The seventh commandment

Leviticus 20.20

“If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness; they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.”

Leviticus 20.12

“If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have committed perversion; their blood is upon them.”

Here again we see the equating of uncovering nakedness with actual adultery. It’s not clear why the penalty for lying with one’s aunt is not as severe as in other instances – especially that of lying with one’s daughter-in-law. But, again, God’s thoughts are not ours. Our duty is to understand as far as we can and to obey in the power of God’s Spirit (Ezek. 36.26, 27). The instructions here – both as to prohibitions and sanctions – are quite clear.

This series of In the Gates we present a detailed explanation of the Law of God, beginning with the Ten Commandments, and working through the statutes and rules that accompany each commandment. For a practical guide to the role of God’s Law in the practice of ethics, get The Ground for Christian Ethics by going to www.ailbe.org and click on our Book Store.