Leviticus 18:23

Verse

You must not lie carnally with any animal, thus defiling yourself with it; a woman must not stand before an animal to mate with it; that is a perversion.

American Standard Version (1901)

And thou shalt not lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith; neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

Bible in Basic English

And you may not have sex relations with a beast, making yourself unclean with it; and a woman may not give herself to a beast: it is an unnatural act.

Douay-Rheims 1899

Thou shalt not copulate with any beast, neither shalt thou be defiled with it. A woman shall not lie down to a beast, nor copulate with it: because it is a heinous crime.

Free Bible Version

Don't have sex with any animal. This would pollute you and make you unclean.

Geneva Bible 1599

Thou shalt not also lie with any beast to bee defiled therewith, neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie downe thereto: for it is abomination.

King James (Authorized) Version

Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

One Unity Resource Bible

“‘You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it. No woman may give herself to an animal, to lie down with it: it is a perversion.

Translation for Translators

“No one, man or woman, should ◄defile himself/cause himself to become unacceptable to me► by having sex with an animal; that is a perverse act.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Do not sleep with any animal and defile yourself with it. No woman must consider sleeping with any animal. This would be perversion.

Noah Webster Bible

Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

World English Bible

“‘You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it. No woman may give herself to an animal, to lie down with it: it is a perversion.

Young's Literal Translation

'And with any beast thou dost not give thy copulation, for uncleanness with it; and a woman doth not stand before a beast to lie down with it; confusion it [is].

Context

Unlawful Sexual Relations

²²You must not lie with a man as with a woman; that is an abomination.²³You must not lie carnally with any animal, thus defiling yourself with it; a woman must not stand before an animal to mate with it; that is a perversion.

Summary

This verse in Leviticus prohibits sexual relations with animals, emphasizing the sanctity of human sexuality and the boundaries set by God for moral conduct. It reflects God's design for intimate relationships to be between a man and a woman within the context of marriage. The prohibition serves to maintain the purity and holiness of the Israelites as God's chosen people, guiding them away from practices of the surrounding pagan nations. By obeying this command, the Israelites demonstrate their commitment to honoring God's standards and living in accordance with His will.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

With any beast - This abomination is also punishable with death by the laws of this country. Any woman stand before a beast - That this was often done in Egypt there can be no doubt; and we have already seen, from the testimony of Herodotus, that a fact of this kind actually took place while he was in Egypt. See Clarke's note on Lev 17:7, and See Clarke on Lev 20:16 (note).

John Gill Bible Commentary

Neither shall thou lie with any beast, to defile thyself therewith,.... A female one, as Aben Ezra notes, as a mare, cow, or ewe, or any other beast, small or great, as Ben Gersom, or whether tame or wild, as Maimonides (b); and even fowls are comprehended, as the same writers observe: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: that is, stand before a beast, and by a lascivious and obscene behaviour solicit the beast to a congress with her, and then lie down after the manner of four-footed beasts, as the word signifies, that it may have carnal copulation with her: for a man to lie with a beast is most shocking and detestable, but for a woman to solicit such an unnatural mixture is most horrible and astonishing: perhaps reference may be had to a most shocking practice among the Egyptians, from among whom the Israelites were lately come, and whose doings they were not to imitate, Lev 18:3; and which may account for this law, as Bishop Patrick observes: at Mendes, in Egypt, a goat was worshipped, as has been remarked Lev 18:7; and where the women used to lie with such creatures, as Strabo (c) and Aelianus (d) from Pindar have related; yea, Herodotus (e) reports, of his own knowledge, that a goat had carnal copulation with a woman openly, in the view of all, in his time; and though that creature is a most lascivious and lustful one, yet, as Bochart (f) from Plutarch has observed, when it is provoked by many and beautiful women, is not inclined and ready to come into their embraces, but shows some abhorrence of it: nature in brutes, as that learned man observes, is often more prevalent in them than in mankind: it is confusion; a mixing of the seed of man and beast together, a blending of different kinds of creatures, a perverting the order of nature, and introducing the utmost confusion of beings, from whence monsters in nature may arise. (b) Hilchot Issure Biah, c. 1. sect. 16. (c) Geograph. l. 17. p. 551. (d) De Animal. l. 7. c. 19. (e) Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 46. (f) Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. 53. col. 642.

Leviticus 18:23

Unlawful Sexual Relations

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

You must not lie carnally with any animal, thus defiling yourself with it; a woman must not stand before an animal to mate with it; that is a perversion.

American Standard Version (1901)

And thou shalt not lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith; neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

Bible in Basic English

And you may not have sex relations with a beast, making yourself unclean with it; and a woman may not give herself to a beast: it is an unnatural act.

Douay-Rheims 1899

Thou shalt not copulate with any beast, neither shalt thou be defiled with it. A woman shall not lie down to a beast, nor copulate with it: because it is a heinous crime.

Free Bible Version

Don't have sex with any animal. This would pollute you and make you unclean.

Geneva Bible 1599

Thou shalt not also lie with any beast to bee defiled therewith, neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie downe thereto: for it is abomination.

King James (Authorized) Version

Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

One Unity Resource Bible

“‘You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it. No woman may give herself to an animal, to lie down with it: it is a perversion.

Translation for Translators

“No one, man or woman, should ◄defile himself/cause himself to become unacceptable to me► by having sex with an animal; that is a perverse act.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Do not sleep with any animal and defile yourself with it. No woman must consider sleeping with any animal. This would be perversion.

Noah Webster Bible

Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

World English Bible

“‘You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it. No woman may give herself to an animal, to lie down with it: it is a perversion.

Young's Literal Translation

'And with any beast thou dost not give thy copulation, for uncleanness with it; and a woman doth not stand before a beast to lie down with it; confusion it [is].

Adam Clarke
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Leviticus 18:23

Verse

Context

Unlawful Sexual Relations

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Leviticus 18:23

Unlawful Sexual Relations

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes