^18:7You must not¹¹ expose your father’s nakedness by having sexual intercourse with your mother.¹² She is your mother; you must not have intercourse with her. ^18:8You must not have sexual intercourse with your father’s wife; she is your father’s nakedness.¹³

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Footnotes

11 The verbal negative here is the same as that used in the Ten Commandments (Exod 20:4–5, 7, 13–17). It suggests permanent prohibition rather than a simple negative command and could, therefore, be rendered “must not” here and throughout the following section as it is in vv. 3–4 above.
12 Heb “The nakedness of your father and [i.e., even] the nakedness of your mother you shall not uncover.” Commentators suggest that the point of referring to the father’s nakedness is that the mother’s sexuality belongs to the father and is forbidden to the son on that account (see B. A. Levine, Leviticus [], , and J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [], ). The expression may, however, derive from the shame of nakedness when exposed. If one exposes his mother’s nakedness to himself it is like openly exposing the father’s nakedness (cf. Gen 9:22–23 with the background of Gen 2:25 and 3:7, 21). The same essential construction is used in v. 10 where the latter explanation makes more sense than the former.
13 Heb “the nakedness of your father she is.” See the note on v. above. This law refers to another wife of the man’s father, who is not that man’s mother. The laws in the Pentateuch sometimes assume the possibility that a man may have more than one wife (cf., e.g., Deut 21:15–17).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, which is the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you shall not uncover her nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“ ‘Do not dishonor your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; do not have relations with her.

“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; that would dishonor your father.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

You are not to violate the intimacy that belongs to your father and mother. She is your mother; you must not have sexual intercourse with her. You are not to have sex with your father’s wife; she is your father’s family.

NLTNew Living Translation

“Do not violate your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have sexual relations with her.

“Do not have sexual relations with any of your father’s wives, for this would violate your father.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

You must not expose your father’s nakedness or your mother’s nakedness—she is your mother; you must not expose her nakedness. You must not expose the nakedness of your father’s wife—it is your father’s nakedness.

KJV 1900King James Version

The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness.

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