Other Forbidden Sexual Relations (Leviticus 18:19-23).
“And you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.”
Sexual relations are forbidden with a woman while she is menstruating. This is put in for completeness here so that all aspects of sexual relations are covered, but it has been dealt with previously (Leviticus 15:24; compare Leviticus 20:18).
To lie with a woman so that her blood comes on him renders a man unclean for seven days (Leviticus 15:24). But this would seem to refer to a situation which is ‘unwitting', for 20:18 makes a deliberate lying with a menstruous woman a ground for being ‘cut off', and Ezekiel lists it as a sin parallel to idolatry and adultery (Ezekiel 18:6; Ezekiel 22:10). This would make this an absolute prohibition, on a par with the previous ones.
Whether this should apply in a modern medically hygienic situation is often questioned. The purpose of this in those days was partly because the blood was seen as ‘unclean' because of what it indicated and probably partly because of medical dangers and dangers of infection. To lie with her in her blood was to treat ‘life' and ‘death', and the woman herself, casually, and to deliberately come in contact with the ‘unclean' (see on Leviticus 15). With modern knowledge we do not see things in that way and should possibly rather be aware of any hygiene dangers. But whether it is seemly is certainly something that we should consider carefully.
“And you shall not lie carnally with your neighbour's wife, to defile yourself with her.”
Adultery is once more specifically forbidden. This again is in order to have a complete picture of sexual relations that are totally forbidden. To lie with a neighbour's wife is to be defiled, and as we know from elsewhere, deserving of death.
“And you shall not give any of your seed to make them pass through the fire to Molech, neither shall you profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh.”
This at first seems out of place. It describes the sacrificing of a child to the Ammonite god Molech by ‘passing it through the fire', which seems to have nothing to do with sexual relations. But this might suggest that in fact such a sacrifice was seen as some kind of ‘marriage' by which the child (or the sacrificer) was being given to Molech so that he could satisfy his infernal lust, being seen as ‘having sexual relations' with the sacrificed child for the good of the sacrificer. If so, by doing this with their children they profaned the name of Yahweh. For they were giving to Molech what belonged to Him as the husband of His people (Isaiah 54:5; Hosea 2:7). This would add a new dimension to the thought of idolatry as ‘going a whoring' or ‘playing the harlot' (Exodus 34:15-16; Deuteronomy 31:16).
“You shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.”
For men to have sexual relations with another man is immediately declared to be an abomination. Compare Leviticus 20:13 where both parties are to be put to death. Compare 1 Kings 14:24. The use of the term abomination demonstrates the strength of God's feeling against it. It ranked with the creatures in the dirt (Leviticus 11:20) and those who engaged in the occult (Deuteronomy 18:12), but see also Leviticus 18:26 below. It should be noted that to the Old Testament writers and to God there was no such thing as a ‘homosexual'. Men were men. It was their deeds which were judged. This is not a question of whether ‘God loves homosexuals'. This is a question of what actions are wrong. The fact that this was still God's attitude in the New Testament is confirmed by Paul in Romans 1:26-27. Practising homosexuality and practising adultery were both seen as equally abominable in the sight of God, however ‘natural' they may be, and both were deserving of death. The paeodophile (who has been in mind above in relation to family relationships) could also claim that his feelings were ‘natural'.
The context of this command is to be noted. It is that of sexual expression. Thus the idea is that practising homosexuality itself is wrong, not that it has anything to do with idolatry. It is true that homosexuality was practised by the Canaanites in connection with their religion, but so were all the other ‘abominations' described above, and it is the practise of these things in general which is condemned. There is no suggestion that the condemnation was limited to cult male and female prostitutes (Deuteronomy 23:17; 1 Kings 14:24), although they were equally condemned.
“And you shall not lie with any beast to defile yourself with them, neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down with it. It is confusion.”
For a man or woman to have sexual relations with an animal is defiling. This is because it breaks down the barrier between man and beast. It is ‘confusion' (compare Leviticus 20:12). It is punishable by death. Leviticus 20:15-16 indicates that the man or woman, along with the animal, must be put to death compare Exodus 22:19.
Bestiality was practised at various times among the Canaanites, the Egyptians, the Hittites and the Babylonians, among others. It illustrates why the nations were seen as wild beasts.