Leviticus 18:23 kjv
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.
Leviticus 18:23 nkjv
Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion.
Leviticus 18:23 niv
"?'Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.
Leviticus 18:23 esv
And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it: it is perversion.
Leviticus 18:23 nlt
"A man must not defile himself by having sex with an animal. And a woman must not offer herself to a male animal to have intercourse with it. This is a perverse act.
Leviticus 18 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 1:26-28 | Then God said, “Let us make mankind... rule over the fish... birds... livestock...” | Establishes human dominion and distinction over animals. |
| Exo 22:19 | “Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death.” | Legal consequence: capital punishment for bestiality. |
| Lev 20:15 | “If a man lies with a beast, he shall surely be put to death, and you shall kill the beast.” | Reinforces death penalty for man and the animal. |
| Lev 20:16 | “If a woman approaches any beast and lies with it, you shall kill the woman and the beast.” | Reinforces death penalty for woman and the animal. |
| Deu 27:21 | “Cursed be anyone who lies with any beast.” | Part of the curses pronounced on Mount Ebal for disobedience. |
| Rom 1:24-27 | ...God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity... For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. 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... | Paul's discourse on suppression of truth leading to unnatural and impure sexual acts. |
| Jude 1:7 | ...Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural flesh, serve as an example... | Judgment on those who engage in sexual perversions, including unnatural lusts. |
| Num 15:30-31 | But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the Lord... | Explains judgment for presumptuous, deliberate sin. |
| Deu 22:9-11 | “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed... You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. You shall not wear cloth of wool and linen mixed together.” | Laws against mixing species or categories, resonating with "confusion" (`tevel`). |
| Prov 30:2 | Surely I am too stupid to be a man; I have not the understanding of a man. | Metaphorically likens lack of understanding to beastly ignorance, underscoring human distinctness. |
| Psa 49:20 | Man in his pomp, yet without understanding, is like the beasts that perish. | Draws a parallel between those who lack spiritual discernment and mere animals. |
| Isa 5:20 | Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! | Prophetic woe against blurring moral boundaries and truth, reflecting "confusion." |
| Matt 15:18-20 | But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality... These are what defile a person... | Christ's teaching that true defilement comes from within. |
| Mark 7:21-23 | For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person. | Similar to Matthew, emphasizes the internal source of defiling acts. |
| Gal 5:19-21 | Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these... | Categorizes impurity and sensuality as works of the flesh, contrasted with the Spirit. |
| Eph 5:3 | But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. | Instruction for believers to completely avoid naming (engaging in) sexual impurity. |
| Col 3:5-6 | Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. | Call to put away sinful earthly desires and impurities which incur God's wrath. |
| Rev 21:8 | But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur... | Sexual immorality listed among those excluded from the New Jerusalem, facing eternal judgment. |
| Lev 11:44-45 | For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any animal that creeps on the earth. | General call to holiness and avoidance of defilement from creation. |
| Lev 18:3 | You shall not do according to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do according to the doings of the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. | Sets the context of Israel's distinct moral code from surrounding cultures, which practiced such acts. |
| Lev 18:25 | And the land became defiled, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. | Highlights the corporate defilement and consequence when the land is polluted by such abominations. |
Leviticus 18 verses
Leviticus 18 23 Meaning
Leviticus 18:23 unequivocally prohibits bestiality, instructing both men and women not to engage in sexual acts with any animal. This commandment highlights such an act as deeply defiling to the individual and categorizes it as "confusion" (Hebrew: tevel), signifying a profound perversion and a complete inversion of the divinely ordained natural order of creation, leading to an abhorrent blending of distinct categories established by God.
Leviticus 18 23 Context
Leviticus chapter 18 outlines a comprehensive list of forbidden sexual relations and perverse acts, establishing Israel's ethical and moral boundaries distinct from the pagan nations around them, particularly Egypt and Canaan. The preceding verses (18:1-5) set the overarching theme of walking in God's statutes and judgments to live righteously. The prohibitions in this chapter, including the one against bestiality in verse 23, are presented as "abominations" (to'ebah), which are acts utterly detestable to God and destructive to human society and the divinely ordered creation. These defile both the individual and the land itself, leading to severe consequences, including the land "vomiting out" its inhabitants, as happened to the Canaanites. The overall purpose is to promote holiness and maintain ritual and moral purity within the covenant community, reflecting the holy character of God.
Leviticus 18 23 Word analysis
- "Neither shalt thou lie with": The Hebrew verb is `shakhāv` (שָׁכַב), commonly translated as "to lie down," but frequently used in the Bible to refer to sexual intercourse. The phrase indicates a direct, active participation in the sexual act. Its prominent position emphasizes the immediate and severe prohibition.
- "any beast": The Hebrew phrase is `bə·ḵol-bə·hēmāh` (בְּכָל־בְּהֵמָה).
- `bə·ḵol`: means "with any," or "in respect to any," emphasizing comprehensive coverage.
- `bə·hēmāh` (בְּהֵמָה): This general Hebrew term refers to "beast," "cattle," or "domesticated animal," usually implying a larger, quadrupedal animal. The generality covers all such animals, reinforcing the absolute nature of the prohibition. This distinction separates human procreation and sexual activity from that of the animal kingdom.
- "to defile thyself therewith": The Hebrew term `ṭum'āh` (טֻמְאָה) refers to "uncleanness," "impurity," or "defilement." This isn't just about ritual impurity but carries a strong moral and spiritual sense. Bestiality is understood to contaminate or pollute the individual's inner being and moral standing before God, making one abhorrent in divine sight. It speaks to a deep internal corruption rather than just an external act.
- "neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto": This explicit separate clause emphasizes that the prohibition applies equally to women. The phrasing "stand before... to lie down thereto" perhaps specifies the posture or method by which the woman might engage in such an act, covering direct and active participation, removing any ambiguity and ensuring culpability for both genders. It highlights the unnatural and perverse nature of the act, blurring human dignity.
- "it is confusion": The Hebrew word is `tevel` (תֶּבֶל). This is a critically significant theological term. It signifies "confusion," "perversion," "mixture," or "unnatural mixture." Unlike some other forbidden acts described as `to'ebah` (abomination), `tevel` specifically implies a profound subversion or breaking down of the natural, divinely established categories and order. Bestiality is seen as a radical disruption of creation's design, wherein humans, made in God's image, rule over animals, rather than engaging in intimate union with them. It fundamentally confuses distinct created orders. This act strikes at the heart of creation and human identity.
Leviticus 18 23 Bonus section
The prohibition against bestiality, described as tevel, stands out among the other sexual prohibitions in Leviticus 18 because it uniquely targets a breakdown of the species barrier, whereas many others target forbidden familial or social relationships (incest, adultery, homosexuality). This specific emphasis on tevel reveals a deep theological concern with maintaining the distinctiveness of created kinds and categories, which is foundational to the Biblical worldview established in Genesis. It signifies an act so utterly perverse that it fundamentally warps God's design. This commandment serves not only as a moral guideline but also as a profound statement about the value and order God instilled in creation, highlighting human uniqueness and responsibility. It teaches that humans are accountable for their actions not just to societal norms, but to a higher divine order that governs the very fabric of existence.
Leviticus 18 23 Commentary
Leviticus 18:23 presents an uncompromising divine injunction against bestiality for both men and women, underscoring the deep moral revulsion this act incurs from God. Beyond the clear command, the verse provides the crucial rationale: the act brings profound "defilement" upon the individual and constitutes "confusion." This "confusion" (tevel) speaks to an abhorrent perversion of the divinely instituted order, blurring the sacred lines between human beings, created in God's image, and the animal kingdom, over which humanity was given dominion. Engaging in such acts is not merely a violation of law, but a profound repudiation of creation itself, an attempt to invert the natural order and degrade human dignity by reducing it to a level indistinguishable from animals. The severity of the sin is further evidenced by its capital punishment in other texts, reflecting its ultimate affront to God's created world and moral standards, which were meant to set Israel apart as a holy nation from the debased practices of surrounding cultures.