Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 18:20

Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbor’s wife, to defile thyself with her.

Verse 20. Thy neighbour’s wife] See Clarke on Ex 20:14.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Moreover, thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour’s wife,…. Which is adultery, and a breach of the seventh command,

Ex 20:14:

to defile thyself with her; not only adultery is a defiling a man’s wife, as it is sometimes called, but the adulterer defiles himself: all sin is of a defiling nature, but especially this, which defiles a man both in soul and body, and brings a blot and stain upon his character, which shall not be wiped off, Pr 6:32.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Verse 20:

This text forbids the sin of adultery, sexual relations between men and women not married to each other. This prohibition is included in the Seventh of the Ten Commandments. The penalty for violation: death by stoning, Le 20:10; De 22:22; Joh 9:5. Also, Solomon describes other consequences; the jealous rage of the husband whose wife is involved, Pr 6:34, 35; the dishonor and lasting reproach incurred by the adulterous pair, Pr 6:33; the danger of venereal disease, Pr 5:7-12; the remorse and shame of the guilty, even though his sin may not become generally known, Pr 5:12-14.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

The object of this passage is the same as that of the foregoing ones. For, whilst all fornication pollutes a man, there is grosser impurity in adultery, because the sanctity of marriage is violated, and by the commingling of seed a spurious and illegitimate offspring is derived. Wherefore, God has justly enumerated this crime amongst the abominations of the Gentiles, as may be more clearly seen from the exordium of the chapter from whence this passage is taken.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(20) Thy neighbours wife.For committing adultery, which is here branded as a defilement, whether with a betrothed or married woman, both guilty parties incurred the penalty of death by stoning. (See Lev. 20:10; Deu. 22:22; Eze. 16:38; Eze. 16:40; Joh. 8:5.) In Egypt the adulterer received a thousand strokes with a stick, and the guilty woman had her nose cut off, and to this day the criminal wife among the Bedouins is executed by her husband, father, or brother, without any mercy. Both criminals were also punished with death among other Eastern nations.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

20. Thy neighbour’s wife This is a repetition of the seventh commandment, in another form, for the purpose of emphasis and of completing the enumeration of abominations prevalent in Egypt and Canaan. This verse prohibits not only adultery proper, or double adultery, as some laws define this crime, in two married persons, (see Exo 20:14, note,) but also one species of single adultery.

Defile thyself This is moral and ceremonial pollution.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Lev 18:20 Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour’s wife, to defile thyself with her.

Ver. 20. To defile thyself. ] As David, how did he embroil himself with Bathsheba, and chased away that pure Spirit. Psa 51:10-12 Casta Deus mens est.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)