Leviticus 18:14 forbids an Israelite man from sexually approaching his uncle’s wife, meaning his father’s brother’s wife, who is described as his aunt. God gives this as a boundary within the family, protecting the marriage bond and the household order that Israel was meant to live by. The verse was spoken by the LORD to Moses, who passed it on to the people of Israel as part of the covenant instructions in the book of Leviticus.
“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother, you shall not approach his wife. She is your aunt.
Leviticus 18:14 (WEB)
What Leviticus 18:14 Means
The phrase “uncover the nakedness” is an old Hebrew idiom for sexual relations, so the opening command is a prohibition on sexual contact with a relative. The verse then names the specific person: your father’s brother’s wife. Her relationship to you is stated plainly, “she is your aunt,” so there is no confusion about who is in view.
The verse is a command, not a promise. It does not describe how a family will feel or turn out. It sets a clear limit and asks the reader to honor it. Read on its own terms, it speaks to the conduct of one man toward a woman who belongs to another household through marriage.
It also does not explain every reason behind the rule. Leviticus gives the boundary and the call to holiness, and the surrounding chapter ties these laws to Israel’s identity as the people of a holy God. The verse answers what is forbidden; the fuller reasons come from the chapter as a whole.
The Context of Leviticus 18:14
Leviticus is part of the Torah, traditionally attributed to Moses, and it was written for the people of Israel as they were being formed into a covenant community. Chapter 18 opens with God telling Israel not to follow the practices of the surrounding nations in Egypt and Canaan. The list of forbidden relationships that begins in verse 6 is one part of that call to live differently.
Verses 11 through 17 form a cluster of related prohibitions, each naming a family relationship: a half-sister, an aunt on the father’s side, an aunt on the mother’s side, the father’s brother’s wife, a daughter-in-law, a brother’s wife, and a woman with her daughter or granddaughters. Seeing verse 14 in this run shows that it is one of several family boundaries meant to keep marriage and household life ordered and honorable.
Key Phrases in Leviticus 18:14
Leviticus 18:6
“‘None of you shall approach any close relatives, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.
(WEB)
This verse opens the list of forbidden relationships in the chapter and sets the principle that the family circle is protected. Reading it first helps show that verse 14 is one application of a wider rule about close kin.
Matthew 5:28
But I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
(WEB)
Jesus shows that God’s concern reaches the heart as well as the outward act. Reading it alongside Leviticus 18:14 reminds the reader that faithfulness to family boundaries includes guarding desire and thought.
A Short Prayer From Leviticus 18:14
Lord, you are holy, and you have shown us in your word how to honor the people closest to us. Thank you for drawing lines that protect our families and our marriages. Where I have been tempted to cross a boundary, forgive me, and give me the courage to turn away. Help me to respect the relatives you have placed in my life and to guard my heart and my actions with care. Keep my household in your peace, and lead me in the way of faithfulness. Amen.
