Leviticus 20:9-21

Leviticus 20:9-21

[9] For every  that curseth  his father  or his mother  shall be surely  he hath cursed  his father  or his mother;  his blood  shall be upon him. [10] And the man  that committeth adultery  with another man's  wife,  even he that committeth adultery  with his neighbour's  wife,  the adulterer  shall surely  [11] And the man  that lieth  with his father's  wife  hath uncovered  his father's  nakedness:  both  of them shall surely  their blood  shall be upon them. [12] And if a man  lie  with his daughter in law,  both  of them shall surely  they have wrought  confusion;  their blood  shall be upon them. [13] If a man  also lie  with mankind,  as he lieth  with a woman,  both  of them have committed  an abomination:  they shall surely  their blood  shall be upon them. [14] And if a man  take  a wife  and her mother,  it is wickedness:  they shall be burnt  with fire,  both he and they; that there be no wickedness  among  [15] And if a man  lie  with a beast,  he shall surely  and ye shall slay  the beast.  [16] And if a woman  approach  unto any beast,  and lie down  thereto, thou shalt kill  the woman,  and the beast:  they shall surely  their blood  shall be upon them. [17] And if a man  shall take  his sister,  his father's  daughter,  or  his mother's  daughter,  and see  her nakedness,  and she see  his nakedness;  it is a wicked thing;  and they shall be cut off  in the sight  of their people:  he hath uncovered  his sister's  nakedness;  he shall bear  his iniquity.  [18] And if a man  shall lie  with a woman  having her sickness,  and shall uncover  her nakedness;  he hath discovered  her fountain,  and she hath uncovered  the fountain  of her blood:  and both  of them shall be cut off  from among  their people.  [19] And thou shalt not uncover  the nakedness  of thy mother's  sister,  nor of thy father's  sister:  for he uncovereth  his near kin:  they shall bear  their iniquity.  [20] And if a man  shall lie  with his uncle's wife,  he hath uncovered  his uncle's  nakedness:  they shall bear  their sin;  they shall die  childless.  [21] And if a man  shall take  his brother's  wife,  it is an unclean thing:  he hath uncovered  his brother's  nakedness;  they shall be childless. 

What does Leviticus 20:9-21 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Cursing parents was also punishable by stoning.
Stoning ". . . was the usual punishment appointed in the law for cases in which death was inflicted ..." [1]
Several sexual sins described here drew this penalty. The law banned the marital unions alluded to in Leviticus 20:14; Leviticus 20:17; Leviticus 20:21. Consequently these verses may be referring to common law marriages in which people lived together as husband and wife without a wedding ceremony. [2] Burning the criminals ( Leviticus 20:14) took place after their execution to heighten the general perception of the wickedness of their sin (cf. Genesis 38:24; Leviticus 21:9; Joshua 7:15; Joshua 7:25). It also symbolically cleansed the camp of defilement by removing their remains. [3]
God would judge these sexual sins, not by withholding children from the guilty parties, but by regarding the children born of such unions as illegitimate. Such children would not benefit their families, which was a great calamity in Israel"s world (cf. 1 Chronicles 3:17-18; Jeremiah 22:30; Jeremiah 36:30). [4]
"Whereas in certain respects OT penal law was much more lenient than that of neighboring contemporary cultures, it was more strict with regard to offenses against religion and family life." [5]