Scripture Daily

Context No. 2911 of 4322 · Leviticus

Context · Reflection

Leviticus 18:6-10: in context

6“‘None of you shall approach any close relatives, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD. 7“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, nor the nakedness of your mother: she is your mother. You shall not uncover her nakedness. 8“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife. It is your father’s nakedness. 9“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or born abroad. 10“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter, or of your daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness; for theirs is your own nakedness.

This begins the list of forbidden sexual relations within the family, and it should be read soberly. None of you, God says, shall approach a close relative to uncover their nakedness. Then the relations are named one by one, the closest bonds of the household set firmly off-limits.

These laws draw protective lines exactly where they are most needed. In an age that understands the deep harm of abuse and of incest, the wisdom underneath is plain: the family is meant to be a place of safety, not exploitation, and God's law fences those bonds against violation. Where the surrounding cultures blurred these lines, Israel was to keep the home a place where a child, a sibling, a parent is protected rather than preyed upon. God's holiness reaches into the most intimate relationships precisely to guard the vulnerable within them.

Do I honor the people closest to me as those I am to protect and keep safe, never as those to use?

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