Leviticus 18:22 & 20:13
Probably the most used scriptures to bash homosexuals are Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13. But are these
scriptures really against gays? Let’s look at them:
Leviticus 18:22: “You shall not lie with a man, as with a woman: it is an abomination.”
Leviticus 20:13: “If a man also lies with a man, as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed
an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”
Now, I could understand if they just said “You shall not lie with another man,” and that was it. But it
also ways “AS WITH A WOMAN.” Turns out, these four words are very important to understanding
what this is really about. Leviticus, being a part of the “Holiness Code,” was used to distinguish the
Israelite and pagan cultures so that the Israelites were protected from abusive and immoral cultic
practices.
Here we go again! It turns out that these two verses in Leviticus are about the same issues that we
just learned about in Romans: idolatry and pagan sex worship. In other words, these verses are
speaking of heterosexual men giving up their natural affections for ones that are unnatural to them
by sexually abusing other men.
Once again, ladies and gentlemen, we have more scriptures in the bible that have been used against
gays, but are actually targeted at heterosexuals.
If you’re still struggling to accept that this is all about keeping the Israelites from committing pagan
rituals, here’s an overlooked bit of info that can help emphasize this point. A very popular false god
in the Bible was one called Molech. And used a set of rules in Leviticus to try to make sure His people
did not follow the customs of the pagans who worshiped Molech. With that said, Leviticus 18 can be
broken down into 4 essential sections for better understand. Here they are:
Section 1
(Leviticus 18:1-5)
God’s introduction and warning to Israel.
Here, God tells Moses to deliver a message to the Israelites. The three main points of this message are:
1. Remember that I am your one and only true God.
2. I have a certain way of living that you must follow.
3. You must not live the way people of foreign lands do.
Section 2
(Leviticus 18:6-20)
Laws against sex acts with relatives.
These verses in the message speak out against having sex with your own relatives and the relatives of
your spouse (in-laws).
Section 3
(Leviticus 18:21-24)
Laws against Molech worship.
These verses in the message speak out specifically against acts performed during the worship of the
false god Molech.
Section 4
(Leviticus 18:25-30)
God warns against abominations and defilements.
Here, God re-warns us of the ways and abominations of the foreigners. He also explains and
emphasizes how defiling yourself and your land will cause you to be driven out of that very land.
Yes, it’s really that simple.
Also, if it’s still hard to believe that these verses in Leviticus are not about God speaking out against
loving, committed gay relations, but actually about unnatural and unwanted sex between straight
males brought on by pagan worship, here is some interesting information.
The word “lie” and other variations of it (such as lied, lien, lieth, liers, lies, and liest) are found
numerous times throughout the Bible. And “lie” does not always mean the same thing every time
you read it. It can mean anything from “lie down,” to “lie with,” to “tell a lie.” It is usually simple to
read a verse that includes the word “lie” and tell the context that it is being used in. However, in the
case of Leviticus 20:13, it is much more revealing to see the true intent of “lie” if we backtrack and
see what original Hebrew word was used in it’s place. But first, let’s look at some of the Hebrew
words that “lie” is translated from.
The word “lie” in Deuteronomy 25:2 is translated from the word “naphal.” Naphal means things
such as: to fall, to cast down, to divide, to overthrow, to lie down, to cease, and to die. So we can see
that when the word “naphal” is used in scripture, it probably means to lie down, to be put down
(more than likely by force), or to die. And that’s exactly what we see:
Deuteronomy 25:2 says: “…then it shall be, if the wicked man deserves to be beaten, that the judge
will cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence, according to his guilt, with a certain
number of blows.”
Sure enough, in this verse, the phrase “cause him to lie down” shows that the naphal’s “lie” is in the
context of putting down by force.
Now this is where things get more complex and interesting. There is a variety of words used to
represent “lie” in the context of telling a lie or making a lie. These words include kachash, kazab,
akzab, shaqar, and sheqer. “Lie,” in 1 Kings 13:18, comes from “kachash,” which means things like:
to lie, to deceive, to be untrue, to deal falsely, and to disappoint. “Lie,” in Proverbs 14:5, comes from
“kazab,” which means things such as: to lie, to deceive, to fail, to be in vain. “Lie,” in Micah 1:14,
comes from “akzab,” which means: a lie, a liar, a falsehood, a treachery. “Lie,” in Leviticus 19:11,
comes from “shaqar,” and means: to lie, to be untrue, to fail, to deal falsely, to cheat. “Lie,” in
Jeremiah 29:31, comes from “sheqer,” meaning: a lie, an untruth, a falsehood, a sham.
As you can see, these Hebrew words all have to do with making a lie. But each individual word
seems to have some kind of emphasis on a specific type of lying. Whether it is speaking a lie, doing
something to deceive, to cheat, etc. This is exactly how it works when it comes to the word “lie” in
the context of sex. It may usually mean some type of consensual, voluntary sex. But “lie” can also
mean sex by force.
It’s time to get down to the meat of things.
Leviticus 18:23 says: “Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall
any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.”
In this verse, we see that “lie” is used twice. And there are two sections about sex in this verse. The
first part says, “Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith.” This shows the act
of wanted sex with an animal. The Hebrew word that “lie” is translated from in this section is
“shekobeth,” which means things like: a sexual lying with, copulation.
The second section says, “neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto.” This
shows the act of placing ones self into a sexual position in a way that coaxes an animal into a sex
act. And the Hebrew word that “lie” is translated from in this section is perfect for this particular
scenario. The word is “raba,” which means: to squat or lie out flat in copulation, to lie down.
Notice how getting a better understanding of the original language helps shed so much more light
on what is really being said that when we simply say “lie.“ Also, notice how this verse uses Hebrew
words for “lie” that mean some kind of consensual sex. Not forceful sex.
Now let’s finally go back to Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13.
Leviticus 18:22, again, says: “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is
abomination.” The word “lie” in this verse comes from the Hebrew word “shakab.” It means things
such as: to lie down, to rest, to sleep, to die, to have sex, to have sex by force or by deceptive
coercion. So now we finally see a word that can not only mean sex, but also a forced or undesired
sex as well. And this would further prove the point that this verse is speaking on male shrine
prostitution of pagans and not true homosexuality. But can we be sure? Let’s look back at Leviticus
20:13.
Leviticus 20:13 says: “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have
committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”
This verse is very similar to 18:22. But here, we see the same scenario we saw in Leviticus 18:23
earlier: the word lie (and/or lieth) used more than once in a verse. So the question now is, what
Hebrew words were being used? Was the same Hebrew word being used throughout this verse, or
was there two different words uses?
“Lie” in the section that says, “If a man also lie with mankind,” comes from the Hebrew word we
just discussed: “shakab.” Remember, this word can mean either consensual or non-consensual sex.
“Lieth” in the section that says, “as he lieth with a woman,” comes from a different Hebrew word. It
comes from the word “mishkab.” It means: a bed, a couch, a place to lie, the act of lying with, carnal
intercourse. So this section is speaking of wanted, consensual sexual relations.
As we can see, the “lie” and “lieth” come from different Hebrew words and are used in different
contexts. Otherwise, there would be no point in using these two different words. Here, the Hebrew
word “mishkab” could have been easily used both times. But because the section that said “If a man
also lie with mankind” is about male prostitution rape and deceptive coercion and not loving,
consensual sex between two males, it was crucial that “shakab” was used. Therefore, this Leviticus
18:22 would be better translated as, “A man should not rape or force sex upon another man just as
a woman submits to sex with him.”
scriptures really against gays? Let’s look at them:
Leviticus 18:22: “You shall not lie with a man, as with a woman: it is an abomination.”
Leviticus 20:13: “If a man also lies with a man, as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed
an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”
Now, I could understand if they just said “You shall not lie with another man,” and that was it. But it
also ways “AS WITH A WOMAN.” Turns out, these four words are very important to understanding
what this is really about. Leviticus, being a part of the “Holiness Code,” was used to distinguish the
Israelite and pagan cultures so that the Israelites were protected from abusive and immoral cultic
practices.
Here we go again! It turns out that these two verses in Leviticus are about the same issues that we
just learned about in Romans: idolatry and pagan sex worship. In other words, these verses are
speaking of heterosexual men giving up their natural affections for ones that are unnatural to them
by sexually abusing other men.
Once again, ladies and gentlemen, we have more scriptures in the bible that have been used against
gays, but are actually targeted at heterosexuals.
If you’re still struggling to accept that this is all about keeping the Israelites from committing pagan
rituals, here’s an overlooked bit of info that can help emphasize this point. A very popular false god
in the Bible was one called Molech. And used a set of rules in Leviticus to try to make sure His people
did not follow the customs of the pagans who worshiped Molech. With that said, Leviticus 18 can be
broken down into 4 essential sections for better understand. Here they are:
Section 1
(Leviticus 18:1-5)
God’s introduction and warning to Israel.
Here, God tells Moses to deliver a message to the Israelites. The three main points of this message are:
1. Remember that I am your one and only true God.
2. I have a certain way of living that you must follow.
3. You must not live the way people of foreign lands do.
Section 2
(Leviticus 18:6-20)
Laws against sex acts with relatives.
These verses in the message speak out against having sex with your own relatives and the relatives of
your spouse (in-laws).
Section 3
(Leviticus 18:21-24)
Laws against Molech worship.
These verses in the message speak out specifically against acts performed during the worship of the
false god Molech.
Section 4
(Leviticus 18:25-30)
God warns against abominations and defilements.
Here, God re-warns us of the ways and abominations of the foreigners. He also explains and
emphasizes how defiling yourself and your land will cause you to be driven out of that very land.
Yes, it’s really that simple.
Also, if it’s still hard to believe that these verses in Leviticus are not about God speaking out against
loving, committed gay relations, but actually about unnatural and unwanted sex between straight
males brought on by pagan worship, here is some interesting information.
The word “lie” and other variations of it (such as lied, lien, lieth, liers, lies, and liest) are found
numerous times throughout the Bible. And “lie” does not always mean the same thing every time
you read it. It can mean anything from “lie down,” to “lie with,” to “tell a lie.” It is usually simple to
read a verse that includes the word “lie” and tell the context that it is being used in. However, in the
case of Leviticus 20:13, it is much more revealing to see the true intent of “lie” if we backtrack and
see what original Hebrew word was used in it’s place. But first, let’s look at some of the Hebrew
words that “lie” is translated from.
The word “lie” in Deuteronomy 25:2 is translated from the word “naphal.” Naphal means things
such as: to fall, to cast down, to divide, to overthrow, to lie down, to cease, and to die. So we can see
that when the word “naphal” is used in scripture, it probably means to lie down, to be put down
(more than likely by force), or to die. And that’s exactly what we see:
Deuteronomy 25:2 says: “…then it shall be, if the wicked man deserves to be beaten, that the judge
will cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence, according to his guilt, with a certain
number of blows.”
Sure enough, in this verse, the phrase “cause him to lie down” shows that the naphal’s “lie” is in the
context of putting down by force.
Now this is where things get more complex and interesting. There is a variety of words used to
represent “lie” in the context of telling a lie or making a lie. These words include kachash, kazab,
akzab, shaqar, and sheqer. “Lie,” in 1 Kings 13:18, comes from “kachash,” which means things like:
to lie, to deceive, to be untrue, to deal falsely, and to disappoint. “Lie,” in Proverbs 14:5, comes from
“kazab,” which means things such as: to lie, to deceive, to fail, to be in vain. “Lie,” in Micah 1:14,
comes from “akzab,” which means: a lie, a liar, a falsehood, a treachery. “Lie,” in Leviticus 19:11,
comes from “shaqar,” and means: to lie, to be untrue, to fail, to deal falsely, to cheat. “Lie,” in
Jeremiah 29:31, comes from “sheqer,” meaning: a lie, an untruth, a falsehood, a sham.
As you can see, these Hebrew words all have to do with making a lie. But each individual word
seems to have some kind of emphasis on a specific type of lying. Whether it is speaking a lie, doing
something to deceive, to cheat, etc. This is exactly how it works when it comes to the word “lie” in
the context of sex. It may usually mean some type of consensual, voluntary sex. But “lie” can also
mean sex by force.
It’s time to get down to the meat of things.
Leviticus 18:23 says: “Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall
any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.”
In this verse, we see that “lie” is used twice. And there are two sections about sex in this verse. The
first part says, “Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith.” This shows the act
of wanted sex with an animal. The Hebrew word that “lie” is translated from in this section is
“shekobeth,” which means things like: a sexual lying with, copulation.
The second section says, “neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto.” This
shows the act of placing ones self into a sexual position in a way that coaxes an animal into a sex
act. And the Hebrew word that “lie” is translated from in this section is perfect for this particular
scenario. The word is “raba,” which means: to squat or lie out flat in copulation, to lie down.
Notice how getting a better understanding of the original language helps shed so much more light
on what is really being said that when we simply say “lie.“ Also, notice how this verse uses Hebrew
words for “lie” that mean some kind of consensual sex. Not forceful sex.
Now let’s finally go back to Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13.
Leviticus 18:22, again, says: “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is
abomination.” The word “lie” in this verse comes from the Hebrew word “shakab.” It means things
such as: to lie down, to rest, to sleep, to die, to have sex, to have sex by force or by deceptive
coercion. So now we finally see a word that can not only mean sex, but also a forced or undesired
sex as well. And this would further prove the point that this verse is speaking on male shrine
prostitution of pagans and not true homosexuality. But can we be sure? Let’s look back at Leviticus
20:13.
Leviticus 20:13 says: “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have
committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”
This verse is very similar to 18:22. But here, we see the same scenario we saw in Leviticus 18:23
earlier: the word lie (and/or lieth) used more than once in a verse. So the question now is, what
Hebrew words were being used? Was the same Hebrew word being used throughout this verse, or
was there two different words uses?
“Lie” in the section that says, “If a man also lie with mankind,” comes from the Hebrew word we
just discussed: “shakab.” Remember, this word can mean either consensual or non-consensual sex.
“Lieth” in the section that says, “as he lieth with a woman,” comes from a different Hebrew word. It
comes from the word “mishkab.” It means: a bed, a couch, a place to lie, the act of lying with, carnal
intercourse. So this section is speaking of wanted, consensual sexual relations.
As we can see, the “lie” and “lieth” come from different Hebrew words and are used in different
contexts. Otherwise, there would be no point in using these two different words. Here, the Hebrew
word “mishkab” could have been easily used both times. But because the section that said “If a man
also lie with mankind” is about male prostitution rape and deceptive coercion and not loving,
consensual sex between two males, it was crucial that “shakab” was used. Therefore, this Leviticus
18:22 would be better translated as, “A man should not rape or force sex upon another man just as
a woman submits to sex with him.”