Bibelkommentare

Israelites not to live after the customs of the Egyptians or Canaanites, but according to God’s institutions, Leviticus 18:1-5. To abstain from incestuous marriages, Leviticus 18:6-18; and copulation with a menstruous woman, Leviticus 18:19; and adultery, Leviticus 18:20; and offering children to Moloch, Leviticus 18:21; and all unnatural copulation with man or beast, Leviticus 18:22,23. These things the nations do; and the land is defied, and God is provoked; and they who do those things shall die: but God was their Lord, Leviticus 18:24-30.

No text from Poole on this verse.

Your Sovereign and Lawgiver. This is oft repeated here, because the things here forbidden were practised and allowed by the Gentiles, to whose custom he here opposeth Divine authority, and their obligation to obey his commands.

Egypt and Canaan: these two nations he mentions, because their habitation and conversation among them made their evil example in the following matters more dangerous. But under them he includes all other nations, as he elsewhere expresseth it. In their ordinances, or statutes; either because their laws did indeed allow such things, or because prevailing customs have the force of laws.

My judgments and mine ordinances; mine universally, Deu 27:26 Galatians 3:10; for though the words be indefinite, the matter is necessary; and mine solely, Deu 6:13, compared with Matthew 4:10, and therefore those that here follow, though you do not see the particular reason of some of them, and though they be contrary to the laws and usages of the nations.

He shall live in them; not only happily here, but also eternally hereafter, as it is expounded Matthew 19:17 Romans 10:5. This is added as a powerful argument why they should follow God’s commands rather than men’s examples, because their life and happiness depends upon the one, not the other. And though in strictness, and according to the law or covenant of works, they could not challenge life for doing, except their obedience was universal, perfect, constant, and perpetual, and therefore no man since the fall could be justified by the law, as the apostle affirms and proves, Ro 4 Ga 3; yet by the covenant of grace this life is promised to all that obey God’s commands sincerely, though not perfectly, 1 Timothy 4:8.

None, Heb. no man, For though the women also be bound by this law, yet the men alone are mentioned, both because they are most active in the choice of their yoke-fellows, and therefore most likely to transgress these laws, and because they having authority over the women, could have the greater influence upon them, by their power, counsel, or example, to oblige them either to the observation or violation of them.

Approach: this word signifies the conjugal act here, as it doth Genesis 20:4 Isaiah 8:3; but because it is ambiguous in itself, it is so limited and explained in the end of the verse.

To any that is near of kin to him: this is the general rule, which is particularly expounded and applied in the following instances. And these laws are so just and reasonable, that although the barbarous nations did allow of such incestuous marriages, yet wiser and civil heathens by the mere light of nature condemned them, as may be seen in Suetonius, Tacitus, Catullus, and others.

Their nakedness, i.e. their secret parts, so called to put us in mind of the fall of our first parents, whose first sense and shame of their nakedness had its rise from thence. This phrase notes the same thing with knowing, Genesis 4:1; and with discovering one’s skirt, Deu 22:30 27:20.

Of thy father, or of thy mother, Heb. and of thy mother, put for that is, or to wit, as it is oft used. Here it notes that the nakedness of the father, and the nakedness of the mother, are one and the same thing, because they two are one flesh, and therefore her nakedness is his also; which further appears, because the mother only is mentioned in the following words, which contain the reason of the law.

She is thy mother; and therefore even nature teacheth thee to abhor such incest. Yet the Persians used to marry their mother; therein worse than the very camels, whom no force will drive to that act with their dams.

i.e. Thy step-mother. Examples of this are Genesis 35:22 49:4 1 Corinthians 5:1. It is thy father’s nakedness, by interest and relation; that which he only may uncover.