Leviticus 20:14 · Bible study
Leviticus 20:14 Commentary: Holiness, Family, and Fire
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Did the burning penalty mean death by fire or corpse burning? Study the debate around Leviticus 20:14 and what this crime teaches about God's holiness.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The text prohibits marrying a woman and her mother, calling it wickedness and ordering burning with fire as the penalty to purge evil from the community.
- Key words: zimmah (wickedness, incestuous scheming), laqach (take as wife), saraph (burn), eth-ha-esh (with the fire).
- Main debate: Whether the burning was death by fire (live execution) or burning of the corpse after execution by stoning; Adam Clarke proposed a third reading of branding.
- Theological theme: God’s holiness demands purity within the family and the covenant community; sin must be purged to preserve the people’s identity as the LORD’s.
- Best use: Teaching on the sanctity of family relationships, the seriousness of sexual sin, and the continuity of God’s holy character from the Old Testament to the New.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
If a man marries both a woman and her mother, it is depraved. Both he and they must be burned in the fire, so that there will be no depravity among you.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“‘If a man takes a wife and her mother, it is wickedness. They shall be burned with fire, both he and they, that there may be no wickedness among you.
KJV King James Version 1769
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 you.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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 you.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And a man who taketh the woman and her mother--it is wickedness; with fire they burn him and them, and there is no wickedness in your midst.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is infamy: they shall burn him and them with fire, that there be no infamy among you.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
If any man after marrying the daughter, marry her mother, he hath done a heinous crime. He shall be burnt alive with them: neither shall so great an abomination remain in the midst of you.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y el que tomare mujer y á la madre de ella, comete vileza: quemarán en fuego á él y á ellas, porque no haya vileza entre vosotros.
E o que tomar uma mulher e a mãe dela comete depravação; queimarão em fogo ele e elas, para que não haja depravação entre vós.
Si un homme prend pour femmes la fille et la mère, c’ est un crime: on les brûlera au feu, lui et elles, afin que ce crime n’ existe pas au milieu de vous.
Wenn jemand ein Weib nimmt und ihre Mutter dazu, der hat einen Frevel verwirkt; man soll ihn mit Feuer verbrennen und sie beide auch, daß kein Frevel sei unter euch.
En wanneer een man een vrouw en haar moeder zal genomen hebben, het is een schandelijke daad; men zal hem, en diezelve met vuur verbranden, opdat geen schandelijke daad in het midden van u zij.
Se uno prende per moglie la figlia e la madre è un delitto; si bruceranno col fuoco lui e loro, affinché non si trovi fra voi alcun delitto.
Kto by też pojął córkę z matką jej, sprośna rzecz jest; ogniem spalą onego i onę, aby nie była ta sprośność między wami.
Если кто возьмет себе жену и мать ее: это беззаконие; на огне должно сжечь его и их, чтобы не было беззакония между вами.
人 若 娶 妻，並娶 其母，便是 大惡，要把這三人 用火 焚燒，使 你們中間 免去 大惡。
And if a man takes as wife a woman and her mother, it is an act of shame; let them be burned with fire, all three of them, so that there may be no shame among you.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 20:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse prohibits the marriage of a woman and her mother, a form of incestuous polygamy. The crime is labeled zimmah, a Hebrew term that consistently denotes wickedness, especially of a sexual or idolatrous nature (see Leviticus 18:17). The prescribed penalty involves burning with fire. Barnes and Keil & Delitzsch argue that this burning took place after the death of the criminal by stoning, citing Joshua 7:15,25 where Achan is stoned and then burned. Gill notes that the Jewish Mishnah describes burning by pouring molten lead into the mouth, suggesting death by fire itself. Adam Clarke offers a third view: that the phrase may refer to branding, not execution, based on the probable innocence of the first wife. Despite these differences in method, all agree the offense was capital, designed to purge wickedness from the covenant community. The clause “that there be no wickedness among you” underscores the community-wide goal: Israel must be holy because the Lord is holy.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Death by fire (live execution): Mishnah Sanhedrin 7:2 describes burning by pouring molten lead into the mouth; Gill cites this tradition. The text says 'burn with fire' without mention of prior execution.
- Burning after stoning (post-mortem): Barnes and Keil & Delitzsch point to Joshua 7:15,25 where Achan is stoned then burned; they argue that burning alone was not the typical method of capital punishment in Israel.
- Branding (infamy, not execution): Adam Clarke argues the innocence of the first wife makes burning alive unreasonable; he suggests the Hebrew could be interpreted as branding to render the persons infamous, citing grammatical flexibility.
What is clear: The text forbids marrying a woman and her mother, designates the act as wickedness, and orders a penalty involving fire to purge evil from the covenant community.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Method of burning | The text prescribes burning with fire as the penalty. | Some traditions (Jewish Mishnah, Gill) understand it as death by fire. Others (Barnes, Keil & Delitzsch) argue the burning occurred after death by stoning, based on Joshua 7:25. Adam Clarke proposed it may mean branding, not execution. |
| Who is executed | The text says 'both he and they' (the man, the mother, and the daughter). | If the daughter was married first and the mother later, some question whether the first wife should be punished as an innocent party. Clarke raises this, while Gill cites Jewish interpreters who say 'they' refers to one or the other depending on who was the second wife. |
| Nature of the offense | Marrying a woman and her mother is forbidden and called wickedness. | Whether the prohibition extends to any sexual relationship (not just marriage) is implicit; Leviticus 18:17 forbids uncovering nakedness in this relationship, while Amos 2:7 condemns a man and his father using the same woman, showing a broader concern. |
| Applicability for Christians | The passage demonstrates God’s holiness and the moral seriousness of incest. | Traditions differ on whether the civil penalty of burning should ever be applied by Christian governments; most see the Old Testament judicial law as no longer in force, while the moral principle remains. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Leviticus 20 belongs to the Holiness Code (Leviticus 17, 26), which calls Israel to distinctiveness as God’s covenant people. Chapter 20 lists specific sexual offenses along with their penalties. Verses 10, 21 follow the pattern of prohibitions already given in chapter 18, but now attach formal punishments for the life of the nation.
The crime in verse 14 is directly connected to Leviticus 18:17, which forbids uncovering the nakedness of “a woman and her daughter” and calls it zimmah (wickedness). Marrying a woman and her mother violates the most natural bonds: it turns a mother and daughter into sexual rivals and destroys the clarity of family roles. Such practices were common among the Canaanite peoples whom God was driving out (see Leviticus 20:23). The word “take” (laqach) can mean “marry,” indicating a formal union, though the prohibition likely extends to any sexual relationship between a man and both a woman and her mother.
The penalty of burning is unusual in the Mosaic law. Most capital crimes were punished by stoning (cf. Leviticus 20:2,27). Burning is prescribed in three other cases: for a priest’s daughter who plays the prostitute (Leviticus 21:9), for Achan’s sin (Joshua 7:15,25), and possibly for Tamar in Genesis 38:24 (though Judah later commutes the sentence). In the case of Achan, stoning preceded burning, a pattern Barnes and Keil & Delitzsch apply here. However, Gill references the Mishnah’s description of burning by hot lead, suggesting a different practice. The land itself was defiled by such acts (Leviticus 18:27, 28), so the penalty served both to punish the offenders and to cleanse the community from moral pollution.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Leviticus 20:14. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the key terms (zimmah, saraph) appear consistently. Disagreements in interpretation arise from the meaning of the legal procedure, not from a disputed text.
Reception History
Jewish tradition, as preserved in the Mishnah (Sanhedrin 7:2), describes burning by pouring hot lead into the criminal’s mouth, interpreting the penalty as death by fire. Early Christian writers saw this law as evidence of God’s condemnation of incest; it was cited in church canons against relationships within forbidden degrees. During the Reformation, commentators such as Calvin and Matthew Henry focused on the spiritual meaning: that God abhors unnatural unions and protects family bonds. Barnes and Keil & Delitzsch in the 19th century argued for post-mortem burning, while Adam Clarke proposed branding, reflecting a concern for the humanity of the penalty. In modern study, the verse is used to illustrate the Old Testament’s vision of a holy community and the seriousness of sexual ethics, though its direct application as civil law is rejected by most Christian traditions.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Offense: Violating Family Boundaries. The crime is not simply polygamy, but a specific incest that twists the mother-daughter relationship into something corrupt. Leviticus 18:17 calls it “near kinswomen,” and Amos 2:7 condemns the similar sin of a man and his father using the same woman. God guards the dignity of the family.
- The Penalty: Purifying the Community. Whether by fire after stoning or by fire alive, the punishment aims to remove the stain from Israel’s midst. The phrase “both he and they” assures that justice falls on all who willingly participate.
- The Purpose: A Holy People. The closing clause “that there be no wickedness among you” echoes the book’s refrain: “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). God’s law is not arbitrary; it protects the community’s identity.
Five-point outline
- God draws clear lines around sexual relationships. The law defines what is pure and what is not, starting with the most intimate family circle.
- Sin is not merely private; it corrupts the whole community. The offenders are to be removed so the land is not defiled (cf. Leviticus 18:28).
- The severity of the penalty underscores the gravity of the offense. Burning with fire, whether as a direct sentence or after stoning, symbolizes God’s purging wrath against what defiles.
- Justice must be thorough. “Both he and they” are subject to the penalty. No one who consents to the sin escapes accountability.
- The ultimate goal is a purified people who dwell with a holy God. The law points forward to a time when sin’s power will be fully broken and God’s people will be clean (Ezekiel 36:25, 27).
Illustration hooks
- Think of the unique bond between a mother and daughter. How would introducing a rival into that bond shatter trust and identity? The law protects something precious.
- Modern legal codes in many nations still prohibit marriage to both a parent and child, showing an enduring moral instinct that God’s law first inscribed.
- The image of fire: consider how a burn leaves a permanent mark. God’s judgment against this sin is complete and unforgettable, calling the community to reverence.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this passage mean God commands the death penalty for incest today? How should Christians read Old Testament civil law?
- Why does God care so much about sexual boundaries within families? What does this reveal about His design for human relationships?
- How does the severity of this law relate to the grace shown in Jesus Christ, who died for sinners including sexual sinners?
Leading a Discussion
This passage confronts us with the holiness of God and the seriousness of sexual sin. It is not easy to read, yet it is part of Scripture. As you discuss, remember that the law exposed the depth of human brokenness and pointed to the need for a Savior. The same God who gave this law also provided Christ to forgive and cleanse those who turn to Him.
Discussion questions
- What is the specific crime described in Leviticus 20:14? (Read the surrounding verses 10, 13 and 15, 18 for context.)
- Why do you think the law considers marrying a woman and her mother to be “wickedness” (zimmah)? How does family structure matter to God?
- The penalty involves burning with fire. What different interpretations do the commentators offer about the method? What does each view emphasize about the nature of the punishment?
- How does this verse connect to Leviticus 18:17 and to the earlier list of prohibited unions? Why is the mother-daughter relationship singled out?
- What does the phrase “that there be no wickedness among you” tell us about God’s purpose in giving these laws? How does this shape the identity of Israel as a holy nation?
- How should Christians today view the civil penalties of the Old Testament? What principles about God’s character and about human relationships do we carry forward into the new covenant?
- In light of the gospel, how does this passage point us to both the seriousness of sin and the depth of God’s mercy in Christ?
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)
| Leviticus 18:17 | “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter. You shall not take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness. They are near kinswomen. It is wickedness. |
| Leviticus 21:9 | “‘The daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by playing the prostitute, she profanes her father. She shall be burned with fire. |
| Deuteronomy 27:23 | ‘Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ |
| Joshua 7:15 | It shall be, that he who is taken with the devoted thing shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed Yahweh’s covenant, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.’” |
| Joshua 7:25 | Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? Yahweh will trouble you today.” All Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. |
| Amos 2:7 | They trample the heads of the poor into the dust of the earth and deny justice to the oppressed. A man and his father use the same maiden, to profane my holy name. |
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
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues that "burnt with fire" in this law probably means branding with a hot iron, not burning alive. He points out that the first wife may be innocent, and the Mosaic laws are generally humane, so this lighter punishment would mark the offenders as infamous without executing them.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes points out that burning under the Mosaic Law was not itself a method of execution. Instead, it was a secondary punishment carried out on the criminal's body after death by stoning or strangling had already taken place.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible Schools notes that while the instructions here largely repeat those found in Leviticus 18, they go a step further by adding explicit penalties for each transgression. This addition underscores the seriousness of these commands by linking them directly to consequences.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that marrying both a woman and her mother is an act of wickedness so severe that the offender and both women must be burned with fire. The extreme punishment serves to purge such evil completely from the community.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes the harshness of this law by explaining the burning punishment: only the woman who was not the original wife would be executed, not both. He cites Jewish traditions that describe execution by pouring hot lead into the mouth, though he notes burning with faggots was also practiced.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch clarify that the burning commanded for certain capital offenses in the law means burning the corpse after execution, not death by fire. The punishment was stoning, followed by cremation of the body, which heightened the dishonor of the crime.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange's central observation is that this chapter shifts the focus from keeping the theocratic seed holy, as in Leviticus 18, to keeping the land itself holy. He sees the land as a living entity that would "spue out" Israel if polluted by abominations. He also classifies the sins into three distinct grades: devilish, brutal, and carnal.