UNCOVERING NAKEDNESS

NAKEDNESS

1. Lev.18:6 None of you shall approach anyone who is near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness: I am YHWH.

The commandments about ‘uncovering nakedness’ had been known to Noah and his sons. It is important to understand the difference between the expressions ‘to lie down and uncover nakedness’ or just ‘to uncover nakedness’. For instance, the commandment forbids anyone to uncover nakedness of any relative, but marrying a sister or a cousin was not forbidden; on the contrary it was encouraged (Num.36:5-12; 2Sam.13:1-13). This is unusual for the common worldviews today; however, it is important to remember that our worldviews are formed by worldly societies and are not the worldviews of YHWH.

2. Lev.18:7 The nakedness of your father or the nakedness of your mother you shall not uncover. She is your mother – you shall not uncover her nakedness. Deut.22:30 A man shall not take his father’s wife, nor uncover his father’s skirt.

It is important to note and understand that the commandments about nakedness were known long before Moses: Gen.9:22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father. And their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.

3. Lev.18:8 The nakedness of your father’s wife you shall not uncover. It is your father’s nakedness. Lev.20:11 The man who lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them. Deut.22:30 A man shall not take his father’s wife, and shall not uncover his father’s skirt. 

The Book of Jubilees Chapter 33 And Reuben saw Bilhah, Rachel’s maid, the concubine of his father, bathing in water in a secret place, and he loved her. And he hid himself at night, and he entered the house of Bilhah (at night), and he found her sleeping alone on a bed in her house. And he lay with her, and she awoke and saw, and behold Reuben was lying with her in the bed, and she uncovered the border of her covering and seized him, and cried out, and discovered that it was Reuben. And she was ashamed because of him, and released her hand from him, and he fled. […] And when Jacob returned and sought her, she said unto him: “I am not clean for thee, for I have been defiled as regards thee; for Reuben has defiled me, and has lain with me in the night, and I was asleep, and did not discover until he uncovered my skirt and slept with me.” And Jacob was exceedingly wroth with Reuben because he had lain with Bilhah, because he had uncovered his father’s skirt. And Jacob did not approach her again because Reuben had defiled her. And as for any man who uncovers his father’s skirt his deed is wicked exceedingly, for he is abominable before YHWH. For this reason it is written and ordained on the heavenly tablets that a man should not lie with his father’s wife, and should not uncover his father’s skirt, for this is unclean: they shall surely die together, the man who lies with his father’s wife and the woman also, for they have wrought uncleanness on the earth.

4. Lev.18:12 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister (aunt); she is near of kin to your father. Lev.20:19 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister (aunt) nor of your father’s sister, for that would uncover his near of kin. Both of you are held responsible. Lev.20:20 If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness. They shall bear their sin. They shall die childless. Lev.18:13 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister (aunt), for she is near of kin to your mother. Lev.18:14 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother (uncle). You shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt. 

5. Lev.18:16 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness. Lev.20:21 If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing. He has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They shall be childless.

However, if one’s brother died, then the Law (Torah) allows and even recommends one to take his brother’s wife for himself in order to ‘restore his brother’s seed’ (refer to the chapter VI on «FAMILY», commandment № 18). This is unusual for the common worldviews today; however, AGAIN: it is important to remember that our worldviews are formed by worldly societies and are not the worldviews of YHWH.

6. Lev.18:18 You must not marry a woman in addition to her sister (wife’s sister), to be a rival to her to uncover her nakedness while the other is alive.

7. Lev.18:9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father (sister on the father’s side), or the daughter of thy mother (sister on the mother’s side), whether born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness you shall not uncover. Lev.18:11 The nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter (sister on the father’s side), begotten by your father – she is your sister. You shall not uncover her nakedness. Lev.20:17 If a man takes his sister, his father’s daughter (sister on the father’s side) or his mother’s daughter (sister on the mother’s side), and sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a wicked thing. And they shall be cut off in the sight of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness. Both of you are held responsible.

Marrying one’s sister, however, was not against the Torah (an example of this would be Abraham since Sarah was his sister and Adam’s children who continued the genealogy by marrying their siblings). ‘Uncovering nakedness’ of one’s sister without marrying her is forbidden. Another example was David’s son Absalom: 2Sam.13:11 Now when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, ‘Come, lie with me, my sister.’ And she answered him, ‘No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you (and he will let you marry me).’

8. Lev.20:14 If a man marries both a woman and her mother (mother-in-law), that’s wicked. All three of them must be burned at the stake, purging the wickedness from the community.

9. Lev.18:15 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife. You shall not uncover her nakedness. Lev.20:12 If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death. They have committed perversion. Their blood shall be upon them.

10. Lev.18:10 The nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter (grandchildren), their nakedness you shall not uncover. For theirs is your own nakedness. Lev.18:17 You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter (wife and step-daughter), nor shall you take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter (grandchildren) to uncover her nakedness. They are near of kin to her. It is wickedness.