Leviticus 18:20, "‘You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, and defile yourself with her," is a straightforward prohibition against adultery. Let's break it down:
"You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor's wife": This clearly forbids having sexual intercourse with a woman who is married to someone else (your "neighbor"). "Carnally" refers to sexual relations.
"and defile yourself with her": This part emphasizes the idea that engaging in adultery makes you ritually impure or morally corrupted. This impurity not only affects the individual but also impacts the community, potentially bringing about God's disfavor.
In essence, the verse means: Do not commit adultery. It views adultery as a sin that both defiles the person committing the act and violates the marriage bond.
Leviticus 18:20, "‘You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, and defile yourself with her," is a straightforward prohibition against adultery. Let's break it down:
"You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor's wife": This clearly forbids having sexual intercourse with a woman who is married to someone else (your "neighbor"). "Carnally" refers to sexual relations.
"and defile yourself with her": This part emphasizes the idea that engaging in adultery makes you ritually impure or morally corrupted. This impurity not only affects the individual but also impacts the community, potentially bringing about God's disfavor.
In essence, the verse means: Do not commit adultery. It views adultery as a sin that both defiles the person committing the act and violates the marriage bond.