Marriage is prohibited in certain degrees of kindred: Anda all unnatural lusts.
Mariage prohibited in certaine degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie. 18. And diuers carnal, and execrable sinnes committed in other nations, are strictly forbidden.
1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:E il Signore parlò a Mosè, e disse:AND our Lord spake to Moyses, saying:Locutus est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens: 2Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: I am the Lord your God.Parla a' figliuoli d'Israele, e di' loro: Io il Signore Dio vostro:Speake to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: I the Lord your God,Loquere filiis Israël, et dices ad eos: Ego Dominus Deus vester: 3You shall not do according to the custom of the land of Egypt, in which you dwelt: neither shall you act according to the manner of the country of Chanaan, into which I will bring you. Nor shall you walk in their ordinances.Voi non seguirete le usanze del paese d'Egitto, in cui avete abitato: e non prenderete i costumi della terra di Chanaan, nella quale io v'introdurrò, e non camminerete secondo le loro leggi.according to the custome of the Land of Aegypt, wherin you haue dwelt, you shal not doe: and according to the maner of the Countrie of Chanaan, into the which I wil bring you, you shal not doe, nor walke in their ordināces.juxta consuetudinem terræ Ægypti, in qua habitastis, non facietis: et juxta morem regionis Chanaan, ad quam ego introducturus sum vos, non agetis, nec in legitimis eorum ambulabitis. 4You shall do my judgments, and shall observe my precepts, and shall walk in them. I am the Lord your God.Praticherete i miei comandamenti, e osserverete i miei precetti, e secondo questi vivrete. Io il Signore Dio vostro.You shal doe my iudgements, and shal obserue my precepts, and shal walke in them. I the Lord your God.Facietis judicia mea, et præcepta mea servabitis, et ambulabitis in eis. Ego Dominus Deus vester. 5Keep my laws and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them, I am the Lord.Osserverete le mie leggi, e i miei comandamenti, nei quali avrà vita chiunque gli osserverà. Io il Signore.Keepe my lawes and iudgmentes, which a man doing, shal liue in them. I the Lord.Custodite leges meas atque judicia, quæ faciens homo, vivet in eis. Ego Dominus. 6No man shall approach to her that is near of kin to him, to uncover her nakedness. I am the Lord.Nessun uomo si congiungerà con una donna propinqua di sangue, né avrà che fare con essa. Io il Signore.No man shal approch to her that is next of his bloud, to reueale her turpitude. I the Lord.Omnis homo ad proximam sanguinis sui non accedet, ut revelet turpitudinem ejus. Ego Dominus. 7Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother: she is thy mother, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.Non ti unirai in matrimonio tu (o figlia) col padre tuo, né tu (o figliuolo) colla madre tua: ella è tua madre: tu non le farai disonore.The turpitude of thy father, and the turpitude of thy mother thou shalt not discouer: she is thy mother thou shalt not reueale her turpitude.Turpitudinem patris tui, turpitudinem matris tuæ non discooperies: mater tua est: non revelabis turpitudinem ejus.
8Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s wife: for it is the nakedness of thy father.Non avrai che fare colla moglie del padre tuo: perocché ella è stata conosciuta dal padre tuo.The turpitude of thy fathers wife thou shalt not discouer: for it is the turpitude of thy father.Turpitudinem uxoris patris tui non discooperies: turpitudo enim patris tui est. 9Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy sister by father or by mother: whether born at home or abroad.Non avrai commercio colla sorella di padre, o di madre, sia ella nata in casa tua, ovver fuori.The turpitude of thy sister by father, or by mother, which was borne at home or abroad, thou shalt not reueale.Turpitudinem sororis tuæ ex patre sive ex matre, quæ domi vel foris genita est, non revelabis. 10Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or thy daughter’s daughter: because it is thy own nakedness.Non ti congiungerai colla figlia di tuo figliuolo, o colla nipote dal canto di tua figlia: perocché ella è tuo sangue.The turpitude of thy sonnes daughter or of thy neece by thy daughter, thou shalt not reueale: because it is thy turpitude.Turpitudinem filiæ filii tui vel neptis ex filia non revelabis: quia turpitudo tua est. 11Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, whom she bore to thy father: and who is thy sister.Non ti congiungerai colla figlia della moglie del padre tuo, cui questa partorì al padre tuo, ond'ella è tua sorella.The turpitude of thy fathers wiues daughter, which she bare to thy father, and is thy sister, thou shal not reueale.Turpitudinem filiæ uxoris patris tui, quam peperit patri tuo, et est soror tua, non revelabis. 12Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: because she is the flesh of thy father.Non ti congiungerai colla sorella del padre tuo: perocché ella è del sangue stesso di tuo padre.The turpitude of thy fathers sister thou shalt not discouer: because she is the flesh of thy father.Turpitudinem sororis patris tui non discooperies: quia caro est patris tui. 13Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister: because she is thy mother’s flesh.Non ti congiungerai colla sorella della madre tua; perocché ella è del sangue di tua madre.The turpitude of thy mothers sister thou shalt not reueale, because she is of the flesh of thy mother.Turpitudinem sororis matris tuæ non revelabis, eo quod caro sit matris tuæ. 14Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother: neither shalt thou approach to his wife, who is joined to thee by affinity.Non farai sfregio al tuo zio paterno, sposando la moglie di lui, la quale è tua prossima parente.The turpitude of thy fathers brother thou shalt not reueale, neither shalt thou approch to his wife, who is ioyned to thee by affinitie.Turpitudinem patrui tui non revelabis, nec accedes ad uxorem ejus, quæ tibi affinitate conjungitur.
15Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: because she is thy son’s wife, neither shalt thou discover her shame.Non avrai che fare colla tua nuora; perché ella è moglie di tuo figliuolo, e tu non le farai oltraggio.The turpitude of thy daughter in law thou shalt not reueale, because she is thy sonnes wife, neither shalt thou discouer her ignominie.Turpitudinem nurus tuæ non revelabis, quia uxor filii tui est: nec discooperies ignominiam ejus. 16Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: because it is the nakedness of thy brother.Non ti congiungerai colla moglie di tuo fratello; perché ella è una cosa stessa con tuo fratello.The turpitude of thy brothers wife thou shalt not reueale: because it is the turpitude of thy brother.Turpitudinem uxoris fratris tui non revelabis: quia turpitudo fratris tui est. 17Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy wife and her daughter. Thou shalt not take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter, to discover her shame: because they are her flesh, and such copulation is incest.Non ti unirai insieme alla madre, e alla figlia. Non prenderai la figlia di suo figliuolo, o di sua figlia per farle oltraggio: perché queste sono del sangue di tua moglie; e tali matrimoni sono incestuosi.The turpitude of thy wife, and her daughter thou shalt not reueale. Her sonnes daughter, and her daughters daughter, thou shalt not take, to reueale her ignominie: because they are her flesh, and such copulation is incest.Turpitudinem uxoris tuæ et filiæ ejus non revelabis. Filiam filii ejus, et filiam filiæ illius non sumes, ut reveles ignominiam ejus: quia caro illius sunt, et talis coitus incestus est. 18Thou shalt not take thy wife’s sister for a harlot, to rival her: neither shalt thou discover her nakedness, while she is yet living.Non prenderai per concubina la sorella di tua moglie, né avrai commercio con essa, vivente tua moglie.Thou shalt not take thy wiues sister for an harlote, to vexe her withal, neither shalt thou reueale her turpitude, whiles she is yet liuing.Sororem uxoris tuæ in pellicatum illius non accipies, nec revelabis turpitudinem ejus adhuc illa vivente. 19Thou shalt not approach to a woman having her flowers: neither shalt thou uncover her nakedness.Ti asterrai dalla donna nel tempo di sua incomodità; e non avrai commercio con essa.To a woman, hauing her flowers, thou shalt not approch, neither shalt thou reueale her turpitude.Ad mulierem quæ patitur menstrua non accedes, nec revelabis fœditatem ejus.
20Thou shalt not lie with thy neighbour’s wife: nor be defiled with mingling of seed.Non peccherai colla donna del tuo prossimo; e non ti contaminerai con simile unione.With thy neighbours wife thou shalt not companie, nor be polluted with commixtion of seede.Cum uxore proximi tui non coibis, nec seminis commistione maculaberis. 21Thou shalt not give any of thy seed to be consecrated to the idol Moloch, nor defile the name of thy God. I am the Lord.Non darai de' tuoi figliuoli ad esser consacrati all'idolo Moloch; e non profanerai il nome del tuo Dio. Io il Signore.Of thy seede thou shalt not geue to be consecrated to the idol Moloch, nor pollute the name of thy God: I the Lord.De semine tuo non dabis ut consecretur idolo Moloch, nec pollues nomen Dei tui. Ego Dominus. 22Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind: because it is an abomination.Ti guarderai dal peccato di soddomia, che è cosa abbominevole.Companie not with mankind, as with womankind, because it is abomination.Cum masculo non commiscearis coitu femineo, quia abominatio est. 23Thou shalt not copulate with any beast: neither shalt thou be defiled with it. A woman shall not lie down to a beast, nor copulate with it: because it is a heinous crime.L'uomo e la donna si guarderanno dal peccare con bestie, perocché è cosa scellerata.With no beast shalt thou companie, neither shalt thou be polluted with it. A woman shal not lie downe to a beast, nor companie with it: because it is an hainous fact.Cum omni pecore non coibis, nec maculaberis cum eo. Mulier non succumbet jumento, nec miscebitur ei, quia scelus est. 24Defile not yourselves with any of these things with which all the nations have been defiled, which I will cast out before you,Abbiate in avversione tutte le impurità, onde sono imbrattate tutte le genti, le quali io discaccerò dal vostro cospetto;Neither be ye polluted in anie of the thinges wherwith al the nations haue bene contaminated, which I wil cast out before your sight,Nec polluamini in omnibus his quibus contaminatæ sunt universæ gentes, quas ego ejiciam ante conspectum vestrum, 25And with which the land is defiled: the abominations of which I will visit, that it may vomit out its inhabitants.Le quali genti hanno contaminata quella terra; ond'io visiterò le scelleraggini di lei, ed ella vomiterà i suoi abitatori.and wherwith the land is polluted: whose abominations I wil visite, that it vomite out the inhabitants therof.et quibus polluta est terra: cujus ego scelera visitabo, ut evomat habitatores suos.
26Keep ye my ordinances and my judgments: and do not any of these abominations. Neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you.Osservate le mie leggi, e i miei comandamenti, e guardatevi da tutte queste infamità tanto voi, come i forestieri, che abitano tra di voi.Keepe my ordinances and iudgements, and doe not any of these abominations, as wel the same countrieman as the stranger, that seiourneth with you.Custodite legitima mea atque judicia, et non faciatis ex omnibus abominationibus istis, tam indigena quam colonus qui peregrinantur apud vos. 27For all these detestable things the inhabitants of the land have done, that were before you, and have defiled it.Imperocché tutte queste esecrande cose le hanno fatte quelli che prima di voi hanno abitato quella terra, e l'hanno contaminata.For al these execrable thinges did the inhabitants of the land, that haue bene before you, and haue polluted it.Omnes enim execrationes istas fecerunt accolæ terræ qui fuerunt ante vos, et polluerunt eam. 28Beware then, lest in like manner, it vomit you also out, if you do the like things: as it vomited out the nation that was before you.Badate adunque, che ella non vomiti nella stessa guisa anche voi, come ha vomitato il popolo, che vi stava prima di voi, se farete le stesse cose.Beware therfore lest in like maner it vomite out you also, when you shal doe the like thinges, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.Cavete ergo ne et vos similiter evomat, cum paria feceritis, sicut evomuit gentem, quæ fuit ante vos. 29Every soul that shall commit any of these abominations, shall perish from the midst of his people.Chiunque commetterà alcuna di quelle orribili cose, sarà sterminato dalla società del suo popolo.Euerie soule, that shal doe anie of these abominations, shal perish from the middes of his people.Omnis anima, quæ fecerit de abominationibus his quippiam, peribit de medio populi sui. 30Keep my commandments. Do not the things which they have done, that have been before you: and be not defiled therein. I am the Lord your God.Osservate i miei comandamenti. Non fate quello che hanno fatto coloro, che vi sono stati avanti a voi, e non vi contaminate con tali cose. Io il Signore Dio vostro.Keepe my commandements. Doe not the thinges which they haue done, that haue bene before you, and be not polluted in them: I the Lord your God.Custodite mandata mea. Nolite facere quæ fecerunt hi qui fuerunt ante vos, et ne polluamini in eis. Ego Dominus Deus vester.
18:1
Year of the World 2514.
18:2
Du Hamel
God, to whom the right of giving laws belongs. (Du Hamel)
18:3
Haydock
Ordinances respecting marriages, divine worship, etc. (Haydock)
18:5
Lyranus
Live in them, a long and happy life, (Chaldean) attended with grace and glory. (Lyranus)
Calmet
Jesus Christ and St. Paul explain it of eternal life. (Matthew 19:17 and Romans 10:5.) (Calmet)
18:6
Haydock
Approach to marry, much less to gratify his sensual appetite. (Haydock)
Calmet
To him. Hebrew, "None shall approach to any of their descendants;" ad omnes reliquias carnis suae; to any of those who spring from the same stock. The Jews assert, that all are bound by the law of nature to abstain from their own mother and sister, from another's wife, and from unnatural conjunctions. (Selden, Jur. 5:11.) (Calmet)
Nakedness, or turpitude, which title the body deserves, when it is used in a manner contrary to the law of God.
18:7
Haydock
Father, with whom the daughters must not have any connexion, as Myrrha had with Cynoras. (Metam. x.) (Haydock)
Tirinus
All relations in a right line are excluded for ever, according to the emperor Justinian. The reason of these various impediments is, 1. That God's people may not resemble infidels, who permitted such things, ver. 3. The Persians married their own mothers, daughters and sisters. (St. Clement of Alexandria, strom. 3.) Semiramis married her son Justin. Cleopatra was both mother and wife of the two Ptolemies, Philometor and Euergetes, or Physcon. (Tirinus)
Calmet
The Egyptians took their sisters to wife for a long time, by the authority of their laws, and in imitation of Isis. (Diodorus 1.; Clem. recogn. 9.) Solon permitted people to marry their step-sisters by the same father, and Lycurgus only those by the same mother. (Philo ad 6. praec.) 2. By this law, the bands of society are strengthened, and families become connected. (St. Augustine, City of God 15:16.) 3. Disorders which would easily take place under the same roof, on the prospect of a future marriage, are prevented. 4. The contrary practice would often prove contrary to order and decency, as the son would be raised above his mother. These regulations seem to have been made from the beginning, or at least from the time of the deluge; since the nations not subject to the law of Moses, are condemned for the transgression of them, ver. 24. See Genesis 19:33. (Calmet)
18:8
Haydock
Father. He hath known her; and to him she belongs, as being one flesh. (Haydock)
Calmet
If he were even dead, it would shew a want of respect to marry his widow, though she were not your own mother. (Calmet)
Tirinus
This law, Ruben and the incestuous Corinthian transgressed. [1 Corinthians 5:1] (Tirinus)
18:9
Calmet
Abroad; being born of your mother, while she was married to another. The marriages of brothers and sisters at the beginning, were authorized by necessity; but now they are the more to be condemned, as religion forbids them. (St. Augustine, City of God 15:16.) Some Rabbins assert, that such connexions were lawful till the time of Moses. But St. Epiphanius (haer. 39,) maintains, they had been condemned long before. Seneca (St. Augustine, City of God 6:10,) acknowledges that such marriages of the pagan gods were not right; ne pie quidem: and Plato says, they are hateful to God. The Romans punished them with death. Many barbarians do not, however, make any scruple to contract marriage with their children, or with their mothers. (St. Jerome, contra Jov. 2:2.; Eurip. Hermione.) (Calmet)
18:11
Sister, by thy step-mother.
18:12
Menochius
Father. Nearly related, and springing from the same source. (Menochius)
18:14
Calmet
Who....affinity. Hebrew, "she is thy aunt." Some say that, in the old law, a person might marry his niece, but not his aunt; as the order of nature would be inverted if the aunt were subject to her nephew. But others assert that the law was reciprocal, and excluded the marriage of both. The emperor Claudius married his niece Agrippina, and authorized others to do the like. But only one imitated him at Rome; (Suetonius) though Tacitus (An. xii.) says, other nations did it with solemnity, as they had no law to the contrary. Aliis gentibus solemnia, etc. (Calmet)
18:16
Brother; though she may be even divorced from him. (St. Augustine, q. 61.) If the brother were dead without offspring, the next relation was bound to marry her; (Deuteronomy 25:5) and the kinsman of Booz was accounted infamous for neglecting this duty, Ruth 4:6.
18:17
Daughter, together, or successively; even if she were the child of another husband.
Incest. Hebrew, "a crime." Aquila, "an abomination." Septuagint, "an impiety."
18:18
Calmet
Rival her, (in pellicatum). Hebrew and Chaldean, "to trouble her." After the death of one sister, it seems, another might be taken. Jacob had two at once. Some think that polygamy is here forbidden. But the law seems to have tolerated it; and only condemns many, or too great a number, with respect to the king, Deuteronomy 17:17. The impediments specified in this chapter may be comprised in these four verses: Nata, soror, neptis, matertera, fratris et uxor, ∫ Et patrui conjux, mater, privigna, noverca,∫ Uxorisque soror, privigni nata, nurusque,∫ Atque soror patris, conjungi lege vetantur. (Calmet)
18:19
Bonfrere
Thus, etc. The refractory were to be slain, chap 20:18. It was thought that the infant would be in danger; and hence the Jews punished with death the man whose child was born lame. St. Augustine (q. 64,) believes that this law is still in force; and some accuse the person who neglects it, as guilty of a venial sin. (Bonfrere)
18:20
Wife. This crime is to be punished like the rest, ver. 29.
18:21
Consecrated. Hebrew, "to pass through the fire to Moloch." Septuagint, "to serve the ruler." Syriac, "to marry strange women;" as also Leviticus 20:2. One of the sons of Achaz was offered to this idol of the Ammonites; and yet, perhaps, succeeded his father; (4 Kings 16:3; 18:1,) which shews that the children were not always burnt to death, but only lustrated, or made to pass over or between two fires. Yet many assert that the children were frequently consumed in the flames, and God condemns the cruel parents to be punished with death, Leviticus 20:2. The brazen idol was heated red hot, and the unhappy victim was placed in its arms, or the priests dragged the child over or between the fires. The surrounding nations delighted in human victims. The Carthaginians offered them till the time of Iphicrates. Adrian abolished several such cruel customs among the Greeks. See Porphyrius, de Abst. 2:Jerem. 7:31.
Calmet
God; by causing any to suppose that he is cruel, like the idols. We must mention his name with the utmost respect. "The mouth, which utters the sacred name of God, ought never to pronounce a shameful word." (Philo de 10. praec.) Some think, that the idolaters honoured their god by committing an abominable action in his presence. See Malvenda. But most people understand that human sacrifices are here forbidden. (Calmet)
Tirinus
The nations of Carolina very lately observed the same custom as the ancient idolaters, in sacrificing their children to the devil, by buring them to death in a brazen statue. (Vives in Civ. Dic. 7:19.) Moloch was represented as a king, in all his ornaments, with the head of a calf. He was, perhaps, the idol adored by other nations, under the name of Saturn, who devoured his own children. (Bonfrere) (Tirinus)
18:22
Ap. Eusebius
Abomination, punished so severely in the Sodomites, Genesis 19. Yet, even the philosophers of Greece were not at all ashamed of it. Bardesanes assures us, that the eastern nations punished it with death, and would not allow the guilty the honours of burial. Those beyond the Euphrates were so shocked at it, that they would kill themselves if they were only accused of such a crime. (Ap. Eusebius, praep. 6:10.)
18:23
Haydock
Crime. Hebrew, "confusion." The Egyptians did so with goats, as part of their religion. See Leviticus 20:16. and An. Univ. Hist. We need not, however, infer from this law, that the crime was common among the Jews, as Voltaire would insinuate. (Haydock)
Menochius
Nothing but monsters can proceed from such wickedness. (Menochius)
18:28
Calmet
Vomited. Moses speaks of what would shortly happen, as if it had already come to pass, which is familiar with the prophets. (Calmet)
He represents the earth as sick and disgusted with the crimes of its inhabitants, in the same manner as the Book of Wisdom 5:23, says, the water of the sea shall rage (or foam, excandescet) against them. The strong expression used by Moses, shews to what a length the Chanaanites had carried their abominations; so that God, justly irritated, orders them all to be exterminated.
18:29
Haydock
People. Hebrew hammam. The same temporal punishment is inflicted upon all the aforesaid crimes, though they were not all equally grievous. The smallest of them deserved to be treated with such severity, to prevent the spreading of such contagious vices. (Haydock)
Du Hamel
The regulations respecting marriage, were not immutable, or all determined by the law of nature, which admits of no dispensation. Only those relations in a right line, and the first in the collateral line, can be esteemed of this description. (Du Hamel)
Council of Trent
If Protestants maintain, that all these regulations of Moses are part of the natural law, and bind Christians, they must also allow that a person must marry the widow of his deceased brother, if he has left no children, Deuteronomy xxv. God would never have established this general rule for his people, if it were in opposition to the natural law; which is clear and obvious to all people by the light of reason, according to Aristotle. (Polit. ii.) Neither would so many holy men have violated this law without reproof, if it had prohibited the marriages of two sisters, of aunts, etc. See Genesis 29.; Exodus 6:20. God never dispensed in the right line; (1 Corinthians 5:1,) and such relations, or even people in the first collateral degree of consanguinity, marrying, are punished with death, Leviticus 20. Whereas those in the second degree, or in the first of affinity, undergo a smaller punishment; which shews that the transgression, in both cases, is not against the law of nature. No man ever undertook to dispense with the marriage of brothers and sisters; though Beza lays this to the charge of Pope Martin V. But the person alluded to, only obtained leave to retain the sister of her whom he had privately dishonoured, when his marriage could not be dissolved without great scandal. (St. Antonin. 3. p. tit. 1:11.) As, therefore, some of these impediments were introduced by the positive ceremonial law of the Jews, which was abrogated by Jesus Christ, they have no other force at present than what they derive from the authority of Christian republics, which have adopted some and changed others, appointing, in some countries, death for the punishment of theft, and not of adultery, though the old law enjoined the reverse. See Leviticus 20:10, and Genesis 38:24; Exodus 22:1. The Church may, therefore, surely dispense with those laws which she has enacted. (Worthington) (Council of Trent, Session 24:3.)
Tirinus
She has indeed restricted marriage between relations to the fourth degree included, both of consanguinity and of affinity. See the Council of Lateran, under Pope Innocent 3:But she will not allow people to marry their aunts, brothers' widows, or sisters of their deceased wife, as the Jews do. (Tirinus)
18:23
Because it is a heinous crime.... In Hebrew, this word heinous crime is expressed by the word confusion, signifying the shamefulness and baseness of this abominable sin.
18:6
6 Next of his bloud.] Mariage is forbid first and most strictly by the law of Mariage forbid in al degrees in the right line, by the law of nature. Secondarily in the first collateral degree of cōsanguinitie. nature, in al degrees in the right line ascending and decending, both in consanguinitie 1. Cor. •. v. 1. and affinitie. S. Paul testifying that among the heat hen, no man could haue his fathers vvise. And in the right line God him selfe (who onlie can) neuer dispensed. Secondarily, the first collateral degree in consanguinitie, that is, betwen brother and sister, by one parent, or by both, is also vnlawful by the law of nature, except in the beginning of the world, when Adams children must nedes marie together, God so ordayning that al mankind should be propagated Act. 17. v. 26. •. Aug. de bono cō i•g. c. 1. by one man (for of him also the first woman was made) but after this beginning it was neuer allowed, nor perhaps can be dispensed withal, at least neuer was by anie man. Though Beza (li. de repudijs & diuo•tijs) and some English Bezites charge Pope Martin the fifth, to haue dispensed with one, that Beza belieth Pope Martin. had maried his owne natural sister: which is a false reporte. For it was with one, who hauing committed fornication with one sister, afterwardes maried the other, from whom he could not be separated without great scandal, the pretended mariage being publike, and the impediment secrete: as S. Antoninus writeth. par. 3. sum. Theol. tit. 1. c. 11. But besides the right line, and the Al other degrees depend on positiue lawes: which haue bene & may be altered Proued by Scriptures, and reasons. first collateral degree in consanguinitie, no other collateral degrees are prohibited by the law of nature, but by positiue only. So this present law, written by Moyses, forbade to marie in the first collateral degree of affinitie, but the same law commanded (Deut. 25.) that in case a maried man died without issue, his brother should marie the widow. VVherby is clere that this degree, and others more remote, were not prohibited by the law of nature. For then God would not haue made a contrarie general law, in anie case, for the whole nation of the Iewes, his people; and that vnder penaltie to be obserued, which is contrarie to the qualitie of indulgence or dispensation, and no such necessitie, as in the beginning of the world. VVherfore al protestants that say, the whole law written by Moyses concerning degrees of consanguinitie and First proofe. affinitie, is the law of nature, and so pertaineth to Christians, must necessarily say also, that if now a maried man die without issue, his brother must marie his wife. VVhich specially they denie. It is also proued that this and some other 2 proofe. degrees expressed in this place, were not against the law of nature (which is common to al nations, commonly or easely knowne to al men by discourse of reason) because no common wealth among the Gentiles did punish, nor Aristot. li. 2. Pol. modest men forbeare, or reprehend such mariages: as appeareth by Laban, who after he had deceiued Iacob by geuing him one sister for an other, offered him also the former promised, whom without difficultie of conscience he accepted (Gen. 29.) neither did that holie Patriareh thinke it vnlauful to keepe them both. And when Iudas matched his second sonne, and promised the third to the wife of his first sonne, he did it according to the custome of that place & time. Gen. 38. And Noemi spoke according to the same custome. Ruth. 1. v. 11. Againe where this law forbiddeth a man to marie, or companie with his wiues 3 proofe. sister, it addeth, vvhiles she is liuing, not prohibiting mariage, when his first wife is dead. Yet his wiues sister is as nere in affinitie, as his brothers wife. Likewise the diuersitie of punishments (chap. 20.) for transgression of this 4 proofe. law, either in the right line, or in the first collateral degree of consanguinitie, who were punished by death; and for transgressing in the first collateral degree of affinitie, or in the second either of consanguinitie or affinitie, who had lesse punishments, sheweth that the former degrees are prohibited by the law of nature, and not the other: for then the violation should be like sinne, and punished alike. Finally it is euident, that certaine of these degrees are not against 5 proofe. the law of nature, by the example of holie Abraham, who in, and according, to the law of nature, maried his brothers daughter called Sarai, otherwise Iescha, Gen. 11. which mariage God approued by manie blessings. Also Iacob S. ⸢Hi⸣ero. quest. Heb. in Gen. maried two sisters together. Two sonnes of Iudas maried the same woman successiuely. And Amram (Moyses father) maried his aunt, his fathers sister. Exod. 6. v. 20. Num. 26. v. 59. VVherfore seing neither the first collateral degree in affinitie, nor the second collateral in consanguinitie or affinitie, is forbid by the law of nature but by positiue only, and that both ceremonial and iudicial lawes of the old Testament ceassed in the New, and are abrogated by Ceremonial & iudicial lawes of Moyses are abrogated by Christ. Christ, it resteth proued that the same bind not Christians, but as they are renewed and established by the Church, or Christian commonwelthes. And as this is donne in temporal causes by temporal States, partly by renewing and establishing the same, which was in the law of Moyses, as by punishing wilful murder by death; Exod. 21. v. 12. partly with alteration, as by punishing theift in some countries with death, but not adultrie, which were contrarie in the old Testament, Gen. 38. v. 24. 44. 17. Exod. 22. v. 1. Leuit. 20. v. 10: in like sorte the And new are establshed. Church of Christ ordaineth lawes, altereth, & vpon iust occasions dispenceth, in al degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie, not forbid by the law of nature
It is then turpitude when the act is vnlawful. But honest in lawful Mariage. S. Aug. li: 3. Locutionum. & li. de bono coniugali.
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See chap. 20: the difference of punishmēts, for violating these lawes in the first and second degree. Also betwen consanguinitie & affinitie, in the same collateral degree.
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St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 160.3
… The words are as follows, “After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do; and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 17
What he means is this. Moses showeth us the righteousness ensuing from the Law, what sort it is of, and whence. What sort is it then of, and what does it consist in? In fulfilling the commandments. “He (R.T. the man), that doeth these things,” He says, “shall live by (or in), them.” (
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 21.5
… For the law promises to those who obey it no rewards of the kingdom of heaven, but only solaces in this life, saying: “The man that doeth these things shall live in them.”
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St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 160.4
4. I, however, maintain that this point has not been left in silence, but that the lawgiver has made a distinct prohibition. The words “None of you shall approach to any one that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 34
… Why dost thou narrow the breadth of love? Why dost thou idly throw away a ground of affection towards her, such as that thou mightest thereby provide thyself with distinct source for affection to spring from; I mean, by taking a wife from another family, and through her a chain of kinsmen, both mother, and father, and brethren, and their connexions!
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Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 11.64
… Whence it follows that only the third or fourth generations of believers may be lawfully joined together . For the second which we have spoken of, ought by all means to abstain from each other. But to have intercourse with a stepmother is a grave offence, seeing that is also written in the law, thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father (
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Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 5.7
… for against Him he could not possibly seem to have a word to say, except only in a straightforward manner! I quite admit, that, according to the Creator’s law,
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St Jerome † AD 420 The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary 17
… Scripture, in relating the history of the men of early times, does not outrage our ears by speaking of the enormity in express terms, but prefers to leave it to be inferred by the reader: and God afterwards gives to the prohibition the sanction of the law, and threatens,
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St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 160.3
3. It is written, he says, in Leviticus “Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time .”
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St Methodius † AD 311 The Banquet of the Ten Virgins; or Concerning Chastity 1.2
… Therefore the men of old times thought it nothing unseemly to take their own sisters for wives, until the law coming separated them, and by forbidding that which at first had seemed to be right, declared it to be a sin, calling him cursed who should “uncover the nakedness” of his sister;
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… “Ye cannot say that it was from sacrificing to Me, that ye proceeded to sacrifice to them:—“by the space of forty years:” and this too, “in the wilderness,” where He had most signally shown Himself their Protector. “Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan: images which ye made to worship them.”
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3. Nor in their ordinances shall you walk. — Ordinances are called laws, especially ceremonial ones; for the Hebrew chuckot properly signifies these, that is, the rites and ceremonies of the Gentiles by which they worship their idols and demons, which you shall abhor.
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4. You shall do my judgments and keep my precepts. — "Judgments," that is, judicial precepts, which establish justice and honest living between you and your neighbor: whence the following matrimonial laws pertain to these judgments; "and precepts," namely ceremonial ones, by which you worship me rightly. For these are chuckot, as the Hebrew texts again have it.
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5. Which things doing, a man shall live in them, — that is to say, Keeping these laws of mine, a long and prosperous life shall be given to you by me, so that you may live "in them," that is through them; or "in them," that is in their observance to fulfill them again, and to walk in them. Thus Abulensis, Oleaster, Vatablus; indeed the Apostle himself hints at this very thing, Rom. X, 4, 5 and 13, where he insinuates this distinction between the New and Old Testament, that the old promised to live in them (its laws), that is, promised temporal life, to be continually perfected in them again; but the new absolutely promises eternal life and salvation. The Jews, however, who were pious and holy, kept these old laws out of charity: whence through this they also merited eternal life. But of that here it is not treated literally: for elsewhere throughout, the goods which are promised to the Jews are both earthly and temporal, not heavenly and eternal, as is evident from Exod. XXIII, 26; Deut. VII, 13; Isa. I, 19; Hag. II, 20; Mal. cap. III, 10. The Chaldean translator wished the same thing: He shall live the life of the age, that is, a long life, although the Interpreter of the Royal Bibles translated it: He shall live eternal life. Anagogically: The saints, says Radulphus, taught by the Spirit, referred this life to the land of the living in the heavens, as he who sang: "I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living;" and Tobias, cap. II: "We are sons of the saints, and we await that life which God will give to those who never change their faith from him."
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6. Every man shall not approach to the near kinswoman of his blood (not any whatsoever, but that one alone, which the following discourse will determine, says Radulphus) to reveal her nakedness. — Nakedness is called the shameful members, which in Hebrew are called nakedness, by antiphrasis, because it is not at all fitting that they be naked. To reveal therefore the nakedness of anyone, is to know her, and to have relations with her, whether in matrimony or outside of it. It is a Hebrew and modest metalepsis. I am the Lord, — who love honesty and modesty, to whom you must obey when commanding it here, unless you wish to experience him as an avenger.
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7. The nakedness of thy father, and the nakedness of thy mother thou shalt not uncover. — Marriage and intercourse with father and mother is forbidden here; for so great was the corruption of the Gentiles, that concerning the Persians Theodoret, Quaest. XXIV, asserts this: "The Persians," he says, "even to this day mingle not only with sisters, but also with mothers and daughters by the law of marriage. In like manner among the Egyptians, intercourse of brother with sister was customary, as Diodorus is the author, lib. I, cap. II. Hence Theocritus celebrates the marriage of Ptolemy Philadelphus with his sister Arsinoe, as the marriage of Juno and Jupiter. Finally, in this verse 3, Moses sufficiently indicates that both the Egyptians and Canaanites were most corrupt in these marriages and lusts. Hear Euripides concerning other barbarous nations in Andromeda: Such is every barbarous race, Father with daughter, son with mother; Sister mingles with brother. That the Indians, Ethiopians and Medes were accustomed to lie with mothers and daughters, St. Jerome is witness, lib. II Against Jovinian. Yea, and hear St. Gregory concerning the Romans in answer to Augustine, cap. VI: "Certain," he says, "earthly law in the Roman republic permits, whether brother, or sister, or the son and daughter of two full brothers, or two sisters mingle together; but we have learned by experience, that from such a marriage offspring does not usually grow." Many take the nakedness of thy father actively, that is to say, That which thy father uncovered, or has the power to uncover, that is, do not lie with the wife of thy father, whether she be thy mother or thy stepmother; whence for the sake of exposition they wish and (that is namely) the nakedness of thy mother to be added. Nor did any legislator ever think of forbidding such a crime, as it would be to uncover the shameful parts of thy father, after the impious example of Ham.
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8. The nakedness of the wife of thy father thou shalt not uncover, — that is to say, Thou shalt not have relations with thy stepmother. For she is the nakedness of thy father. — In Hebrew, for she is the nakedness of thy father, that is to say, Thy father uncovered her and knew her: whence it is altogether unbecoming and dishonorable that thou shouldest know her.
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9. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father (who has the same father with you, but another mother), or of your mother (who has the same mother with you, but another father), whether born at home or abroad. — "Born at home" means one born from a lawful marriage and spouse; for the spouse alone legitimately belongs to the house of the husband: hence she is said to be born abroad who is born from a concubine or mistress. Thus Radulphus and Abulensis. But more simply you will take the words as they sound; for lest anyone think that marriage with a sister born at home alone were forbidden, the law added, "or born abroad:" such is, for example, that sister whom the mother had conceived from a former husband, and with whom she had come into the house, when she married this second husband, that is to say, No one shall marry a uterine sister, even one born abroad and outside the house. Thus St. Augustine, whose also is this excellent saying, book XVII of the City of God: "The mingling of sisters and brothers, the more ancient it is by compelling necessity, the more afterwards it became damnable by religion forbidding it." Thus Amnon paid the penalty of incest with his sister Thamar by death, II Kings XIII, 32.
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10. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son's daughter, or of your granddaughter born of your daughter, because it is your own nakedness, — because namely the granddaughter descends in a direct line from you, and therefore is reckoned with you as one, so that if you uncover her nakedness, you uncover both your own nakedness and hers; and if you abuse her shameful parts, you act as unworthily as if you abused your own. Thus Abulensis and Oleaster.
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11. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife's daughter, whom she bore to your father, and is your sister, — that is to say, You shall not marry the daughter of your stepmother, who is to you as it were a sister by affinity, nor shall you know her.
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12. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's sister (that is to say, You shall not marry, nor know your paternal aunt), because she is the flesh of your father, — because namely she is a blood relative of your father. In Hebrew it is, because she is the remainder of your father: for father and aunt are cut from one parent, and one flesh, of which the parent has one part, and his sister, who is the aunt of the grandson, has the other, that is to say, Because the aunt is so closely connected to your father, that she seems to be one flesh with him: hence it is not fitting that you uncover her nakedness, just as it is not fitting that you uncover the nakedness of your father. Abulensis thinks that here by parity a marriage of a paternal uncle with a niece is forbidden, just as a marriage of a paternal aunt with a nephew is forbidden: for the degree of consanguinity is the same in both cases. But Cajetan better judges that it is not forbidden, because it is not expressed, as all the other things are, which Moses describes here so exactly and minutely. Whence there is an example of such a marriage in Othoniel and Axa, Judges I, 13. You will ask, why did God rather forbid marriage with an aunt than with an uncle? I answer: The reason is, that since the man is the head of the wife, if a nephew were to marry an aunt, it would be necessary for her to be subject to the nephew; but this is unseemly: in the other case, the niece is subject to the uncle, which is more seemly.
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14. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your uncle (that is to say, so that you marry his wife or know her, even after his death. Whence explaining it, Moses adds): nor shall you approach to his wife. — The preceding degrees up to this point were forbidden of consanguinity; here begin the degrees of affinity formerly forbidden, which spring from carnal union, just as the former degrees of consanguinity are derived from the same common origin, namely from the same father, grandfather, or great-grandfather.
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15. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law, — you shall not have relations with her, nor shall you join in marriage with the wife of your son, even after his death. Neither shall you uncover her shame, — that is to say her nakedness, in Hebrew nakedness, namely of the daughter-in-law, not of the son, as Abulensis wishes. It is clear from the Hebrew.
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16. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife: because it is the nakedness of your brother. — Except, unless your brother die without children: then indeed not only can he, but ought to take her as wife, so that he may raise up seed and children for his brother, as is commanded in Deuteronomy XXV, 5. Therefore it is forbidden here only that a brother take his brother's wife, that is the wife of his brother, if children survive from her, or if she has departed from her brother by repudiation while he still lives. Thus St. Augustine, Question LVIII. Hence it is clear how wrongly Henry VIII, king of England, from this law wished to repudiate Catherine his wife, as if the marriage contracted with her were null, from the fact that she had previously been married to Arthur, Henry's brother; for Arthur had not begotten offspring from Catherine, and therefore according to the law of Deuteronomy XXV, 5, Henry ought to have taken Catherine, so that from her he might raise up seed for his brother Arthur. For Henry claimed that this law is of natural law, and therefore still binds Christians: which whether it be true I shall dispute at verse 18. Also wrongly Tertullian, in the book On Monogamy, chapter VII, understands by brother here any Jew, or non-alien, as if this law forbade the wife of a dead Jew to be taken by any other Jew, and commanded him monogamy; for it is certain that brother is taken here properly: for thus father, mother, sister, and other kinship terms which are enumerated here are taken properly.
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17. You shall not uncover the shame of your wife's daughter, and take her together; that is, you shall not contract marriage with the mother and her daughter, that is your stepdaughter, so that you have both as wife either at the same time or successively. You shall not take the daughter of her son, and the daughter of her daughter, to uncover her shame, because they are her flesh (because namely they are joined and are blood relatives near to your wife, and therefore it is altogether unseemly that you uncover their shame), and such intercourse is incest. — In Hebrew, it is abominable; in the Septuagint, it is impiety; in the Chaldean, it is the counsel of sinners.
On the Nature of Incest Moreover, incest is the abuse of blood relatives or relations by marriage, and therefore it is a distinct species of lust for a threefold reason, as St. Thomas says in II-II, Question CLIV, article 9: "First, because by nature man ought to show a certain honor to parents and relatives, to such an extent that among the ancients, as Valerius Maximus relates, it was not permitted for a son to bathe together with his father, nor to see each other naked; secondly, because persons joined by blood must necessarily live together with one another, and thus they would continually have occasion for lust, and would become excessively softened; thirdly, because by this the multiplication of friendships would be hindered, as St. Augustine teaches in book XV of the City of God, chapter XVI. Aristotle adds, fourthly, in II Politics, because, since by nature man loves a blood relative, if there were added the love which comes from carnal mixture, there would arise an excessive ardor of love, and the greatest incentive of lust, which is contrary to chastity." Hence incest is called as it were not chaste: although others derive it from cestus, that is a girdle, by which a wife, when marital fidelity was given to her, was girded by her husband, or rather ungirded, as Phyllis says in Ovid in her letter to Demophoon: "To whom my virginity was offered to birds of ill omen, and chaste, ungirded by the deceitful hand with a zone." Thus therefore incest is illicit intercourse, to which the insignia of the girdle of legitimate marriage cannot be applied, on account of blood relationship. Finally, St. Augustine, and it is found in XXXII Questions VII, chapter On Adultery: "The evil of adultery," he says, "surpasses fornication; but it is surpassed by incest. For it is worse to lie with one's mother than with another's wife."
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18. You shall not take the sister of your wife as a rival to her. — In Hebrew it is added, "to afflict her," namely if she should see her sister taken upon her as a concubine, and thus rivalry and emulation arise between them. See Genesis XXX, 1. Nor shall you uncover her shame while she is still living, — because when she is dead you can take the sister of your wife as a spouse: for this was permitted by the old law, but in the new law it is now not permitted. For now affinity up to the fourth degree impedes marriage, just as consanguinity does.
Whether These Degrees Are Prohibited by the Law of Nature You may ask whether all these degrees which are enumerated in this chapter are so absolutely prohibited by the law of nature that they invalidate marriage, and that the Pontiff cannot dispense in them. Henry VIII affirmed this, who relied on this law for his divorce from Catherine; at the same time certain Doctors in various universities affirmed it, but they were corrupted by Henry's angels. Their reasoning was that the Canaanites, sinning against these laws, were punished by God, as appears in verse 24; but the Canaanites had no other law than that of nature: therefore these laws are laws of nature. But the contrary is of faith: it is proved first from the definition of the Council of Trent, Session XXIV, canon 3: "If anyone," it says, "shall say that only those degrees of consanguinity and affinity which are expressed in Leviticus can impede the contracting of marriage and dissolve a contracted marriage, and that the Church cannot dispense in some of them or establish that more should impede; let him be anathema." Secondly, Jacob had two sisters Rachel and Leah as wives, which nevertheless is forbidden here in verse 18. Thirdly, if what is said here, that no one shall take his brother's wife, is an absolute precept of natural law, then it would not have been lawful likewise by the law of nature to take her in that case in which the brother had died without children: yet this was lawful, as appears in Deuteronomy XXV, 5; for what is absolutely forbidden by the law of nature and is evil, is not lawful in any case. Again, if this law were of nature, the marriage of an uncle with a niece ought to have been forbidden here as much as that of an aunt with a nephew. For that reason for the distinction and disparity which I gave in verse 12 is slight, and is not sufficient to overturn the law of nature, nor does it remove the equal bond of consanguinity in an equal degree. Fourthly, the same is evident from the common practice of the Church, which has often dispensed and dispenses in the degrees forbidden here, as the Pontiff dispensed with Catherine, the wife of Arthur, so that after his death she might marry Henry VIII, the brother of Arthur, King of England. Finally, the common opinion of Doctors is that only the degrees of consanguinity in the direct line between ascendants and descendants, and at most the first degree in the transverse line, which is that of brother with sister (although Cajetan himself denies even this), invalidate marriage by the law of nature. These degrees therefore were forbidden to the Jews by positive divine law, which has now been abolished and does not bind Christians: the Church, however, renewed this law and forbade the same degrees in Christian marriages (and moreover added others); and this first because nature and natural modesty abhor them, and to act contrary to this without just cause is sin: hence also the Gentiles, the Canaanites acting contrary to this, are said here to be punished and expelled by God in verse 24. Yet note that those Gentiles were expelled more on account of idolatry, sodomy and other crimes, as I shall say in verse 28. Secondly, because the law of nature inclines to this, that such marriages be invalidated by positive law, into which therefore dispensation falls, when from another source a greater common good demands it, and easily covers and hides the indecency, and whatever would otherwise seem contrary to natural modesty in this union. And from this it is clear what answer should be given to the reasoning brought forward to the contrary. And this is all that the Council of Toledo, Session II, chapter V, wished to say, when alluding to these laws of Leviticus it says: "We decree that no one of the faithful shall desire to be joined in marriage to a relative of his blood, so far as the lines of affinity are known through the succession of generations; because it is written: Every man shall not approach to her that is near of kin to him; nor is it done without the pronouncement of sentence; for it brings forth: The soul that shall do any of these abominations shall perish from the midst of his people."
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19. Thou shalt not uncover her shame (that is, her nakedness) — for in Hebrew it is eruat, that is nakedness, which our interpreter renders throughout here as shame. Of a woman in her menstrual separation, — namely one who suffers menstruation, or who suffers any blood from the womb. See above, chapter XV, 19. This law is moral, and binds in the new law; because it contains a precept about not approaching a menstruating woman; which is also forbidden by natural reason, both because it is an indecent and foul thing, and because such intercourse is harmful to offspring, if any should follow from it, in that offspring conceived from it is often leprous, deformed or weak: thus the consensus of Physicians. Indeed in grave necessity of circumstances, when she is in danger of death, it is for the most part only a venial sin.
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20. Thou shalt not lie with the wife of thy neighbor, — for this is adultery against the justice owed to a neighbor.
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21. Of thy seed thou shalt not give to be consecrated to the idol Moloch: neither shalt thou pollute the name of thy God. — Thou wilt ask, what manner of idol was Moloch? Note that Moloch is the same as Molech (as the Hebrews now punctuate and pronounce it), and with Melech, that is king; and with Melchom, that is their king. Whence St. Jerome in Isaiah LVII calls Moloch a king, and the Septuagint here translate Moloch as archonta, that is prince. It was called therefore Moloch, that is king and prince, namely of men and of gods, on account of the remarkable observance and worship of that idol, as if he himself were the supreme God of all. Thus also the Ethiopians even now call God emlach, that is king, from the Hebrew Melech, that is king. I say first: Moloch was Baal, that is the god of the Ammonites, to whom the Jews offered not only their seed through effeminacy and idolatry, but also their sons through parricide and idolatry, burning them in fire. This is evident from IV Kings cap. XXIII, 10, where Josias decreed, "that no one should consecrate his son or his daughter through fire to Moloch." And Jerem. XXXII, 35: "That they might initiate their sons and their daughters to Moloch;" and Psal. CV, vers. 37 and 38: "And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to devils," namely to Moloch.
The Statue of Moloch I say secondly: The Hebrews, and from among them Lyra, Abulensis, Adrichomius, A Castro, and commonly the moderns relate that the idol Moloch was a hollow statue having broad hands, in which a boy to be sacrificed was placed, who was burned by fire applied within the statue, or was drawn through fire, that is was driven through fire into the arms of Moloch, so that he might be cremated as it were in his embrace, and thus the sacrifice would be pleasing to the god Moloch, and then they said the boy was snatched by the gods to the heavens. For thus is the statue of Saturn (who was either similar to, or the same as Moloch) described by Diodorus, lib. XX; although others, but few, think the boy was thrown through the mouth of Moloch into his belly, and there burned. But truly this mouth would have been too vast and horrible. But if they offered sons and daughters not to be burned, but to be initiated in the sacred rites of Moloch, then they drove them through the midst of two pyres to the idol. See Plutarch, in the book On Superstition. Now lest the wailing of the boys, whether thus driven or burning and dying, should be heard by the parents, the priests and other ministers of the idol beat the toph, that is the tympanum: hence the place was called Tophet, just as from its possessors, namely from the sons of Hennom, it was called gehennom, that is the valley of Hennom. Whence from a similar cruelty and burning, hell is called by Christ gehenna, Matt. V, 23. Moreover it is certain that the Jews in the desert worshipped Moloch, as is evident from Acts cap. VII, vers. 43. And indeed that they were greatly addicted to it is inferred from the fact that studiously both here and in cap. XX, the worship of that idol is forbidden them before all other idols. Perhaps the Jews were incited to this through the example of Abraham their father, who sacrificed his son Isaac to God; but wrongly. For Abraham did this from a peculiar and express commandment of God, and sacrificed his Isaac not to an idol, but to the true God. For this reason many think that the Moloch of the Jews had the head of a calf, because the Jews in the desert worshipped Serapim, that is a calf.
On the Identity of Moloch I say thirdly: Oecumenius in Acts VII, and Arias Montanus in Amos I, think Moloch to be Mercury: for he is said to be called Moloch, from malach, that is messenger, because he was held to be the guide of souls and the messenger of the gods. Cajetan thinks Moloch was Priapus. Others believe Moloch was Jupiter: for he is Melech, that is the king of the gods. Others, among whom is Christopher a Castro in Jerem. XXXII, 35, are of opinion, and perhaps more probably, that Moloch was Saturn: for although the Gentiles sacrificed human blood not only to Saturn, but also to Jupiter, Diana, Bacchus, Mars, Pallas, Agraulus, and Diomedes, as Cyril testifies, lib. IV Against Julian, after the beginning, and at length Eusebius, lib. IV Of Preparation, cap. VII, from Diodorus, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Manetho and others teaches the same: nevertheless the Phoenicians or Canaanites (whose neighbors the Jews were) and the Carthaginians descended from them, were accustomed to sacrifice to Saturn alone men most dear and their own sons, especially in some grave calamity to avert it, as Eusebius above, and Philo, lib. I History of the Phoenicians, Curtius, lib. IV, and Diodorus, lib. XX teach. Whence Imilce, the wife of Hannibal, when her son Aspar was to be slain: "Me, me," she said, "who bore you, consume with your vows." Thus Silius Italicus, lib. IV of the Punic Wars. Hence also Plato, Plutarch and Dionysius of Halicarnassus teach that among the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Rhodians and Cretans it was the custom that infants distinguished with principal honor, whom the lot cast had designated, were sacrificed to Saturn in royal attire: from which sacred rites when the Carthaginians afterwards fell away, defeated by Agathocles, and thinking the gods were therefore angry, they slew two hundred sons of nobles and sacrificed them to the gods, says Festus in Lactantius, lib. I On False Religion, cap. XXI. And for this reason the Poets feigned that Saturn wished to devour the sons of Rhea his mother, but the sound and voice of the mother, and the crying of the boy Jupiter turned him away and deterred him. Thus St. Augustine, lib. VII Of the City of God, IX.
Similar Idolatry Among the Indians Similar idolatry flourished in this age of ours among the Indians: for the Mexicans indeed sacrificed yearly about twenty thousand human beings to a demon; and in Mechoacan a city the demon demanded to be offered that which was most dear to the citizens, such as a bride, or a beautiful infant: for this reason the natives, abhorring so cruel a God, embraced the faith of Christ with open arms, as the leaders of Mechoacan testified to Father Anthony Mendoza, Provincial of our Society. Learn here the cruelty of the demon, who for his paltry gifts which he bestows on his own, demands such precious, calamitous and destructive victims for himself. The same thing is experienced today by witches, indeed by all sinners, who for the sake of base pleasure sell their soul to the devil for eternal torments.
The Piety of Constantine Hear on the other hand the piety and benevolence of Constantine the Emperor, who, struck with leprosy, when by the counsel of certain men he was to be washed in the blood of little children, hearing the mothers wailing, and having learned the cause of such great mourning, weeping said: "The dignity and greatness of the Roman empire has true piety as its fountain and root. That therefore I may show myself to have proceeded from it, I prefer my health to the lives of innocent children." Thus Nicephorus, book VII of the Histories, chapter XXXIV. Hence God repaid him with health through baptism, and such glory and splendor of empire.
The Tropological Sense: Giving Seed to Moloch Tropologically, they give their seed to Moloch, who do some good work for the sake of acquiring vain praise, or earthly honor, as Radulphus says. Far more truly do they give their seed to Moloch, who devote their children to the demon, who educate them in heresy, in lusts, in robberies and other sins. But to whom? To Moloch, that is, to the most cruel king, the greatest tyrant, namely the devil. "It is unjust," says St. Gregory, "to serve the devil, who is appeased by no obedience." And St. Augustine, in sermon 4: "What," he says, "is more depraved? what more malignant? and what more hostile to our adversary? who set war in heaven, fraud in paradise, hatred among the first brothers, and sowed tares in all our work. For in eating he placed gluttony, in generation lust, in exercise sloth, in conversation envy, in governance avarice, in correction anger, in the office or dominion of ruling pride. In the heart he placed evil thoughts, in the mouth false speech, in the members wicked deeds: in waking he moves to wicked works, in sleeping to foul dreams. He moves the joyful to dissolution, but the sad to desperation. But to speak more briefly, all the evils of the world are committed by his depravity." Hence comes the fire of concupiscence, by which this Moloch here burns his own, that he may burn them with him in the fire of hell. Nor shalt thou pollute the name of thy God. — For this would be a disgrace to me and to my name, if, abandoning me, or in injury to me, thou shouldst worship idols, and especially Moloch with so infamous a worship.
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22. Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind, — which is sodomy, which is an abomination of nature and grace.
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23. Thou shalt not copulate with any beast, — that is to say, Thou shalt not copulate with any beast. Note: "any" is not the same as "no," even according to the rules of equipollence among our Dialecticians. It is otherwise with "not any": for this among Dialecticians is the same as "some not"; among the Hebrews however it is often the same as "no." Whence it follows:
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24. Nor shall ye be polluted in all these, — that is, in none of them shall ye be polluted.
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25. By which the land is polluted. — Hence learn that vices, especially enormous ones, are so horrible and foul, that they not only pollute the sinners themselves, but also sprinkle the land in which they dwell with this infamy, so that it itself is called wicked and polluted by its most wicked inhabitants. Whose (namely of the land, that is of those, namely dwelling in this land) I will visit the iniquities, — that is I will punish; it is a metonymy. For the land, which was taken properly immediately before, is here taken metonymically for the inhabitants of the land. Thus St. Augustine, Question LVIII.
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26. Both native and sojourner. — "Sojourner" is called here the inhabitant, who has passed over into the colony and law of the Hebrews and among them "sojourns," that is dwells.
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28. Beware therefore lest you also be vomited out in like manner, when you shall have done the same things, as he vomited out the nation that was before you. — Note on "vomited out," that is to say: When God expelled the Canaanites from their land through the Hebrews, even the land itself, as it were rejoicing and approving, neither retaining but dismissing them, in a certain manner cast them out. He speaks of the future as of the past prophetically: "vomited out," that is, certainly and shortly will vomit out. Again there is here a Hebrew metaphor, by which to greater emphasis, life and action of an animal is attributed to an inanimate thing. By a similar trope the earth is said to groan, to cry out, to be angry and to seek vengeance, as: "The water of the sea shall grow hot against them (the reprobate)," Wisdom, cap. V. "Every creature groaneth and travaileth in pain, even until now," Rom. VIII. For by this trope Scripture wishes to signify the enormity of crimes, namely that the very irrational creatures, always obedient to their Creator and fighting for him, detest such sinners, and the earth as it were vomits them out, when they are expelled from it: they detest them, I say, with a detestation and natural appetite, by which they are borne toward their own order, and that of the whole universe, and the fulfillment of God's will, and they turn away from those things which are contrary to these: the same would the creatures do with rational appetite, if they had it. The crimes therefore of the Canaanites were the cause why they themselves were driven from their possession by the Hebrews. Where note that these crimes of the Canaanites were adulteries, idolatries, sodomies, bestialities, etc., concerning which vers. 20 and seq., rather than marriages with nieces, relations by marriage and kinsmen, recounted above; because these by the law of nature were not invalid, but only had a certain indecency and shamelessness, on account of which they appear to have been only venial sins: that they are now mortal, and that they invalidate marriage, this they have from positive human law. Thus Cajetan, Bellarmine and Sanchez, tom. II De Matrim. lib. VII, Quaest. LII. For this expulsion of the Canaanites, St. Augustine also gives another cause, serm. 105 De Temp., and Epiphanius, lib. II Contra Haeres. cap. LXVI, and Andrew Masius in Joshua I, namely that Canaan in the division of the world fell to Shem and his posterity; but that the Shemites expelled the Canaanites, the descendants of Ham, by force from there, and therefore by right from God it was restored to the Hebrews, descendants of Shem, the argument of this matter being that Melchizedek, who was either Shem, or born from Shem, dwelt in Canaan. [But that Canaan in the allotment of the world fell to the Canaanites, not to the Shemites, is shown cap. IX and X of Genesis. Again, that Melchizedek was not Shem, or a Shemite, but rather descended from Ham and Canaan, is shown Genesis XIV.]
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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Egypti, in qua habitastis, non facietis; et iuxta morem regionis Chanaan, ad quam ego tntroducturus sum vos, non agetis , nec in legitimis eorum ambulabitis ». Quae generaliorl nomine prares wy, eadem mox modo npn /egitima usu recepta, modo a'z2v3 iudicia auctoritate aliqua constituta vocantur. v. & « Facietis » vero « iudicia mea, et praecepta. mea. servabitis, et ambwlabitis in. eis. Ego Dominus Deus vester ».
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v. 5 « Custodite leges meas atque iudicia, quae faciens homo vivet in. eis » (ef. Ez. 20,11). Verba etiam citant Rom. 10,5 et Gal. 3,12 ad demonstrandum, legem praestitisse bona vitae temporalis, dum gratia praestet bona vitae aeternae. Expressio opponitur alteri 17,1^ zntertbit, et similibus. « Ego Dominus ». Lex datur v;ris, non enim mulier virum subigit, sed mulierem vir. Prohibet ea immediate copulam , ergo non solam permanentem unio - nem attentatam , sed vel unicum incestuosum, adulterinum , imo v. 19 cum propria uxore intempestivum coitum. Similiter, quod cap. 90 : punitur, non est solummodo eiusmodi matrimonium attentatum, sed copula. Tamen legis Lev. 18 finis primarius utique est inhibere consanguineorum et affinium coniugia : quae efficacissime inhibebantur ipsa prosceripta copula. | Lex, qualis ante Moysen viguerat, non videtur prohibuisse alientgenarwn coniugia. E Gen. 25,3; 26,34; 28,1 sq. non efficitur patriarcharum aevo eiusmodi coniugia fuisse stricte prohibita, sed solum habita esse minus honesta. Verum adscripto v. 21 Moyses praecedentia omnia (v. 6-20) ad mulieres Hebraeas limitavit, coitum cum alienigena absolute inhibens. Quem versum Moysi attribuimus, cum ob expressionem familiarem « non pollues nomen Dei tui », et alteram expressionem in prioribus nequaquam adhibitam « de semine tuo non dabis transmittendum », tum ideo quod eiusmodi stricta prohibitio ante Moysen certe non fuerit, inde a Moyse certe viguerit, ergo supponenda sit a Moyse esse invecta. Ceterum adverte, alienigenam ritibus Hebraeorum accedentem eo ipso factam esse Hebraeam eique aditum patuisse ad hebraeum torum. V. 21 confodit matrimonia mixta. Etiam v. 18-290 recentiores esse videntur quam v. 8-17, qui impedimenta . permanentia recensent et voce n'y singuli ordiuntur, dum v. 18-20 de impedimentis agunt temporaneis. Nota, Iacobo fas adhue (v. 18) fuisse duabus simul sororibus uti uxoribus. Tamen v. 18-20 ab ipso Moyse esse adiecta, affirmare non ausim; potuere haec esse illo paulo antiquiora. Appendiculae rationem habent v. 22 sq., quae etiam collector inserto v. 21 a praecedentibus distinxit. Primum adseripsisse vix credo, cum etiam poenas 20,13. 15 crediderim collectore esse antiquiores. Sodomia et bestialitas sane nullo non tempore gravissima habebantur scelera. | &. Copulae vetitae ob rationes permanentes Lev. 18,6-17. Arg. — Praemittur regula generalis v. 6, legis materiam distincte enuntians, voce item usa n", quae porro initio singulorum v. 1-17 versuum repetitur. Proscribuntur primum copulae eorum, qui unam aequiparatur uxor patris quaelibet v. 8; [filia et] neptis v. 10) etsororis sensu latiore acceptae v. 9. 11; dein aliorum quorumdam, sc. amitae v. 12 sq., patrui uxoris v. 1^, nurus v. 15, fratriae v. 16, filiae vel neptis quas ex alio patre genuit uxor v. 17.
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v. 6 « Omnis homo » — Hebr. vir — « ad proximam sanguinis sui non accedet , ut revelet turpitudinem eius. Ego Dominus ». Ex 95,49 efficitur, v2 »Nv designare hominis propinquos et, quod ib. adscripto 3nn2w»* significatio ad consanguineos restringatur, suggerit sine eo addito vocem tam consanguineos quam affines designare. An *^Nv Prov. 5,11; Ps. 72 (13), 26; ''1 (18), 20. 91; ler. 51,35 reapse vertendum sit tandem ex Adamo nati essent una caro, sed lege nostra positiva intra certos limites restringitur. Mera item propinquitas habetur quoad amitam patrui uxorem, nurum, iratriam uxorisque filiam et neptem ex alio patre prognatas (v. 12-17). Hae leges, quatenus magna ex parte sunt juris naturalis, in stirpe electa debuere esse perantiquae. Pere eosdem gradus vetitos observavere Arabes, teste Corano Sur. IV. 26 sq. : matrem patrisque uxorem quamlibet, filiam, sororem, amitam, fratris sororisve filiam, uxoris matrem, privignam, nurum, duas simul sorores, viro libero iam coniugatam; addunt vero nutricem et collactaneam. :
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v. 8 « Turpitudinem uxoris patris tui non discooperies », ne mortuo quidem patre, eo quippe superstite ea copula lam esset prohibita qua adulterium (cf. Gen. 35,22; 49,8). Dubitat Kn., utrum "y2N nvN intelligatur latius an pressius, includatve concubinas, quarum erat quidem verum matrimonium. Nihil efficitur e 3 Reg. 2,17, cum Abisag et Da- v. T-17 TW : hac voce singula vetita incipiunt. casus particulares v. 7-17; v. 18-20 singuli incipiunt a VN (s). (8. ob rationes temporaneas v. 18-21.) Septem binarii legum, quorum (res formula | EIDV | et quatuor formula ES clauduntur. RENS Formula dividens utramque seriem : | Custodite etc. b. Legum series posterior Lev. 19,19-30. Septem ordines legum, quorum quatuor formula | EIDV | et (res formula | EI | clauduntur. 1 LLL v. 2 3n p 5er? 232 VON VUN (x. poena coitus cum ethnica v. 1-5;) v. 5 delebo eum (ef. 17,9. 10.14. 16) v. 6 UN v53 (8. poena consulentium magos v. 6.) v. 6. delebo eum Formula deeretorum ordines distinguens v. 7 sq. : | Sancti estote etc, — EIDV — Custodite etc. — EI qui sanctifico vos E CRDMULIEPDGEREC T ENIM DX CD CIO ow ur cn b. Poenae attentantium coniugia illicita v. 9-26 : v. 9 qUN V^N VN *2 «. poena capilis v. 9-16, v. 10-16 qUN(n)U*N" septies Q. poena illegitimae prolis v. 17-21. Epilogus v. 22-26 : | Custodile etc. — Ne faciatis etc. —- EIDV qui separavi vos etc. — Sancti estote etc. — EIDV qui separavi vos. v. 27 *5 nÜN "IN. UNI [Appendicula de habentibus pythonem v. 27] b. Statuta de irregularitatibus permanentibus v. 16-24 : 17 39x Bro qywo ww regula generalis v. 17 sq., . 18-21 YN VN (53) ter irregularitates particulares v. 18-23. v. 23 EI qui sanctifico eos. regula generalis v. 2, v. 2 sanctificati sunt mihi : EI. v. 3 nUN vw 52 irregularitates particulares v. 3-8. : VOS: [casus particulares v. 10-16.] | v. 16 EI qui sanctifico eos. | ÜIRV! 19,8 30. "K. 0V De dei CY] vidis matrimonium non fuerit consummatum ; nihil e 2 Reg. 16,21 sq., Absalomi quippe cum concubinis patris superstitis coitus iustum erat adulterium. Dices, rationem « furpitudo enim patris tui est » aeque valere quoad concubinas. Tamen haec non sunt definienda a priori, sed ex ipsis legis verbis : sic incestum non committit, qui fornicatur cum ea, quacum pater fornicabatur, licet fornicatione etiam fiant fornicarli una caro (1 Cor. 6,16). Quaerunt, cur non explicite proscribantur mupliae patris cum filia. Eae omnino excluduntur eo, quod in tota hac materia tamquam evidens praesupponitur, axiomate turpitudinem patris non esse revelandam. Quod axioma non praesupponitur solum, sed v. 7 diserte enuntiatur illis verbis Turpitudinem patris tui. — Erat autem tam evidens. apud Hebraeos illud axioma, imo tam alienum vel ab Aegyptiorum « consuetudine » et Chananaeorum « moribus » (v. 3), ut illud ipsum non esset h. 1. enucleatius proponendum, sed eius solummodo remotiores quoad personas patri propinquas sequelae evolvendae. Non est, cur versum aliquem exoeidisse (Dillm.) supponamus. |
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v. 9 « Turpitudinem sororis tuae ex patre sive ez matre, quae domi vel foris genita est, non revelabis ». Prohibetur coniugium cum sorore etiam ex eodem patre et eadem matre nata non solum a fortiori (Aug.), sed ipso textu, quo eiusmodi soror convincitur duplici subesse impedimento. Proxime utique prohibetur coniugium cum sorore ex alterutro parente nata. Licet aliassoror dicatur non ea tantum quae immediate, sed etiam quae mediate ex eodem parente nata est, ergo sororis vel fratris filia, tamen vox in huiusmodi lege striete est accipienda. Ipse Abraham fratris filiam duxerat (Gen. 20,12; cf. 11,29). Verba quae dom vel foris genita est eum solis verbis sive ex matre coniunxit Syr., explicans . genitam ez patre tuo aut ex alio viro, sive ante nuptias cum patre initas, sive adulterio in coniugio, sive patre vita functo. Sed melius Vulg. Targ. iungunt voci sororis, ut praeter sorores modo recensitas ex eadem matre natas includantur sorores ab eodem patre procreatae sive iusto aliquo toro, sive fornieatione aut adulterio. Secundum quam interpretationem magis obviam magis etiam explicite prohibetur matrimonium cum sorore ex eodem patre et matre nata : cf. Ps. fon. Porro domus censetur esse, ubi pater : quare dom: natae censentur eae, quae a patre genitae sunt legitimo aliquo toro, a matre in huius . patris coniunglo ; foris, quae a matre extra vel praeter idem coniugium, .& patre fornicatione vel adulterio genitae sunt. v. 10 commercium cum nepte proscribit : « Turpitudinem filiae filii fui vel neptis ez filia non revelabis , quia turpitudo tua est ». Pari iure proscriptum censeri debet commercium nepotis cum avia, quod tamen ob disparem aetatem perrarum esse debuit.
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v. 441 « Turpitudinem filiae uxoris patris tui », quae uxor uti v. 8 tua mater non est, « quam peperit patri tuo et est soror tua, non revelabis ». Nonne id iam v. 9 prohibebatur? Adverte, alterum n52n 5 legisse LXX : Turpitudinem filiae uxoris patris tui non revelabis : genita patris tui, soror tua est, non revelabis turpitudinem etus. Similiter Syr. : Turpitudinem filiae wxoris patris tui, genttae patris tui, non revelabis etc. Praeferenda omnino lectio LXX : v. 11 se habet ad v. 9, uti v. 8 ad v. 4. Declaratur eiusmodi puella esse, non natura quidem, sed iure et aestimatione patris filia et filii soror. Prohibetur amitae commercium.
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v. 12 « Turpitudinem sororis patris twi non discooperies : quia caro est patris tui ».
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v. 43 « Turpitudinem sororis matris tuae non revelabis, eo quod caro sit matris tuae ». Hebr. utroque versu ?Nv. Etiam patruus, 1. e. patris frater, sicut amita, est patris propinquus (Vulg. caro); hine
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v. 1& : « Turpitudtnem patrut tui non revelabis », quae verba, utiilla v. Y turpitudinem patris tut, non propter seipsa scribuntur, sed ut principium ad conclusionem inde derivandam : « nec accedes ad uxorem eius, quae tibi affinitate coniungitur ». Loco ultimi incisi Hebr. : patrui tui wxor est, ideoque eius turpitudo patrui turpitudo est.
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v. 15 « Turpitudinem nurus tuae non revelabis, quia uxor filii tui est », ideoque eius turpitudo filii turpitudo, « nec discooperies ignominiam etus ».
18:16
v. 5 « Turpitudinem patris tui et turpitudinem matris tuae non discooperies ». n dicit verenda non mulieris tantum, sed etiam viri (ef. Gen. 9,99). Turpitudinem discooperire euphemismus est pro sexuum commistione, et h. 1. intelligitur de commistione potissimum per mairimonium attentatum , secundarie item per fornicationem etc. Textum explicat Ps. Jon. : « Mulier non habeat rem cum patre suo, neque vir habeat rem cum matre sua ». Cui explicationi illud obest, quod secus in hae pericope (cf. dicenda ad v. 1^) agatur de revelanda turpiprimarie agitur, non mulier sumit virum, sed vir mulierem. Unde censuit Awg.1psam matris vocari etiam patris turpitudinem, quod coniugio ad patrem pertineat. At, licet utique Hebraei matris turpitudinem, habuerint patris propriam, id tamen h. l. exprimi non crediderim, obscuraretur sensus v. 7, non esset repetenda vox turpitudinem, sed dicendum 4Zurpitudinem patris tui et matris tuae. Verba turpitudinem patris tui absolute scribuntur, instar tituli cuiusdam pro v. 7 : Turpitudinem patris tui quod attinet, non discooperies turpitudinem matris tuae neque alius paternae uxoris. Prohibitionis rationem ad instar sequentium versuum hane exspectabis : quia turpitudo patris tui est. At in matre praesto est ratio longe efficacior : « mater tua est, non vevelabis turpitudinem eius ». Se., licet hae leges imprimis proficiscantur a reverentia patri debita, at non unice : maternam auctoritatem paternae auctoritatis esse vix non aequalem minime ignorant. Ideo h. l. et v. 13 prohibitionis ratio a matris dignitate petitur. Ad matrem proxime accedit uxor, quam sibi matre sive superstite sive demortua copulavit pater. Haec est noverca, non vero illa. v. 16 « Turpttudinem uxoris fratris tui non revelabis, quia turpitudo fratris tut est ». Cf. tamen, quae Deut. 95,5 sqq. de coniugio leviratus dicuntur. Non videtur prohibitum fuisse, ne vir duceret viduam avunculi, i. e. fratris matris, batur. Ex Num. 27,9 sqq. efficitur propinquitatem per feminas inductam habitam esse minus arctam ea, quae per viros inducebatur. Neque avunculus vetabatur ducere sororis fililam neque, uti videtur, patruus fratris filiam. Dices, si hoo fieret, fratris filiam revelaturam fuisse patrui turpitudinem, contra v. 14. Tamen illud de turpitudine unius ad alterum pertinente principium non erat indefinite et per quosvis gradus extendendum; minor praeterea indecentia erat in muliere fratris filia accedente ad patruum, qui fere parentis loco ei esset, quam in fratris filio ut marito dominante patrui viduae. Ergo, cum illud coniugii genus explicita lege non proscribatur, censeri debet fuisse licitum. — Leges hae directe pro viris feruntur, unde nepoti suo : tamen eiusmodi foedus et contra naturam erat, et quodammodo discooperiebat turpitudinem matris (v. 7). Ex v. 17 prohibebatur mulier nubere marito filiae. v. 47 « Turpitudinem wzroris tuae et filiae eius », genitae ab alio patre, « non revelabis; filtam filii eius et filiam filiae tllius » , item ab alio patre genitorum, « non sumes, ut reveles ignominiam etus ». Prohibentur nuptiae cum filia seu nepte priore matrimonio prognatis ei, qui matrem seu aviam habet vel habuit uxorem. Cum enim clausula adhuc illa vivente h. 1. non adscribatur, vetitum non. solvitur matris seu aviae morte. Plena vetiti ratio iam habetur v. 11, quod eiusmodi uxoris liberi lege habeantur tamquam posterioris mariti liberi. Hie altera adscribitur ratio : « quia caro illius sunt, [et talis coitus] incestus est ». n?NV , quia propinquitas matris suae sunt : sed sunt plus quam mere propinquae, sunt turpitudo eius. Praeterea magis h. l. quam v. 12 sq. debuit pro mero suffixo scribi ipsum nomen qnvN, quo perspiciatur, ad quod variorum in sententia nominum illud ^s referatur. LXX videntur legisse ^Nv, quod etiam contextus postulat. mma» (Theod. Céuux!) a. D23 cogitare, imprimis mala cogitare Prov. 30,32; Deut. I9319:*Ps. 36 (37),12. Hine Chald. etymon secutus consiliwm peccatorum , Syr. nefas, LXX &cí6qu«a. Lev. 19,29 praedicatur de prostitutione, Iob 31,11 de adulterio, Iud. 20,6 de foedissimo adulterio. Symm. u3coc, spurcitia.
18:18
v. 18 « Sororem uxoris tuae in pellicatum illius non accipies , nec revelabis turpitudinem eius adhuc illa vivente ». Vel obiter textum inspicienti patet, quam gratuito Protestantes Anglicani defendant, hoc textu vetari virum, quominus defunctae uxoris sororem ducat. Illud Deus fieri prohibet, quod fecerat Iacob patriarcha , infinitarum domi invidiarum causam. ratione affirmari possunt christiani hae lege teneri. Additamentum , quod LXX Deut. 27,23 soli habent : éxtxatápatog Ó xotu«ótucyoc pec Goss Yovatxoc &0ro0, secundum nostrum textum explicandum est atque limitandum. — Cum expressio vir ad fratrem suum saepe idem sonet atque alter ad alterum, per se expressio mulier ad sororem suam etiam sensum admittit una et altera mulier. Quem sensum sapienter reiecit Aug., cum eo polygamia vetaretur, quae certissime Iudaeis licita erat.
Arg. — Uxoris sororem ducere nefas, quamdiu vivit uxor; item coire cum muliere sanguiniflua, quamdiu durat fluxus; cum uxore proximi, quamdiu is superstes est; cum alienigena, quamdiu in sua superstitione perseverat.
18:19
v. 19 « Ad mulierem », sive uxor sit (cf. 15,91), sive non sit, « quae patitur menstrua » (cap. 19), « non accedes nec revelabis foeditatem evus ». Hebr. ad revelandam etc. : quippe haec una accedendi ratio haec lege proseribitur. v. 20 « Cum wzore proxima tui non coibis, nec seminis commistione maculaberis ». ! De n" y ef. quae diximus ad 6,2 (5,21). Vox popularem designat, quo tamen non permittitur adulterium cum uxore alienigenae. — Constructionem duriorem Syr. explicare studebat. vw "nav, ubi altera vox etiam ut infinitivus punotari posset, idem est atque 15,16 sq. y; n32WV, semem virile. Cf. Num. 31,17 327 32V, cui opponitur Lev. 18,22. nUN *a32w2. — Ut maculeris in ea rationem exprimit eiusmodi concubitus vitandi : spurcities est (cf. v. 23).
18:21
v. 91 « De semine tuo non dabis, ut consecretur [2dolo] Moloch, nec pollues nomen Dei tui. Ego Dominus ». Idem fusius 20,2 sqq. Probabilius verte : de semine tuo non emittes ad foecundandam adventitiam. xv. 90 prohibebatur coitus cum uxore popularis : eratne igitur fas alienigenarum uxoribus abuti? Nequaquam, nam ab alienigenarum, sive coniugatarum sive solutarum, concubitu hac lege interdicebantur Hebraei. batur, cum ob earum mulierum inconstantiam, tum maxime ob constans cum earum sissent, lapidationi locus erat. Aliarum alienigenarum coniugia minime prohibebantur, dummodo Hebraeorum sacris iungerentur (Ruth 1,4). Id omnino egisse crediderim filiam Pharaonis (3 Reg. 3,1; 2 Par. 8,11); neque rationem video affirmandi, id reliquas Salomonis uxores alienigenas non egisse, licet postea in idololatriam relapsae sint. At Lev. 18,21; 20,2 sqq. sub poena lapidationis prohibetur copula cum muliere alienigena in sua superstitione perseverante. Quod sceleris genus non poterat Iahve alio nisi extremo supplicio plectere.
18:22
v. 299 « Cum masculo non commiscearis coitu femineo », non concumbas concubitu femineo, qualis cum femina habetur, « quia abominatio est ».
18:23
293 « Cum omni pecore non coibis, nec maculaberis cum eo; mulier non. succumbet zumento , nec miscebitur ei, quia scelus est ». Cf. 20,16. Cum secus hae leges directe dentur v/7s, tamen hoc v. 23 mulieris peccatum effertur, quod in Aegypto et alibi et frequens esset et sacrum haberetur. Quaeres, cur formula Ego Iahve non extremo v. 23 et absoluta universa lege ad- Scribatur potius, quam extremo v. 21. Fortasse lex primitus sola peccata attingebat, Arg. — Is primum resumit argumentum v. 3, sed, omissis Aegyptiis, ostendit Chananaeorum impendentem ruinam ob luxuriae scelera 1mprimis infligendam. Repetit v. 26 exhortationem v. 5 « Custodite leges meas etc. » et, post rursum demonstrata Chananaeorum scelera et
18:24
v. 9& « Nec polluamini in. omnibus his », et additur ratio : quia in his, seu « quibus contaminatae sunt [universae] gentes, quos ego euciam ante conspectum vestrum ». Quibus sane vos decet esse meliores. Omitte « e£ quibus » initio
18:25
v. 25 : « Polluta est terra, cutus ego scelera visitabo , ut evomat habitatores suos ». En altera ratio eorum scelerum vitandorum, ne eandem incurrant poenam. Notat Bonfr., non ob omnes cap. 18 leges neglectas reprehendi h. 1. Chananaeos, eum aliquae iure naturae non obligarent, sed potissimum ob sodomiam et bestiaillicita erant. Ceterum fingi potest, vix non omnes has leges fuisse Moyse antiquiores et veterum patriarcharum auctoritate sancitas : eiusmodi quippe de propinquorum coniugiis leges vel ante diluvium inter homines debuere sanciri. v. 26 Vos autem « custodite legitima mea, atque iudicia » — omnia addit LXX - sed, quae immediate sequuntur, ostendunt verba referri tandem ad solas cap.
18:26
18 leges — « et non faciatis ex omnibus abominationibus istis, tam indigena quam colonus, qui peregrinantur apud vos ». Explicite porro statuitur, Hebraeos pro sceleribus similibus similes poenas esse laturos
18:27
v. 97 : « Omnes enim exsecrationes istas fecerunt accolae terrae, qui fuerunt ante vos , et polluerunt eam » :
18:28
v. 98 « cavete ergo , ne et vos similiter evomat , cum paria, feceritis , sicut evomuit gentem, quae f'uit ante vos ». Hebr. accipi potest per modum interrogationis. LXX xai tva uf. v. 99 Nam — alia pro v. 24. 26 aduücitur ratio — « omnis anima, quae fecerit de abominationibus his quidpiam , peribit de medio populi su? », Israelitarum iuribus privabitur, morte civili plectetur (cf. 47,8).
18:30
v. 30 « Custodite mandata mea. Nolite facere, quae fecerunt hi, qui fuerunt ante vos, et ne polluamini in eis. Ego Dominus Deus vester ». De eius structura dicebamus ante. Inter exordium v. 2 et clausulam v. 37 lex interiacet, v. 19 sententiola « Leges meas custodite » in duas pàrtes divisa. Ante quam (v. 2. &h. 10. 12. 14. 16. 18) et post quam (v. 25. 98. 30. 31. 32. 3^. 36) sententiolam septena leguntur « Ego Iahve ». — Dum in his deprehenditur insignis symmetria, duae partes v. 2-18 et v. 19-36 a symmetria nonnihil deficiunt. Et in priore quidem parte singulis « Ego Iahve » praemittuntur mandata 52na : 1) de parentibus et de sabbato, 2) deidolis et de sculptilibus, 3) de pacifieis et de quibusdam in messe et in vindemia observandis, 4) de improbitate et periurio, 5) de mercenariis et de caecis et surdis, 6) de iniquo iudicio etf de falso testimonio, 7) de odio interno et de ultione privata. In secunda parte non plane constat, quot sint. diversa mandata; at certe on respondent 5/na singulis « Ego Iahve » : 1) de disparatis, de adulterio cum serva commisso , de praeputio fructuum, 2) de superstitione, 3) de quaestu e prostitutione non quaerendo, de sanctuarii religione, 4) de magis et ariolis, 5) de senum reverentia, 6) de peregrinis fovendis, 7) de iustitia in pondere et mensura observanda. Aut primus auctor a perfecta partium symmetria defecit, aut secundae partis symmetria aliquando est turbata, aut priore primum parte plane symmetrice concinnata, aliquis alteram partem adnectens symmetriam illam tentavit quidem imitari, sed assecutus non est. Non uno aequali stilo mandata haec omnia sunt concinnata. Pleraque omnino coneinne ad instar mandatorum decalogi; sed alia liberiore calamo. Illa v. g. de pacificis v. 5-8 et de adulterio cum serva commisso v. 20-92 imitantur stilum aliarum legum ceremonialium. Cf. v. 9 sq. 23-25. 33 sq. Non, sicut in decalogo, unus auctor varia officia suis ipse verbis expressit, sed varias leges a variis profectas in unum collegit. Colligendi finis non erat (D//m.) omnia in brevissimam redigere formam, quo facilius memoriae mandarentur. Neque studiose omittuntur (Dz//m.), quae alibi in suo scripto iam dixerat ille collector, quin potius fere totus repetitur decalogus. Non proceditur a gravioribus ad leviora. Sed varia axiomata moralia, maiorum exemplo et praecepto consecrata, quaeque omnium ore circumferebautur, in unum colliguntur atque adscripta formula « Ego Iahve » divina auctoritate confirmantur. Penitius iam legum v. 19. 23-25 rationem perspicies. Quae si à Deo primum editae pronuntientur, nescio quid humile sapiunt Deoque parum dignum. Age, quid Dei interest, duobus bobus aret quis an bove et equo? Plana est res, si supponas antiquitus jam omnimodam, quae observari deberet, stirpis electae integritatem moribus v. 19 descriptis exprimi, v. 23-25 tamquam circumcisionis amplificationem aliquam observari consuevisse. Facile perspicitur, quomodo una cum circumcisione populique electi a reliquis populis segregatione lahve eos etiam mores comprobaverit. Perspicies item, adscribi, fortasse ab ipso praecedentium axiomatum collectore Moyse : sc. post priórem axiomatum seriem absolutam occurrere ei axiomata alia, quae item digna visa sunt, quae in album sacrum referrentur, quaeque ritu prioribus simili, sed non plane eodem fuere adiecta. Mandata cap. 19 recensita fere omnia sunt eiusmodi, quae debuere a Moyse non semel, sed Írequenter inculcari; pleraque iam antea in Ex. vel Lev. habuimus. « Omnia quidem, ut ita dicamus, Moyses legis capitula bis terque populo praecepit, frequenti traditione memoriam eorum auditoribus promulgans » (Hesych.). « An autem omnia sunt eodem ordine Moysi proposita, quo Moyses hie ea recitavit, non liquet » (Sylv.) , neque scire iuvat. caverent; hoc saepius in sequentibus appellabit principium. « Recte sanctificationem praeposuit, quia omnis virtutis est fundamentum. Su - peraedificat autem mandata super hoc fundamentum, extra quod nemo potest ponere aliquid » (Hesych.). Ego (Sylv.) « Dominus Deus vester » Agmen aperiunt compendio repetita illa duo decalogi mandata, quae non erant formae negativae (325, 722/; praemittiturque mandatum de reverentia parentum h. l. fortasse ideo, quod immediate praecedat caput coniugia et familias respiciens. Legem sabbati diximus a Moyse invectam , uti etiam probabilius v. ^ simulaerorum prohibitionem.
18:5
1. The Old Testament. - Traces of the solution are already contained in it. To escape from sin, first of all observance of the Law is necessary, recommended by God himself or by Moses and the Prophets in God's name (cf. Deut. 4:1 ff.; 6:4 ff.; 12:28 ff.; Lev. 18:5; Ezek. 18:5 ff.; cf. Tob. 12:9). At the same time, trust in the God who saves is required, as the Psalms especially inculcate, and above all faith in God and in the One whom God will …
18:6
Consanguinity (Lat. Consanguinitas; Greek Ὀμειμότης = Being of the Same Blood)
… vastness, both with regard to the mass of relatives (1 Tim. 5:8) and with regard to the sum of the rights and duties of consanguinity (Mt. 15:3-6). There are furthermore innumerable other statements and applications of particulars (cf., for example, Lev. 18:6 ff.).
18:7
… of mother with son, of son with the father's wife, of brother with the uterine or full sister, of grandfather with granddaughter, of nephew with the sister of the father or of the mother, because, as the law observes, it is a matter of the same flesh (Lev. 18:7-15). Among relatives by marriage there were forbidden the unions between nephew and the wife of the uncle, between father-in-law and daughter-in-law (ibid. 18:14-15). The penalties …
… In Leviticus marriages between blood relatives are forbidden, and in particular with one's own mother or with the father (Lev. 18:7), with the stepmother (ibid. 18:8; 20:11; cf. Deut. 22:30; 27:20), with the half-sister (Lev. 18:9; 20:17; cf. Deut. 27:22; II Sam. 13:1 ff.), with the paternal and maternal …
18:8
1. AFFINITY AS A MATRIMONIAL IMPEDIMENT. - It goes back to the Mosaic legislation (Lev. 18, 8.14-18; 20, 11-12.14. 19-21; Deut. 27, 20.33), which severely forbade marriages with the stepmother, with the stepdaughter, with the daughter of the latter or of the stepson, with the mother-in-law, …
… In Leviticus marriages between blood relatives are forbidden, and in particular with one's own mother or with the father (Lev. 18:7), with the stepmother (ibid. 18:8; 20:11; cf. Deut. 22:30; 27:20), with the half-sister (Lev. 18:9; 20:17; cf. Deut. 27:22; II Sam. 13:1 ff.), with the paternal and maternal aunt (Lev. 18:12 f.; 20:19), with …
18:9
… In Leviticus marriages between blood relatives are forbidden, and in particular with one's own mother or with the father (Lev. 18:7), with the stepmother (ibid. 18:8; 20:11; cf. Deut. 22:30; 27:20), with the half-sister (Lev. 18:9; 20:17; cf. Deut. 27:22; II Sam. 13:1 ff.), with the paternal and maternal aunt (Lev. 18:12 f.; 20:19), with the daughter-in-law (ibid. 18:15), with the sister-in-law (ibid. …
18:12
… particular with one's own mother or with the father (Lev. 18:7), with the stepmother (ibid. 18:8; 20:11; cf. Deut. 22:30; 27:20), with the half-sister (Lev. 18:9; 20:17; cf. Deut. 27:22; II Sam. 13:1 ff.), with the paternal and maternal aunt (Lev. 18:12 f.; 20:19), with the daughter-in-law (ibid. 18:15), with the sister-in-law (ibid. 18:16; 20:21), with the stepdaughter (ibid. 18:17), with the daughter of one's own son or of one's …
18:14
… father or of the mother, because, as the law observes, it is a matter of the same flesh (Lev. 18:7-15). Among relatives by marriage there were forbidden the unions between nephew and the wife of the uncle, between father-in-law and daughter-in-law (ibid. 18:14-15). The penalties established against those guilty of incest were severe: thus whoever sinned with his stepmother, with his daughter-in-law, with his stepdaughter, with his full or uterine …
18:15
… (Lev. 18:7), with the stepmother (ibid. 18:8; 20:11; cf. Deut. 22:30; 27:20), with the half-sister (Lev. 18:9; 20:17; cf. Deut. 27:22; II Sam. 13:1 ff.), with the paternal and maternal aunt (Lev. 18:12 f.; 20:19), with the daughter-in-law (ibid. 18:15), with the sister-in-law (ibid. 18:16; 20:21), with the stepdaughter (ibid. 18:17), with the daughter of one's own son or of one's wife (ibid. 18:17) and with the mother-in-law …
18:16
… 18:8; 20:11; cf. Deut. 22:30; 27:20), with the half-sister (Lev. 18:9; 20:17; cf. Deut. 27:22; II Sam. 13:1 ff.), with the paternal and maternal aunt (Lev. 18:12 f.; 20:19), with the daughter-in-law (ibid. 18:15), with the sister-in-law (ibid. 18:16; 20:21), with the stepdaughter (ibid. 18:17), with the daughter of one's own son or of one's wife (ibid. 18:17) and with the mother-in-law (ibid. 20:14). The law against marriage …
18:17
… the half-sister (Lev. 18:9; 20:17; cf. Deut. 27:22; II Sam. 13:1 ff.), with the paternal and maternal aunt (Lev. 18:12 f.; 20:19), with the daughter-in-law (ibid. 18:15), with the sister-in-law (ibid. 18:16; 20:21), with the stepdaughter (ibid. 18:17), with the daughter of one's own son or of one's wife (ibid. 18:17) and with the mother-in-law (ibid. 20:14). The law against marriage between brothers-in-law had an exception …
18:18
… pretext that it was not the custom in the country to marry off the younger sister before the elder (Gen. 29:22-26). Jacob accepted her but after a week also obtained the hand of Rachel, by the license then in force (later abolished by Mosaic law, cf. Lev. 18:18), of marrying the sister of the first wife.
… An evolution is also noted in the practice of marrying two sisters, as Jacob did; in Lev. 18:18 simultaneous union with such persons is forbidden. …
18:20
… In the Mosaic law very severe penalties are sanctioned against adulterers, particularly when the woman is guilty (cf. Gen. 39:7-20; Ex. 20:14, 17; Lev. 18:20; 20:10; Deut. 22:22; II Sam. 11:2 ff.; Jer. 5:8 ff.; Ex. 23:20; Hos. 4:2). It is the severity found in other Semitic legislations (cf. code of Hammurabi, § 129; Hittite and …
18:21
… 18:21; 20:2-5; 1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings 23:10; Jer. 32:35); they were slaughtered (Ezek. 16:21) and then placed on a grill (tōpheth) to burn, according to the typical Hebrew expression: ha-ābhīr... bā'ēl lam-mōlekh (2 Kings 23:10) or ha-ābhīr lam-mōlekh (Lev. 18:21; Jer. 32:35) or even without the name of the god M., which is implied (Deut. 18:10; 2 Kings 16:3; 17:17; 21:6; Jer. 7:31; 19:5; Ezek. 16:21; 20:26, 31; 23:37; etc.).
… In the Bible itself mention is made of various sacrifices outside the chosen people (the Midianite Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, Ex. 18:20; Balaam, Num. 23:1, 13; Job, Job 1:7; 42:8) not to speak of the sacrifices in use among the Canaanite peoples (Lev. 18:21; 20:25). Accordingly Moses regulated and consecrated to the worship of the true God a ceremonial already practiced, purifying it of superstitious forms. …
18:24
This is the non-exclusive but prevalent sense in the Bible of ἐθνικός (as a noun): Mt. 5:47; 6:7; 13:17; as a plural it is synonymous with τὰ ἐθνή, which in the Septuagint translates the Hebrew haggājim (Ex. 34:24; Lev. 18:24, etc.; Is. 9:1), cf. Mt. 4:15; 6:32 and passim; in opposition to the Jews: Rom. 3:39; 9:24, etc.; Lk. 2:32; Acts 26:17, 23.
GOJIM. - Hebrew term: the "nations," the "peoples" (Gen. 10:5, 20; 17:4; etc.), often used in a pejorative sense, in that "the nations" are enemies of Israel, which is usually called 'am "people." The g. are often stigmatized by the Bible as idolaters and immoral (Ex. 34:24; Lev. 18:24; etc.; v. ETNICO).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.