Leviticus 18:22 kjv
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Leviticus 18:22 nkjv
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.
Leviticus 18:22 niv
"?'Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.
Leviticus 18:22 esv
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.
Leviticus 18:22 nlt
"Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin.
Leviticus 18 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 1:27-28 | So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them... Be fruitful and multiply... | God's design: male and female for procreation. |
| Gen 2:24 | Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. | Ordained marital union: man and wife. |
| Gen 19:5-10 | And they called to Lot, "Where are the men... Bring them out to us, that we may know them." ...Do not act so wickedly... | Sodom's sexual sin. |
| Lev 18:3 | You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt... nor as they do in the land of Canaan... You shall not walk in their statutes. | Prohibition against pagan practices. |
| Lev 18:24-25 | Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean... So the land became unclean... | Actions defile individuals and the land. |
| Lev 20:13 | If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them. | Reiteration and capital punishment. |
| Deut 7:25-26 | You shall burn the carved images of their gods with fire... For it is an abomination to the Lord your God. | "Abomination" used for idolatry. |
| Deut 17:1 | You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep in which is a blemish... for that is an abomination to the Lord your God. | "Abomination" for impure worship. |
| Deut 23:17 | There shall be no cult prostitute of the daughters of Israel, nor any cult prostitute of the sons of Israel. | Prohibition against cultic prostitution. |
| Prov 6:16 | There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him... | "Abomination" as things God hates. |
| Prov 11:1 | A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight. | "Abomination" for dishonesty. |
| Matt 19:4-6 | He answered, "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female... and the two shall become one flesh?" | Jesus affirms male/female creation for marriage. |
| Rom 1:24-27 | Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves... For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, males doing shameless things with males... | Divine judgment, unnatural relations. |
| 1 Cor 6:9-10 | Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? ...nor men who practice homosexuality... | Same-sex acts exclude from kingdom. |
| 1 Tim 1:9-10 | Understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless... for fornicators, for men who practice homosexuality... | Law against sexual perversions. |
| Heb 13:4 | Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. | Marriage bed sanctity. |
| Jude 1:7 | ...just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. | Sodom's judgment for "unnatural desire." |
| Eph 5:3 | But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. | Purity among saints. |
| Col 3:5-6 | Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire... On account of these the wrath of God is coming. | Command to mortify sexual sins. |
| 2 Pet 2:6-10 | ...and if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example... and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. | Sodom as example of God's judgment. |
| 1 Thess 4:3-5 | For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God. | Abstain from sexual immorality. |
Leviticus 18 verses
Leviticus 18 22 Meaning
Leviticus 18:22 strictly prohibits a male from engaging in sexual relations with another male "as with a woman." This act is explicitly declared "to'evah" (תּוֹעֵבָה), meaning "an abomination" or "a detestable thing" in the eyes of God. It is a command against male homosexual sexual intercourse, categorizing it as an act deeply repugnant to God's created order and moral law for His covenant people.
Leviticus 18 22 Context
Leviticus 18 is part of the Holiness Code (chapters 17-26), which provides regulations for the Israelites to live as a holy nation, distinct from the surrounding pagan cultures. The chapter specifically outlines forbidden sexual relationships (incest, adultery, bestiality) and practices considered abominable in God's sight. The purpose is to protect the purity and sanctity of the individual, family, and the community, ensuring Israel remains unblemished before God. The entire chapter serves as a polemic against the corrupting practices prevalent in Egypt and Canaan, emphasizing that such actions defile the land and its inhabitants, leading to expulsion (Lev 18:24-28).
Leviticus 18 22 Word analysis
וְאֶת־ (Ve'et-): "And with" or "as for." This initial conjunction emphasizes the connection of this prohibition to the preceding list, and "et" specifically marks "male" as the direct object of the following verb, underscoring the target of the prohibition.
זָכָר (zakhar): "Male." This is a definitive biological term for a man, establishing the gender of one of the participants in the prohibited act. It specifically highlights the male gender for emphasis.
לֹא (lo): "Not." A strong and absolute negative particle, indicating a direct, unequivocal command or prohibition. It leaves no room for ambiguity.
תִשְׁכַּב (tishkav): "You shall lie with" or "you shall lie down." From the verb shakhav (שָׁכַב), commonly used in the Bible as a euphemism for sexual intercourse (e.g., Gen 19:32; 39:7, 10, 12). Its common usage in a heterosexual context helps define the meaning here.
מִשְׁכְּבֵי (mishkevei): "The lyings of" or "the beddings of." This is the plural construct form of mishkav (מִשְׁכָּב), which means "lying," "a place of lying," or "the act of lying (sexually)." The plural implies a "kind of" or "manner of" lying, thereby indicating "sexual acts" in the manner typically performed between a man and a woman. It signifies the characteristic nature of conjugal relations.
אִשָּׁה (ishah): "A woman." This term defines the nature of the prohibited sexual act: that which is characteristic of the relationship between a man and a woman, implying penetrative sexual intercourse. Its inclusion establishes the standard for lawful sexual relations as heterosexual.
תּוֹעֵבָה (to'evah): "An abomination," "detestable thing," "loathsome." This is one of the strongest biblical terms for something God utterly detests. It is frequently used for idolatry (Deut 7:25), cultic impurity (Deut 17:1), social injustice (Prov 11:1), and certain sexual acts, highlighting its profound offense against God's character and cosmic order. Its application to this act marks it as fundamentally wrong, not just culturally undesirable.
הִוא (hi): "It is." A feminine singular pronoun that refers back to to'evah, solidifying the identification of the described act as an abomination.
"And with a male, you shall not lie down the lyings of a woman": This phrase meticulously specifies the forbidden act. "Lyings of a woman" signifies the manner and nature of sexual intercourse typically reserved for a man and his wife, implying penetration and the conjugal union. The prohibition is against a male receiving another male in a manner resembling the marital sexual act.
"it is an abomination": This conclusion provides God's definitive judgment on the act. It means it is fundamentally contrary to God's nature, His creation design, and His holy standards for His people. It is not merely a social taboo but a moral offense of profound spiritual significance.
Leviticus 18 22 Bonus section
The concept of "to'evah" in Leviticus 18 and 20 carries profound weight. It is not a subjective dislike but denotes a grave offense against the cosmic order established by God, which if practiced, would corrupt and defile the entire community and even the land itself (Lev 18:24-28). The repetition of the prohibition and the death penalty in Leviticus 20:13 underscore its seriousness within the Mosaic covenant. While the ceremonial and civil aspects of the Old Testament Law were fulfilled in Christ, the moral prohibitions against sexual immorality, including this specific prohibition, are consistently upheld and re-affirmed in the New Testament, establishing them as perpetual ethical standards for God's people. This moral clarity rooted in God's unchangeable character and creation design provides enduring guidance for Christian living.
Leviticus 18 22 Commentary
Leviticus 18:22 stands as a clear and unwavering prohibition against male homosexual sexual activity within the Mosaic Law. This command is presented as absolute, using the definitive negative particle "lo" and condemning the act with the severe designation "to'evah." This designation signifies an extreme moral repugnance, placing male same-sex acts on par with idolatry and other deeply offensive behaviors against God's divine order. The surrounding context of Leviticus 18 illuminates its purpose: to ensure Israel's holiness and distinctiveness from the debased practices of surrounding nations, whose immorality defiled the land and resulted in their judgment.
The verse is not solely limited to cultic prostitution; its language "as with a woman" broadly refers to any penetrative sexual intercourse between males. It reflects the consistent biblical understanding that human sexuality, including the physical act of "lying," is intended for the procreative and unitive purposes within a marriage relationship between one man and one woman, mirroring the created order of Genesis 1-2 and affirmed by Jesus in the Gospels (Matt 19:4-6). The New Testament upholds this moral standard, condemning same-sex acts as "unnatural" (Rom 1:26-27) and identifying those who practice them as not inheriting the Kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9-10; 1 Tim 1:9-10). The call for believers is to embrace God's design for sexual purity, living in holiness and honoring His created order in all aspects of life.