Leviticus 18:17 forbids a man from having sexual relations with a woman and with her daughter, or with her granddaughters through either her son or her daughter. The verse calls such unions “wickedness” and marks them as near-kin relationships God does not permit. The words come from God speaking to Moses, who relays them to the people of Israel as part of a longer set of instructions about holiness and family life.
“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter. You shall not take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are near kinswomen: it is wickedness.
Leviticus 18:17 (WEB)
What Leviticus 18:17 Means
The phrase “uncover the nakedness” is a biblical idiom for sexual intimacy, not a reference to physical exposure. The verse begins by forbidding a relationship with a woman and her daughter together, which means a man may not take a mother and then her child, or a child and then her mother. Each of these bonds sits inside one household, so the prohibition protects that household from confusion and betrayal at its center.
The second sentence widens the boundary to a woman’s grandchildren through her son or her daughter. The verse names them “near kinswomen,” a phrase that points to the closeness of the family line. Its final word, “wickedness,” is a plain moral judgment. The verse does not explain every consequence in detail, but it makes clear that God regards these unions as a serious breach of what family relationships are meant to be.
What the verse does not do is give a detailed list of penalties or spell out every case that might arise in later generations. It sets a clear boundary and names the reason. Readers should take it as a statement of God’s standard for family life, not as a complete legal code applied to every modern situation.
The Context of Leviticus 18:17
Leviticus is the third book of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament, traditionally attributed to Moses. Its audience is the Israelite community after the Exodus, and chapter 18 opens with a call to be different from the surrounding nations. Verses 6 through 18 form a sequence of prohibitions about close relatives, moving from parents and siblings outward to aunts, daughters-in-law, and in-laws. Verse 17 belongs to that sequence.
Read this way, the verse is part of a careful map of kinship. Verse 18 follows directly by forbidding a man to take two sisters as rivals, and verse 20 turns to adultery with a neighbor’s wife. The surrounding verses show that the law is concerned with the integrity of households, the protection of women and children within them, and the orderly life of the wider community. Seeing that pattern helps readers understand why this verse is placed where it is.
Key Phrases in Leviticus 18:17
Leviticus 18:20
“‘You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, and defile yourself with her.
(WEB)
Verse 20 continues the same chapter and turns to faithfulness within marriage. Reading it alongside verse 17 shows that the law consistently protects the integrity of family bonds and the sanctity of marriage vows.
Matthew 5:27-28
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery;’ 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 expands the seventh commandment to address the heart as well as the act. This passage helps readers see that the Old Testament boundaries are rooted in a concern for inward purity, not only outward conduct.
A Short Prayer From Leviticus 18:17
Lord, thank You for giving Your people clear words about the holiness of family life. Help me to honor the relationships You have placed around me, and to protect the people in my household with integrity and care. Where I have failed to guard my heart or my actions, forgive me and draw me back to Your standard. Give me wisdom to recognize temptation early and courage to walk away from it. Keep my family life pure and faithful, and let my conduct reflect Your goodness to those I love. Amen.
