Leviticus 20:10
What does Leviticus 20:10 mean?
A plain-English look at Leviticus 20:10 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Leviticus 20:10 means
Leviticus 20:10 explicitly addresses the severe transgression of adultery, defining it as sexual intimacy between a man and a married woman, specifically emphasizing the violation of a neighbor’s marriage. The prescribed penalty for both the adulterer and the adulteress is unequivocally death. This declaration underscores the gravity with which God views the sanctity of marriage and the covenant of fidelity within ancient Israelite society. The verse highlights that the judgment for this act applies equally to both parties involved, reflecting a principle of shared accountability for breaking this fundamental moral and social law. The emphasis is on the profound disruption and defilement that adultery brings to the community and to the divine order.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And if a man has sex relations with another man's wife, even the wife of his neighbour, he and she are certainly to be put to death.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`And a man who committeth adultery with a man's wife--who committeth adultery with the wife of his neighbour--the adulterer and the adulteress are surely put to death.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752If any man commit adultery with the wife of another, and defile his neighbour's wife: let them be put to death, both the adulterer and the adulteress.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And a man that committeth adultery with a man's wife, who committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, — the adulterer and the adulteress shall certainly be put to death.
Context
Leviticus chapter 20 outlines a series of laws primarily concerning various sexual offenses and idolatry, detailing the consequences for disobedience within the Israelite community. This specific verse, 20:10, falls within a larger section (verses 10-21) that condemns a range of illicit sexual relationships, from adultery to incest and bestiality. God is speaking to Moses, who is relaying these divine commands to the Israelites. The surrounding verses detail similar capital punishments for other sexual sins, establishing a consistent theme of purity and holiness, and demonstrating God's absolute standard for moral conduct in the covenant community. This verse functions as a clear injunction against practices that defile individuals and the community, reinforcing the necessity of living a distinct and holy life set apart for God.
v.9For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
v.10This passage
v.11And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 2 Samuel 12:13
And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against Jehovah. And Nathan said unto David, Jehovah also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
- Deuteronomy 5:18
Neither shalt thou commit adultery.
- Deuteronomy 22:22
If a man be found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both of them die, the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away the evil from Israel.
- Leviticus 18:20
And thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbor’s wife, to defile thyself with her.
- Ezekiel 23:45
And righteous men, they shall judge them with the judgment of adulteresses, and with the judgment of women that shed blood; because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.
- Exodus 20:14
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
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