21, 22. The just shall live, but they shall live by faith, by virtue of their union with Christ, who is their life.

Incest Defined and Forbidden; Against Marrying Near Relations. (b. c. 1490.)

6 None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the Lord . 7 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. 8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness. 9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover. 10 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. 11 The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. 12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kinswoman. 13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy mother's near kinswoman. 14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt. 15 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. 16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness. 17 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. 18 Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.

These laws relate to the seventh commandment, and, no doubt, are obligatory on us under the gospel, for they are consonant to the very light and law of nature: one of the articles, that of a man's having his father's wife, the apostle speaks of as a sin not so much as named among the Gentiles, 1 Cor. v. 1. Though some of the incests here forbidden were practised by some particular persons among the heathen, yet they were disallowed and detested, unless among those nations who had become barbarous, and were quite given up to vile affections. Observe,

I. That which is forbidden as to the relations here specified is approaching to them to uncover their nakedness, v. 6.

1. It is chiefly intended to forbid the marrying of any of these relations. Marriage is a divine institution; this and the sabbath, the eldest of all, of equal standing with man upon the earth: it is intended for the comfort of human life, and the decent and honourable propagation of the human race, such as became the dignity of man's nature above that of the beasts. It is honourable in all, and these laws are for the support of the honour of it. It was requisite that a divine ordinance should be subject to divine rules and restraints, especially because it concerns a thing wherein the corrupt nature of man is as apt as in any thing to be wilful and impetuous in its desires, and impatient of check. Yet these prohibitions, besides their being enacted by an incontestable authority, are in themselves highly reasonable and equitable. (1.) By marriage two were to become one flesh, therefore those that before were in a sense one flesh by nature could not, without the greatest absurdity, become one flesh by institution; for the institution was designed to unite those who before were not united. (2.) Marriage puts an equality between husband and wife. "Is she not thy companion taken out of thy side?" Therefore, if those who before were superior and inferior should intermarry (which is the case in most of the instances here laid down), the order of nature would be taken away by a positive institution, which must by no means be allowed. The inequality between master and servant, noble and ignoble, is founded in consent and custom, and there is no harm done if that be taken away by the equality of marriage; but the inequality between parents and children, uncles and nieces, aunts and nephews, either by blood or marriage, is founded in nature, and is therefore perpetual, and cannot without confusion be taken away by the equality of marriage, the institution of which, though ancient, is subsequent to the order of nature. (3.) No relations that are equals are forbidden, except brothers and sisters, by the whole blood or half blood, or by marriage; and in this there is not the same natural absurdity as in the former, for Adam's sons must of necessity have married their own sisters; but it was requisite that it should be made by a positive law unlawful and detestable, for the preventing of sinful familiarities between those that in the days of their youth are supposed to live in a house together, and yet cannot intermarry without defeating one of the intentions of marriage, which is the enlargement of friendship and interest. If every man married his own sister (as they would be apt to do from generation to generation if it were lawful), each family would be a world to itself, and it would be forgotten that we are members one of another. It is certain that this has always been looked upon by the more sober heathen as a most infamous and abominable thing; and those who had not this law yet were herein a law to themselves. The making use of the ordinance of marriage for the patronizing of incestuous mixtures is so far from justifying them, or extenuating their guilt, that it adds the guilt of profaning an ordinance of God, and prostituting that to the vilest of purposes which was instituted for the noblest ends. But,

2. Uncleanness, committed with any of these relations out of marriage, is likewise, without doubt, forbidden here, and no less intended than the former: as also all lascivious carriage, wanton dalliance, and every thing that has the appearance of this evil. Relations must love one another, and are to have free and familiar converse with each other, but it must be with all purity; and the less it is suspected of evil by others the more care ought the persons themselves to take that Satan do not get advantage against them, for he is a very subtle enemy, and seeks all occasions against us.

II. The relations forbidden are most of them plainly described; and it is generally laid down as a rule that what relations of a man's own he is bound up from marrying the same relations of his wife he is likewise forbidden to marry, for they two are one. That law which forbids marrying a brother's wife (v. 16) had an exception peculiar to the Jewish state, that, if a man died without issue, his brother or next of kin should marry the widow, and raise up seed to the deceased (Deut. xxv. 5), for reasons which held good only in that commonwealth; and therefore now that those reasons have ceased the exception ceases, and the law is in force, that a man must in no case marry his brother's widow. That article (v. 18) which forbids a man to take a wife to her sister supposes a connivance at polygamy, as some other laws then did (Exod. xxi. 10; Deut. xxi. 15), but forbids a man's marrying two sisters, as Jacob did, because between those who had before been equal there would be apt to arise greater jealousies and animosities than between wives that were not so nearly related. If the sister of the wife be taken for the concubine, or secondary wife, nothing can be more vexing in her life, or as long as she lives.

Laws against Iniquity. (b. c. 1490.)

19 Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness. 20 Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her. 21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord . 22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. 23 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. 24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: 25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. 26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: 27 (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) 28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you. 29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. 30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the Lord your God.

Here is, I. A law to preserve the honour of the marriage-bed, that it should not be unseasonably used (v. 19), nor invaded by an adulterer, v. 20.

II. A law against that which was the most unnatural idolatry, causing their children to pass through the fire to Moloch, v. 21. Moloch (as some think) was the idol in and by which they worshipped the sun, that great fire of the world; and therefore in the worship of it they made their own children either sacrifices to this idol, burning them to death before it, or devotees to it, causing them to pass between two fires, as some think, or to be thrown through one, to the honour of this pretended deity, imagining that the consecrating of but one of their children in this manner to Moloch would procure good fortune for all the rest of their children. Did idolaters thus give their own children to false gods, and shall we think any thing too dear to be dedicated to, or to be parted with for, the true God? See how this sin of Israel (which they were afterwards guilty of, notwithstanding this law) is aggravated by the relation which they and their children stood in to God. Ezek. xvi. 20, Thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these thou hast sacrificed. Therefore it is here called profaning the name of their God; for it looked as if they thought they were under greater obligations to Moloch than to Jehovah; for to him they offered their cattle only, but to Moloch their children.

III. A law against unnatural lusts, sodomy and bestiality, sins not to be named nor thought of without the utmost abhorrence imaginable, v. 22, 23. Other sins level men with the beasts, but these sink them much lower. That ever there should have been occasion for the making of these laws, and that since they are published they should ever have been broken, is the perpetual reproach and scandal of human nature; and the giving of men up to these vile affections was frequently the punishment of their idolatries; so the apostle shows, Rom. i. 24.

IV. Arguments against these and the like abominable wickednesses. He that has an indisputable right to command us, yet because he will deal with us as men, and draw with the cords of a man, condescends to reason with us. 1. Sinners defile themselves with these abominations: Defile not yourselves in any of these things, v. 24. All sin is defiling to the conscience, but these are sins that have a peculiar turpitude in them. Our heavenly Father, in kindness to us, requires of us that we keep ourselves clean, and do not wallow in the dirt. 2. The souls that commit them shall be cut off, v. 29. And justly; for, if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, 1 Cor. iii. 17. Fleshly lusts war against the soul, and will certainly be the ruin of it if God's mercy and grace prevent not. 3. The land is defiled, v. 25. If such wickednesses as these be practised and connived at, the land is thereby made unfit to have God's tabernacle in it, and the pure and holy God will withdraw the tokens of his gracious presence from it. It is also rendered unwholesome to the inhabitants, who are hereby infected with sin and exposed to plagues and it is really nauseous and loathsome to all good men in it, as the wickedness of Sodom was to the soul of righteous Lot. 4. These have been the abominations of the former inhabitants, v. 24, 27. Therefore it was necessary that these laws should be made, as antidotes and preservatives from the plague are necessary when we go into an infected place. And therefore they should not practise any such things, because the nations that had practised them now lay under the curse of God, and were shortly to fall by the sword of Israel. They could not but be sensible how odious those people had made themselves who wallowed in this mire, and how they stank in the nostrils of all good men; and shall a people sanctified and dignified as Israel was make themselves thus vile? When we observe how ill sin looks in others we should use this as an argument with ourselves with the utmost care and caution to preserve our purity. 5. For these and the like sins the Canaanites were to be destroyed; these filled the measure of the Amorites' iniquity (Gen. xv. 16), and brought down that destruction of so many populous kingdoms which the Israelites were now shortly to be not only the spectators, but the instruments of: Therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, v. 25. Note, The tremendous judgments of God, executed on those that are daringly profane and atheistical, are intended as warnings to those who profess religion to take heed of every thing that has the least appearance of, or tendency towards, profaneness or atheism. Even the ruin of the Canaanites is an admonition to the Israelites not to do like them. Nay, to show that not only the Creator is provoked, but the creation burdened, by such abominations as these, it is added (v. 25), The land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. The very ground they went upon did, as it were, groan under them, and was sick of them, and not easy till it had discharged itself of these enemies of the Lord, Isa. i. 24. This bespeaks the extreme loathsomeness of sin; sinful man indeed drinks in iniquity like water, but the harmless part of the creation even heaves at it, and rises against it. Many a house and many a town have spued out the wicked inhabitants, as it were, with abhorrence, Rev. iii. 16. Therefore take heed, saith God, that the land spue not you out also, v. 28. It was secured to them, and entailed upon them, and yet they must expect that, if they made the vices of the Canaanites their own, with their land their fate would be the same. Note, Wicked Israelites are as abominable to God as wicked Canaanites, and more so, and will be as soon spued out, or sooner. Such a warning as was here given to the Israelites is given by the apostle to the Gentile converts, with reference to the rejected Jews, in whose room they were substituted (Rom. xi. 19, &c.); they must take heed of falling after the same example of unbelief, Heb. iv. 11. Apply it more generally; and let it deter us effectually from all sinful courses to consider how many they have been the ruin of. Lay the ear of faith to the gates of the bottomless pit, and hear the doleful shrieks and outcries of damned sinners, whom earth has spued out and hell has swallowed, that find themselves undone, for ever undone, by sin; and tremble lest this be your portion at last. God's threatenings and judgments should frighten us from sin.

V. The chapter concludes with a sovereign antidote against this infection: Therefore you shall keep my ordinance that you commit not any one of these abominable customs, v. 30. This is the remedy prescribed. Note, 1. Sinful customs are abominable customs, and their being common and fashionable does not make them at all the less abominable nor should we the less abominate them, but the more; because the more customary they are the more dangerous they are. 2. It is of pernicious consequence to admit and allow of any one sinful custom, because one will make way for many, Uno absurdo dato, mille sequuntur—Admit but a single absurdity, you invite a thousand. The way of sin is downhill. 3. A close and constant adherence to God's ordinances is the most effectual preservative from the infection of gross sin. The more we taste of the sweetness and feel of the power of holy ordinances the less inclination we shall have to the forbidden pleasures of sinners' abominable customs. It is the grace of God only that will secure us, and that grace is to be expected only in the use of the means of grace. Nor does God ever leave any to their own hearts' lusts till they have first left him and his institutions.

CHAP. XVIII.

ANd Iehovah spake unto Moses, saying. Speake, unto the sonnes of Israel; and say unto them: I, am Iehovah your God. After the doing of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not doe: and after the doing of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall yee not doe: and in their statutes, ye shall not walke. My judgements shall ye doe, and my statutes shall yee keepe, to walke in them: I, am Iehovah your God. And ye shall keepe my statutes, and my judgments; which a man shall doe, and shall live by them: I, am Iehovah.

None of you shall approach, unto any neere-kinne of his flesh, to uncover (their) nakednesse: I, am Iehovah.

The nakednesse of thy father, and the nakednesse of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother, thou shalt not uncover her nakednesse.

The nakednesse of thy fathers wife, shalt thou not uncover: it, is thy fathers nakednes.

The nakednesse of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or the daughter of thy mother; whether she be borne at home, or borne abroad: thou shalt not uncover, their nakednesse.

The nakednesse of thy sonnes daughter, or of thy daughters daughter; thou shalt not uncover their nakednes: for they, are thy nakednesse.

The nakednes of thy fathers wives daughter, begotten of thy father; she is thy sister: thou shalt not uncover her nakednes.

The nakednesse of thy fathers sister, thou shalt not uncover: she, is thy fathers neere-kinne.

The nakednesse of thy mothers sister, thou shalt not uncover: for shee, is thy mothers neere-kinne.

The nakednes of thy fathers brother, thou shalt not uncover: unto his wife, thou shalt not approch; she, is thine aunt.

The nakednes of thy daughter-in-law, thou shalt not uncover: shee, is thy sonnes wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakednes.

The nakednes of thy brothers wife, thou shalt not uncover: it, is thy brothers nakednes.

The nakednes of a woman, and of her daughter, thou shalt not uncover: her sonnes daughter, or her daughters daughter, thou shalt not take, to uncover her nakednes; they are neere-kinne, it is wickednes.

And a woman unto her sister, thou shalt not take; to vexe (her,) to uncover her nakednes upon her, in her life.

And unto a woman, in the separation of her uncleannes: thou shalt not approach, to uncover her nakednes.

And unto thy neighbours wife, thou shalt not give thy copulation, for seed, to defile thy selfe with her.

And of thy seed shalt thou not give, to cause-to-passe-through (the fire) unto Molech: and thou shalt not profane, the name of thy God; I am Iehovah.

With a male; thou shalt not lye, like copulation with a woman: it, is abomination.

Neither shalt thou give thy copulation, with any beast, to defile thy selfe therewith: neither shall a woman, stand before a beast, to lye downe thereto; it, is confusion.

Be not ye defiled, in any of these (things:) for in all these, the nations are defiled, which I cast-out, from your faces. And the lands defiled; and I doe visit the iniquitie thereof, upon it: and the land spueth out, the inhabitants thereof. You shall therefore keepe my statures, and my judgments; and shall not doe, any of these abominations; neither the homeborne, nor the stranger that so journeth among you. For all these abominations, have the men of the land done, which were before you: and the land, is defiled. That the land spue not out, you also; when ye defile it: as it spued out, the nation, which was before you. For whosoever shall doe, any of th[illegible: 1 span] abominations: even the soules that d[illegible: 1 span] them, shall be cut-off, from among their people. Therefore yee shall keepe my charge not to doe, any of the statutes of abomi[illegible: 1 span] tions, which were done before you; and ye shall not be defiled in them: I am Iehovah your God.

Annotations. DOing] that is, doings or actions, as the Greek and Chaldee translate: the singular number implieth all and everie one of their unlawfull practices. land] which the Chaldee explaineth, the people of the land. Of Egypt, the scripture testifieth, that it was an Idolatrous land, and there Israel had beene defiled, Ezek. 20. 7. 8. and 23. 8. Likewise of Canaan, Levit. 20. 23. therefore these two are expresly named, and all other implyed. statutes] or, decrees, ordinances described by their lawes; either for religion or otherwise if they were superstitious. The Hebrew doctors explaine it thus; We may not walke in the statutes of the heathens, nor bee like unto them, either in apparell, or in haire [Lev. 19. 27.] or any the like, Lev. 18. 3. But Israel must be separated from them & known by their apparell and their other workes, as they are separated from them in their knowledge and opinions: and so he saith (Lev. 20. 26) I have separated you from (other) peoples. A man must not apparell himselfe with the apparell that is peculiar unto them, nor let the locks of his head grow, like the lockes of their heads, nor shave off the sides, and leave the haire in the midst, as they doe, &c. nor build places, as they build temples for idolatrie, &c. Maimony treat. of Idolatrie, ch. 11. sect. 1. Vers. 4. my statutes] that is, mine onely; as, him thou shalt serve, Deut. 6. 13. is expounded by our Saviour, him onely thou shalt serve: Matt. 4. 10. It meaneth also all my statutes, Deutero. 12. 32. and so The words of this law, Deut. 27. 26. is explained by the Apostle, all things which are written in the booke of the law, Ga. 3. 10. therfore in the next verse here, the Greeke version addeth, And ye shall keepe all my statutes. Of this it is said; Iehovah who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, with great power, and a stretched out arme, him shall ye feare, and him shall yee worship, and to him shall yee doe sacrifice, and the Statutes, and the jugdements, and the Law, and commandement which he wrote for you, yee shall observe to doe for evermore, and yee shall not feare other Gods; and the Covenant which I have made with you, yee shall not forget, &c. 2 King. 17. 36. 38. By this therefore God forbiddeth them all mens inventions, Eccles. 7. 29. the works of their owne hands, Ier. 25. 6. and the statutes of the Kings of Israel, which they after made without the commandement of the Lord. 2 King. 17. 8. Mat. 6. 16. Vers. 5. shall live by them] or, in them: that is, shal have eternall life of God, for doing them: and so the Chaldee paraphraseth, hee shall live by them to life eternall: and as Solomon Iarchi saith, in the world that is to come. This and the like promises elsewhere, as in Ezek. 20. 13. are legall, and differ from the promises of the Gospell; as the Apostle observeth saying; The just shall live by faith: and the Law is not of faith, but the man that doth them, shall live by them, Gal. 3. 11. 12. and againe, For Moses describeth the justice which is of the Law, that the man which doth them, shall live by them, (alledging the very words of this text, according to the Greeke version:) but the justice which is of faith, speaketh on this wise; Say not in thine heart, who shall goe up to heaven, &c. That, if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth, that Iesus is the LORD; and shalt beleeve in thine heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: Rom. 10. 5.—9. Vers. 6. None of you] Heb. Man man yee shall not approach: that is, not any man. To approach or (come neere) is used for carnall copulation, as in Gen. 20. 4. Abimelech had not come neere unto her. So in Ezek. 18. 6. and Esa. 8. 3. I approached unto the Prophetesse, and she conceived, &c. Moreover from this word approach, the Hebrewes (comparing herewith the 30. v.) doe say, Who so commeth to any of these nakednesses (the unlawfull copulations following,) either by way of copulation, or that imbraceth or kisseth by way of lust, any of his kinne, is to be beaten by the Law. For the meaning is, yee shall not approach unto the things which may bring you unto the uncovering of their nakednesse. And it is unlawfull for a man to make signes with hand foot or eye (as Prov. 6. 13.) to any of these, or to sport with her, or to gaze on her beautie, &c. Maimony in Issure biah, chap. 21. sect. 1. 2. neere-kin] The Hebrew Sheer signifieth flesh, Psal. 73. 26. Prov. 5. 11. and 11. 17. And as Basar, flesh, is sometime used for kindred, Gen. 29. 14. so is Sheer, in this case of mariage and copulation; and so by the Chaldee and Greeke it is translated neere, and neere-of kinne. nakednesse] that is, the secrets, or shamefull part of the body, whereof since sinne came on mankinde, we are most ashamed: therfore the Greeke translateth it shame or uncomelinesse; which also the holy Ghost alloweth in Rev. 16. 15. and in Rev. 3. 18. it is called the shame of nakednesse. To uncover nakednesse here, meaneth carnall copulation, and incest; not onely out of maried estate, but also unlawfull and incestuous mariages. The Hebrewes say, Whatsoever copulation is forbidden in the Law; for which one is guilty of cutting off, and which are spoken of in Levit. 18. they are called Nakednesses, and every one of them is called incest (or nakednesse;) as with mother, or sister, or daughter and the like. Maimony, treat. of Wives, chap. 1. sect. 5. Vers. 7. of thy father, and the nakednesse of thy mother] This is one fact, but a double sinne: for by uncovering the fathers nakednesse, is meant the lying with his wife; as Levit. 20. 11. and as after in verse 8. and in verse 14. the uncovering of the uncles nakednesse, is expounded the approaching unto his wife, The Hebrewes say, Hee that lieth with his mother, and shee his fathers wife, is double guility; (whether it bee while his father is living, or after his death;) once for that she is his mother, and againe for that she is his fathers wife. Maimony in Issureibiah, chap. 2. sect. 2. It may also be thus spoken, to imply the woman with her father, as the man with his mother: and so Ionathan in his Targum here paraphraseth, The woman shall not lye with her father, and the man shall not ly with his mother. V. 8. thy fathers wife] though shee be not thine owne mother, but mother in law, This was Reubens sinne, who lay with Bilhah his fathers concubine, Gen. 35. 22. It was a sinne infamous among the heathens, 1 Cor. 5. 1. The Hebrew canons say; A mans fathers wife, and his sonnes wife, and his brothers wife, and his fathers brothers wife, these foure are a nakednesse unto him [that is, unlawfull for him] for ever: whether they be of the betrothed, or of the maried, be they divorsed or not divorsed, bee their husbands alive or dead; except it bee his brothers wife who hath left no childe (at his death, Deut. 25. 5.) And if he lye with any one of them, whiles her husband is alive, he is double guilty: in respect that she is of his neere kinne, and againe for that she is another mans wife. Maimony in [illegible: 1 letter]ssureibiah, chap. 2. sect. 1. it is thy fathers nakednesse] that is, it belongeth to him onely to uncover the same. Vers. 9. whether she be borne at home, &c.] Hebr. of the birth (or kindred) of the house (or home;) or of the birth abroad: which the Chaldee expoundeth thus, which is begotten by the father, of an other woman; or of thy mother, by an other man. The Hebrew canons further explaine it, thus; whether shee be his sister by his father, or by his mother, either in maried estate, or by fornication; as if his mother or his father have committed whordome with others, and he hath a sister from fornication; loe this is a nakednesse [that is forbidden] unto him; as it is written. Borne at home, or borne abroad. Maimony in Issurei biah, chap. 2. sect. 2. So in Targum [illegible: 1 letter]onathan it is expounded, whom thy father hath begotten of another woman, or of thy mother; or whom thy mother hath borne by thy father, or by an other man. Verse 10. daughters daughter] and so other of further descent: how much more then his next daughter, though shee be not named. The Hebrewes say; Who so companieth with a woman by way of fornication, and begetteth a daughter of her, that daughter is a nakednesse (forbidden) him, in the name of his daughter. And although hit be not said in the Law, Thou shalt not uncover thy daughters nakednesse: for as much as it forbiddeth the daughters daughter, it keepeth silence concerning the daughter, which yet is forbidden by the Law, and not by the Scribes onely. Maimony in Issureibiah chap. 2. sect. 6. thy nakednesse]▪ that is, borne of thy nakednesse. Vers. 11. begotten] or, the generation, or kin of thy father. This some doe understand, a kin to thy father by mariage with her mother, and no[illegible: 1 letter] begotten of his body: but the Greeke translateth it Homo patria, begotten of the same father; and the Chaldee expoundeth it likewise. The Hebrew doctors also explaine it, The daughter of his fathers wife, which is his sister by his father: she is a nakednesse (unlawfull) for him. But if his father mary a wife, and shee hath a daughter by another man, that daughter is lawfull for him, for she is not (Moledeth) begotten of his father. But is he not guilty concerning her, by the name of his sister? And why is it said, the daughter of thy fathers wife? to make him guilty concerning her, in this respect also. Therefore [illegible: 1 letter]e that companieth with his sister, which is his fathers daughter in mariage, is double guilty; once by the name of Thy sisters nakednesse; and againe by the name of The nakednesse of thy fathers wives daughter. But if his father have forced a woman, or inticed her, and begotten a daughter of her, and (the sonne) company with her, he is not guilty but by the name of his sister onely: for the daughter of a forced woman, is not the daughter of his fathers wife. Maimony in Issure[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 word], chap. 2. sect. 3. 4. V. 12. fathers sister] thy aunt, by thy fathers side. Vers. 13. mothers sister] thy aunt, by the mothers side. Of these the Hebrewes say; His mothers sister, whether it be her sister by her father, or her sister by her mother; whether in maried estate, or in fornication; loe she is a nakednesse (forbidden) unto him, by the name of his mothers sister. And so the fathers sister, whether by mother or father, in mariage or in fornication; she is forbidden him by the name of his fathers sister▪ Maimony in Issureibiah, chap. 2. sect. 5. Vers. 14. fathers brother] meaning his wife (as the next words shew,) called his nakednesse, because man and wife are one flesh, Matth. 19. 6. So in verse 16. So the notes on verse 8. not approach] in Greeke, not goe in: that is, not lye with her: see the notes on verse 6. thine aunt] the Chaldee explaineth it, thy fathers brothers wife. Vers. 15. daughter-in-law] that is, thy sonnes wife, as it is after explained. The Hebrew name Callab, elsewhere signifieth a spouse or bride: here it is, the sonnes wife; touching whom, see what is noted on verse 8. Vers. 16. brothers wife] except when the brother deceaseth without children, then the next brother marieth her, Deut. 25. 5. See the notes on verse 8. Vers. 17. or her] Hebr. and her: but and is often used for or; as is noted on Genes. 13. 8. Of these lawes, the Hebrewes write thus; When a man marieth a woman, there are sixe women of her kinne, unlawfull for him for ever, whether his wife live with him, or be divorsed, whether she be alive or after her death▪ and they are those; her mother, and her mothers mother, and her fathers mother, and her daughter, and her daughters daughter, and her sonnes daughter. And if he lie with any one of them, whiles his wife liveth; both of them are to be burned, (Levit. 20. 14.) Maimony in [illegible: 1 letter]ss[illegible: 1 letter]re[illegible: 1 letter] biah, chap. 2. sect. 7. wickednesse] in Hebrew Zimmah, which properly signifieth a wicked thought or purpose; but is applied also to wicked acts, and particularly to unlawfull copulations; the Chaldee here translateth it counsell (or purpose) of sinnes: the Greeke, an impietie (or impious act,) and in Levit. 20. 14. an unlawfull-act. Vers. 18. a woman] or, a wife unto her sister, which the Chaldee translateth with her sister. Which word sister, may be understood of any other woman, (as brother is often used for any other man, Gen. 26. 31. and 19. 7.) & then the law here forbiddeth to take any moe wives then one; which the reason following seemeth to confirme. The Hebrewes understand it of her next sister in blood, whether she be her sister by the mother, or her sister by the father; whether in way of mariage, or in fornication. Maimony in Iss[illegible: 1 letter]re[illegible: 1 letter] biah, chap. 2. sect. 9. to vexe her] or, vexing her, or for an adversarie, as Penin[illegible: 1 letter]ah is called the adversarie (or vexer) of Anna, the other wife of Elkanah, 1 Sam. 1. 6. whereby it is probable, that the sister forementioned, is any other wife; and the Greeke here and there translateth a like Antizelos an [illegible: 1 word] or envier. For when one man hath two wives, they are ready to envie and vexe one another: see Gen. 4. 19. 23. and 30. 15. in her life] or, whiles she is alive, as the Greek explaineth it. Vers. 19▪ a woman] or, a wife: even from his own wife, every man was to abstain, during this her uncleannesse. See Levit. 12. and 15. chapters. separ[illegible: 1 span]] that is, so long as she is separated for the uncleannesse of her monthly fluors; whereof see Lev. 15. 19. They that transgressed this Law presumptuously, were to be cut-off, Levit. 20 18. and for transgression thereof in Israel, the prophet proclaimeth, Ezek. 22. 10. And by the Hebrew doctors, this uncleannesse was as the residue of all the nakednesses forementioned; who so uncovereth her nakednesse so, deserveth to be cut off. Maimony in Issureibiah, ch. 4. sect. 1. Vers. 20. not give thy copulation, for seed] or, of seed; that is, not lye fleshly with her; not comit adultery: which the Hebrew expresseth here by the lying (or bed) unto seed: and in Leviticus 19. 20. the lying (or bed) of seed; and so the Greeke translateth it here. The phrase meaneth carnall copulation: and not onely when it is unto ess[illegible: 1 letter]sion of seed, but any other uncleannesse. The Hebrew cannons distinguish betweene the beginning of this act, (which they call the uncovering of nakednesse) and the accomplishment thereof. And in all these cop[illegible: 1 letter]lations spoken of, whether be hath uncovered her nakednesse, (beginning the act with his body▪) or hath accomplished it; yea though it be not to the effusio of seed &c. when he hath begun the act with his body, they are both of them guiltie of death by the Magistrate, or of cutting off, or of beating, or of chastisement, Maimony in Issureibiah, ch. 1. sect. 10. Vers. 21. of thy seed] that is, of any of thy children, thy son or thy daughter, as Moses expoundeth it in Deut. 18. 10. See also Lev. 20. 2. through the fire] this word fire, is after expressed in Deut. 18. 10. and in 2 Kings 11. 3. which another Prophet expoundeth, burne in the fire, 2 Chron. 28. 3. which was the abominable custome of the heathens, so dedicating their children unto idols and Devils: and the like abomination, the Israelites committed in a valley neer to Ierusalem, 2 Chron. 33. 6. Ierm. 32. 35. which King Iosias abolished, when he defiled Topheth, which was in the valley of the sons of Hinnom; that no man might make his sonne or his daughter, to passe through the fire to Molech, 2 King. 23. 10. This sin is here forbidden amongst whordomes and incests, because even it is spiritual whoredome; as in Lev. 20. 5. it is called a going a wh[illegible: 1 letter]ring after Molech. The manner of doing this wickednesse, it not now certainly knowne: but is thought to be done two waies, some being burned to death, othersome made to passe onely betweene two fires, for a signe of consecration. So of Achaz King of Iudah, it is said, he burnt his sons in the fire, 2 Chron. 28. 3. and of the Iewes, that they burnt their sons and their daughters in the fire, Ierm. 7. 31. and that they burnt their sonnes with fire, for burnt offrings unto B[illegible: 2 letters]l, Ierm. 19. 5. yea they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto Devills; and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sonns and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan. Psal. 106. 37. 38. R. Bechai (on Lev. 18) saith that the parents were perswaded, that by this sacrifice, the rest of their children should be delivered from death, and that they themselves should prosper for it, all daies of their life. Of the manner of consecrating and not killing their children, the Hebrewes write thus; There was a great fire kindled, and (the father) tooke some of his seed, to deliver the same unto the Priests that served the fire▪ and the same Priests gave the son unto his father, after that hee was delivered into their hand, to cause him to passe through the fire, by his leave: and the father of the son, was he that made his sonne passe through the fire, by the leave of the priests, and hee led him through on his feet, from one side to another, in the midst of the flame; but burned him not to Molech, after the manner that they burned their sonnes and their daughters to other Idols; but this service named Molech, was by passing through onely. Maimony treat of Idolatrie, ch. 6. sect. 3. And for the manner of killing their children, in the honor of Molech, it is thus recorded in an Hebrew commentary called Ialkut, upon [illegible: 1 letter]erm. 7. sol. 61. col. 4. Though all (other) houses of Idolatry were in Ierusalem, yet Molechs house was without the city, in a place apart. How was Molech made? It was an Image having the face of a Bullocke, and hands spred abroad, like a man that openeth his hands, to receive somewhat▪ Within, it was hollow: and for it there were seven chappels builded, before which this image was set. Who so off[illegible: 2 letters]d a foule or dove, went into the first chappell▪ if he broght a Lambe, he went into the second; if a Ramme, into the third; if a calfe, into the fourth; if a bullock, into the fi[illegible: 1 letter]t, if an Oxe, into the sixt; and if he offred his son, hee went into the seventh. He kissea Molech, as (in Hos. 13. 2.) Let the sacrificers of men, kiss the calves. The son was set before Molech, and Molech having fire put under it, was made burning hot. Then the Priests taking the child, put him into Molechs burning bands: and to the end that the father might no heare the cry of the childe, they did beat upon Tabers: thereupon was the place called Tophet; of Toph, which is a Taber. But of these things, wee have no certainty, save that the scriptures witnesse such impiety to have beene in Israel. Molech] the name of an Idol, or Star, which the Ammonites and other heathens worshipped, called also Moloch, Amos 5. 26. and Milcom, 1 King. 11. 5. 7. and was so named, as being Melech, King; wherefore the Greeke translateth it Archon a Prince: and is thought of some to be the star Saturne, the highest of all the Planets, unto which the Carthaginians are said to have sacrificed the best of their sonnes, Diodor. Sicul. l. 20. and likewise the Phoenicians, Euseb. praep. Evang. lib. 4. Others thinke it was the Sunne, which is as King and chiefe of all the Planets, and whom the Phoenicians worshipped by the name of Be[illegible: 1 letter]l samen, that is, Lord of heaven, as Sanchonjatho testifieth, in Euseb. Evang. praep. lib. 1. called in the holy Scriptures Baal. And this seemeth probable, for whereas in Tophet in the valley of the sons of Hinnom, they used to make their children passe through the fire to Molech, 2 King. 23. 10. Ieremy saith they offred them unto Baal, [illegible: 1 letter]e[illegible: 1 letter]m. 19. 5. compared with Ierm. 7. 31. and Ier. 32. 35. So either it was a starre, as the Prophet saith, the starre of your God, Amos 5. 26. or, the multitude of stars, as Stephen saith, God gave them up to worship the host of heaven, Act. 7. 42. which another Prophet confirmeth, saying, They shall spread them before the Sun, and the Moone, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served: Ier. 8. 2. Of like sort were Adram melech, and Anam-melech the Gods of Sepharvaim, unto whom that people, burnt their children in fire, 2 King 17. 31. Of this Idoll Molech, R. Solomon (on Ierem. 7. 31.) saith; there was an Image of brasse, set up in the valley of Hinnom neere Ierusalem, after the forme before noted out of Ialkut. not profane] or, not pollute, not prostitute: it is contrary to hallowing or sanctifying, Lev. 22. 32. And as Gods name is profaned funday wayes, Lev. 21. 6. and 19. 12. so in speciall by idolatry; as when they applyed Gods name or word, to the service of Molech forementioned, or the like. The Hebrew doctors among other things, doe apply this unto the giving of ones life for the truth and religion of God; saying: Who so ever ought rather to be killed, then to transgresse (Gods law) if he be killed, for that he will not transgresse, loe he sanctifieth the name (of God;) and if it be before ten men of Israel, loe he sanctifieth the Name publikely, as did Daniel, Ananias, Misael, Azarias &c. Dan. 3. & 6. And of such it is said (in Ps. 44.) for thy sake we are killed all the day, &c. But who soever ought to be killed rather then to transgresse; and hee transgresseth rathen he will bee killed, toe be profaneth the Name (of God) and if it be before ten of Israel, hee profaneth it publikely, and he disanulleth the affirmative precept, for sanctifiyng Gods name; and transgresseth against the prohibition of profaning his name. Maimony, tom. 1. in Iesudei hatorah, ch. 5. sect 4. Vers. 22. with a male] or, with man-kinde: this was the sin of Sodom, Gen. 19. 5. and of other heathens, Rom. 1. 27. called the going after other flesh, Iuce vers. 7. They that thus sinned, were by Moses Law to be stoned to death, Lev. 20. 13. by the law of Christ, they shall bee shut out of the kingdome of God, 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. like copulation with a woman] Hebrew, with the lyings (or copulations) of a woman. Vers. 23. to lye downe thereto] or, that it may lye with her, which sense the Greeke version also affordeth. So in Lev. 20. 16. where such beastlinesse is punished with death. And whether it be tame-beast, or wild-beast, or fowle, all are to be stoned to death, Maimony in Issureibiah, ch. 1. sect. 16. confusion] in Greeke, a detestable thing. Vers. 24. in any of these] or, in all these; which Targum Ionathan expoundeth, in any-one of all these; every of which, the Hebrewes call Nakednes, after the scripture phrase: and they say, There are also other women, which are forbidden by tradition, and the doctrine of the Scribes; these they call Secondaries, as being second (or next) to the foresaid nakednesses; and of them there be 20. women and they are these. 1 The mothers mother, and this is infinite, as the mothers mothers mothers mother, and so all upward, are unlawfull. 2 The mother of his mothers father, onely: and no further are forbidden. 3 His fathers mother, infinite: as the fathers mothers, mothers mother, and all upward, are unlawfull. 4 The mother of his fathers father, and no further. 5 The wife of his fathers father, infinite. Though she were the wife of our father Iakob [or Noe] shee is unlawfull for every of us. 6 The wife of his mothers father, and no further. 7 The wife of his fathers brother by the mother. 8 The wife of his mothers brother, whether by the mother or by the father. 9 His sons daughter in law [that is, his sons sons wife] infinite: though it should be his sons sons sons sons wife, even to the worlds end. So that Noe if he were now living, might never marry with any widow, that had been wife to any of his sons. 10 His daughters daughter in law (or sonnes wife) and no further. 11 The daughter of his sons daughter, & no further. 12 The daughter of his son, son and no further. 13 The daughter of his daughters daughter, onely, 14 The daughter of his daughters son, onely. 15 The daughter of his wives sons son, onely. 16 The daughter of his wives daughters daughter, onely. 17 The mother of his wives fathers mother, onely. 18 The mother of his wives mothers father, only. 19 The mother of his wives mothers mother, onely. 20 The mother of his wives fathers father onely. So there are found of these which are secondarily unlawfull, foure which are infinite. The mothers mother, and all upward. The fathers mother, and all upward. The grandfathers wife, and all upward. The sons son wife, and all downward. Maimony in Ishoth (or[illegible: 1 span] of Wives.) ch. [illegible: 1 word]. sect. 6. Vers. 25. doe visit] or, have visited, that is, punished, or, (as the Greeke translateth) recompensed: the time past being used for the more certainty, [illegible: 1 span] the thing were already done. spueth] or, v[illegible: 1 span] teth out, with [illegible: 1 letter]othsomnesse and indignation, [illegible: 1 word] the Greek explaineth it. So after, & in Lev. 20. [illegible: 1 word]. Vers. 26. any of these] or, any of all these abo[illegible: 1 span] tions. So in vers. 29. stranger] or sojourner, [illegible: 1 word] Greeke, proselyte. Vers. 28. the nation] in Greeke, the nations, [illegible: 1 word] Chaldee, the peoples. Vers. 29. the soules] that is, the persons. [illegible: 1 span] rooted out, or destroyed, as the Greeke and Chald[illegible: 1 span] explaine it. Of this judgement, see Levit. 20. [illegible: 1 word] Gen. 17. 14. Vers. 30. my charge] Hebrew my keeping (or [illegible: 1 span] die) that is, which I command to be kept. In Greek my ordinances: in Chaldee, the custodie of my [illegible: 1 word] statutes of abominations] that is, most abo[illegible: 1 span] statutes: meaning their sinfull practices, which [illegible: 1 span]orow custome grew to be as a Law amongst them.