Bible Strands
Leviticus 18:22
You must not lie with a man as with a woman; that is an abomination.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God speaks to Israel through Moses in the wilderness, placing this prohibition between commands against child sacrifice to Molech and against bestiality.
The words — The verb תִשְׁכַּב (tish.Kav) means "you will lie with," applied to a male (זָכָר, za.Khar) in a manner reserved for a woman (אִשָּׁה, 'i.Shah). The declaration ends with תּוֹעֵבָה (to.'e.Vah), literally "an abomination."
The thread — Leviticus 20:13 restates the prohibition and attaches the death penalty, while Romans 1:26 and 1 Corinthians 6:9 describe comparable prohibited sexual conduct thematically without quoting or referencing the Levitical text.
Why it lands — The verse commands avoidance of a specific sexual act and labels it an abomination, requiring immediate compliance with the stated boundary without requiring further moral elaboration.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 20:13 If a man lies with a man as with a woman, they have both committed an abomination. They must surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
- Romans 1:26 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.
- 1 Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts,
- 1 Timothy 1:10 for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching
- Jude 1:7 In like manner, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, who indulged in sexual immorality and pursued strange flesh, are on display as an example of those who sustain the punishment of eternal fire.
- 1 Kings 14:24 There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land. They imitated all the abominations of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
- Deuteronomy 23:18 You must not bring the wages of a prostitute, whether female or male, into the house of the LORD your God to fulfill any vow, because both are detestable to the LORD your God.
- Judges 19:22 While they were enjoying themselves, suddenly the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they said to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house, so we can have relations with him!”
- Genesis 19:5 They called out to Lot, saying, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Send them out to us so we can have relations with them!”