Leviticus 18:12 · Bible study
Leviticus 18:12 Commentary: Prohibiting Marriage with an Aunt
Hebrew · 6 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Leviticus 18:12 forbid marriage with a paternal aunt when Amram married his aunt Jochebed?
Research Summary
- Meaning: This verse prohibits sexual relations with a paternal aunt because of her blood relationship to the father.
- Key words: “uncover nakedness” (עֶרְוַת, euphemism for intercourse), “near kinswoman” (שְׁאֵר, flesh relation).
- Main debate: Whether Amram's marriage to Jochebed shows pre-law tolerance of such unions or a practice that was later explicitly prohibited.
- Theological theme: God's design for family purity and the progressive revelation of His moral will to His covenant people.
- Best use: Preaching on holiness in family relationships and understanding the role of the Old Testament law for Christian ethics.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
You must not have sexual relations with your father’s sister; she is your father’s close relative.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister. She is your father’s near kinswoman.
KJV King James Version 1769
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s near kinswoman.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s near kinswoman.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`The nakedness of a sister of thy father thou dost not uncover; she is a relation of thy father.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
The nakedness of thy father's sister shalt thou not uncover: she is thy father's near relation.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: because she is the flesh of thy father.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
La desnudez de la hermana de tu padre no descubrirás: es parienta de tu padre.
A nudez da irmã de teu pai não descobrirás: é parente de teu pai.
Tu ne découvriras point la nudité de la sœur de ton père. C’ est la proche parente de ton père.
Do sollst die Blöße der Schwester deines Vaters nicht aufdecken; denn es ist deines Vaters nächste Blutsfreundin.
Gij zult de schaamte van de zuster uws vaders niet ontdekken; zij is uws vaders nabestaande.
Non scoprirai la nudità della sorella di tuo padre; è parente stretta di tuo padre.
Sromoty siostry ojca twego nie odkryjesz; bo jest pokrewna ojca twego.
Наготы сестры отца твоего не открывай, она единокровная отцу твоему.
不可 露 你姑母 的下體；她是 你父親 的骨肉之親。
You may not have sex connection with your father's sister, for she is your father's near relation.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 18:12
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Leviticus 18:12 forbids sexual relations with a paternal aunt because she is a close blood relative of the father. Gill notes that the phrase “near kinswoman” translates she'er, meaning “the residue of his flesh,” placing the aunt within the same flesh-and-blood family as the father. Keil and Delitzsch concur, identifying she'er as denoting “blood-relationship.” Both Barnes and Gill reference the marriage of Amram and Jochebed (Exodus 6:20) as a pre-Sinai example where such a union was not considered wrong by the Israelites in Egypt. Matthew Henry treats the prohibition as part of God's systematic definition of incest in Leviticus 18. The overall consensus is that the law draws a clear boundary protecting the integrity of the family, and the Amram example highlights that God's standards were more fully revealed at Sinai.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Pre-law tolerance: Barnes notes that Amram's marriage shows the practice was not considered wrong by Israelites in Egypt, implying tolerance before the law.
- Absolute prohibition under law: Gill cites Maimonides that the aunt is always forbidden under the law, regardless of the pre-Sinai example; the law now sets a clear standard.
- Progressive revelation: The combination of the Amram example and the later law suggests God revealed fuller moral boundaries as He formed His covenant people.
What is clear: The verse clearly prohibits sexual relations with one's paternal aunt because of the blood relationship.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Mosaic practice | Amram married his aunt Jochebed before the law was given (Exodus 6:20). | Barnes suggests it was not considered wrong by Israelites in Egypt; others may view it as a sin that was not yet legally proscribed. |
| Rationale for prohibition | The prohibition is grounded in close blood relationship (<em>she'er</em>). | Exactly how 'near kin' is defined may differ across traditions (e.g., whether half-siblings are included, or how the principle extends beyond the listed cases). |
| Application for today | Christians agree that incest is wrong and that family boundaries are important. | Whether this specific prohibition is binding under the New Covenant, part of the moral law, or culturally specific to ancient Israel. |
| Term 'near kinswoman' | The Hebrew <em>she'er</em> denotes a blood relative. | How broadly to apply the principle: is it limited to the paternal aunt, or does it establish a category of 'close relative' that includes others not listed? |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse belongs to a detailed legal code given to Israel at Mount Sinai (Leviticus 18, 20). The surrounding context (verses 6, 18) lists forbidden sexual relationships, beginning with the general rule: “None of you shall approach any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness” (v. 6). The specific prohibition of the paternal aunt fits this pattern. The rationale “she is your father's near kinswoman” uses the Hebrew term she'er, which elsewhere denotes “flesh” or “blood relation” (as in Leviticus 18:6). The prohibition is grounded in natural family connections, not merely cultural custom.
The cross-reference to Exodus 6:20, where Amram married his father's sister Jochebed, provides significant historical background. Both Barnes and Gill point to this pre-Sinai example to show that such marriages were not considered incestuous during the Israelites’ time in Egypt. The law thus represents a new revelation, God drawing lines for His covenant people that were not previously recognized. This fits with the broader purpose of Leviticus 18: to call Israel to holiness in contrast to the pagan nations (vv. 24, 30). Ancient Near Eastern cultures often allowed such unions, as Ellicott notes, so the prohibition marks Israel as a distinct people set apart for God. The surrounding verses also address adultery, child sacrifice, homosexuality, and bestiality, showing that sexual purity is tied to covenant faithfulness.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is consistent across the major manuscript traditions.
Reception History
Interpreters from the Reformation through the 19th century consistently read this verse as a clear prohibition against incest with a paternal aunt. Matthew Henry treats it as part of God's systematic definition of marriage boundaries. Keil and Delitzsch emphasize the blood-relationship rationale. John Gill references the Amram example to discuss the development of the law, citing Maimonides' Jewish tradition. The verse has been used across Protestant traditions to affirm that family integrity is part of God's created order. Early church reception, while not detailed in the supplied sources, likely followed the same moral trajectory, given the consistent Jewish and Christian opposition to incest. The cross-reference to Leviticus 20:19 reinforces the permanent nature of the prohibition under the law.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Prohibition: God forbids sexual intimacy with a paternal aunt, protecting the boundaries of the family.
- The Rationale: She is “your father's near kinswoman”, the prohibition is rooted in blood relationship, not arbitrary rule.
- The Historical Precedent: Amram's marriage to Jochebed shows that God sometimes reveals His standards progressively; Israel must now live by a clearer moral law.
Five-point outline
- Read the verse carefully: what it says and what it implies for family integrity.
- Understand the Hebrew term she'er (“near kinswoman”) and its significance for defining close relatives.
- Recognize the role of the law in distinguishing Israel from surrounding nations.
- Wrestle with the Amram example: what does it teach us about pre-Sinai ethics and the development of God's will?
- Apply the principle: God's design for family purity protects individuals and communities, and it guides us in respecting boundaries today.
Illustration hooks
- A modern scenario where a step-family creates confusion about acceptable relationships (e.g., two step-siblings marrying). How do we navigate such boundaries when the Bible doesn't list every combination?
- The Amram example is like dietary laws before the flood versus after: some expectations change as God's people move through redemptive history.
- Consider how different cultures have different rules about cousin marriage; this law sets a biological rather than cultural standard.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If Amram married his aunt, why does God now forbid it? Was that marriage sinful?
- How does this apply to me today? I'm not planning to marry my aunt, but does the principle extend to other relationships?
- Does this mean the Old Testament law is still binding, or is it part of a specific covenant that no longer applies?
Leading a Discussion
Leviticus 18:12 is part of a larger set of laws defining family boundaries. It raises an important question: how do we understand a law that seems to contradict an earlier biblical example? In this guide, we will explore the text and its implications for how we view God's moral revelation.
Discussion questions
- What does the verse literally command? What is forbidden, and what reason is given?
- How does verse 12 fit into the list of prohibited relationships in Leviticus 18:6, 18? What pattern do you see?
- Why is the paternal aunt called “your father's near kinswoman”? What does the Hebrew term she'er suggest about the basis of the prohibition?
- Read Exodus 6:20. How does the marriage of Amram and Jochebed challenge your understanding of this law? Was it acceptable before Sinai?
- Some commentators like Barnes suggest the practice was “not considered wrong” in Egypt. Does that mean God tolerated it, or was it sin but not yet codified? How do we decide?
- How do we determine which Old Testament laws still apply to Christians today? What principles help us decide?
- In your own family or church context, what boundaries protect healthy relationships and prevent confusion or harm?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 6:20 | Amram took Jochebed his father’s sister to himself as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. The years of the life of Amram were one hundred thirty-seven years. |
| Leviticus 20:19 | “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, nor of your father’s sister, for he has made his close relative naked. They shall bear their iniquity. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes suggests that the marriage of Amram and Jochebed, an uncle and his aunt, indicates that Israelites in Egypt did not view marriage between such relatives as forbidden. The practice only later came under stricter regulation.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note explains the prohibition against sexual relations with one's aunt on the father's side. The reason given is simple and direct: she is the father's close blood relative. The relationship itself makes such intimacy forbidden.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that the aunt forbidden here is a blood relative, the father's near kinswoman. Because a man cannot marry his own sister, his son is likewise too closely related to marry her. This prohibition applies whether the aunt's relationship comes from lawful marriage or from fornication.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch explain that marriage with an aunt is forbidden because she is the blood-relation of the parent. The Hebrew term for this relationship, "sheer," means a close blood tie, one that makes the aunt part of the parent's own flesh.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange frames the marriage prohibitions as guarding against two opposite extremes: incest, which drags the family back upon itself, and unnatural acts that destroy the life-giving purpose of union. The core principle is keeping the seed sacred to its creative end, the formation of new and holy families.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that these prohibitions rest on God's own authority and the natural bonds of family. He stresses that approaching near kin violates the honor due to parents and corrupts the sacred order of relationships, making such acts not merely unclean but wicked.