Leviticus 18:16 - “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife. It is your brother’s nakedness.

Generated Verse: Leviticus 18:16

What does "Leviticus 18:16" mean?


Leviticus 18:16 states, "You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife. It is your brother's nakedness." This verse prohibits sexual relations between a man and his brother's wife. Here's a breakdown of the meaning:

"You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife": This is a euphemism for engaging in sexual intercourse. The phrase "uncovering nakedness" is a common biblical idiom for sexual intimacy.

"It is your brother's nakedness": This is the key to understanding the prohibition. It means that having sexual relations with your brother's wife is essentially the same as having sexual relations with your brother himself. This emphasizes the sacredness of marriage, and that a wife is considered to be so intimately connected with her husband that violating her sexually is a violation of him. It also emphasizes the unity expected within a family.

In essence, the verse prohibits sexual relations with a brother's wife because it is considered a violation of the marriage bond and a betrayal of the brother.

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