Charles Ellicott Commentary Leviticus 18:6

"None of you shall approach to any that are near of kin to him, to uncover [their] nakedness: I am Jehovah." — Leviticus 18:6 (ASV)

None of you shall approach. —Literally, man, man, you shall not approach. It is part of the phrase used in Leviticus 17:3; Leviticus 17:8; Leviticus 17:13, and should accordingly be rendered as no man whatsoever shall approach. The absence of the words “of the house of Israel,” which, in the other instances, form part of this phrase, as we are assured by the authorities in the time of Christ, shows that these prohibitions are also binding upon the stranger who resided among the Israelites, so that the land would not be defiled by his transgressions. Though primarily addressed to man, who, in these cases, takes the initiative, the punishment for violating any of these laws was inflicted upon both man and woman.

Near of kin to him. —Literally, the flesh of his flesh. (Psalms 78:20; Psalms 78:27; Micah 3:2–3.) The combination of two synonymous expressions is often used to denote intensity. Thus the phrase rendered “my exceeding joy” in the Authorised Version (Psalms 43:4), literally means the joy of my joy, or, as the Margin has it, “the gladness of my joy.” Accordingly, “the flesh of his flesh” meant “nearness of his flesh,” his near kin. This technical sense is assigned to the first of these two words on its own in Leviticus 18:12-13 and following, where it is translated “near kinswoman.” It expresses kinship of both consanguinity and mere affinity. (See Leviticus 18:17.)

To uncover their nakedness. —The interpretation of the laws set forth in this chapter and chapter 20 depends upon the meaning of this phrase, since it provides the clue to defining whether the prohibitions refer to illicit commerce or to incestuous marriages. In the only other passage in the Pentateuch where it occurs, it does not appear to imply any improper intention (Exodus 20:26). This is also its sense in Isaiah 47:3.

In the seven instances in Ezekiel, however (Ezekiel 16:36–37; Ezekiel 22:10; Ezekiel 23:10; Ezekiel 23:18; Ezekiel 23:29), which are the only other passages in the Bible where this phrase is used, it denotes improper exposure, sexual intercourse, etc. Therefore, some high authorities maintain that in the twenty-one instances in which it is used in this part of the legislation (Leviticus 18:6–19; Leviticus 20:11; Leviticus 20:17; Leviticus 20:20–21), it denotes extra-conjugal licentiousness, and is simply an explanatory addition to the phrase “approach to,” with which it is combined in Leviticus 18:6; Leviticus 18:14; Leviticus 18:18.

From a comparison, however, of Leviticus 18:18 with Leviticus 18:19 to Leviticus 20:11, it becomes clear that it is undoubtedly used to denote sexual intercourse both within and without the bounds of marriage. As cohabitation without any religious ceremony whatever constituted and consummated marriage among the early Hebrews, euphemistic phrases like “to take home,” “to approach to,” “to know,” etc., as well as more direct expressions like “to lie with,” “to uncover her nakedness,” etc., denote marriage in Hebrew, while not excluding the primary sense of illicit commerce or incestuous marriages.

The context in which the phrase occurs must determine the sense in which it is used. The administrators of the law during the Second Temple period, while generally interpreting it correctly here to mean incestuous marriages, also applied it in some instances to fornication and adultery.