Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 – Part 2: Introduction

What is Actually Prohibited by the Law in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13?

1.     Introduction

In the evangelical world there is presently an intense and frequently acrimonious debate regarding the inclusion of those who identify as LGBTQ and Christian. In that debate, there are certain key passages of scripture that are referenced by some, and dissected by others, as proof that their position on the issue is “biblical.” Scholars, who represent virtually every point on the inclusion/non-inclusion continuum, give these passages the greatest attention: Genesis 19:1–11, Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, Judges 19:22–30, Romans 1:26–27, 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:10.

Of these passages, there are only two that are commandments: Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13. Genesis 19 and Judges 19 are narratives. Romans 1:26–27 is found in the context of Paul’s description of the real-life consequences of idol worship. 1 Corinthians 6:9 is a list of “those who will not inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Timothy 1:10 is found in a list of those who are “lawless and disobedient.” Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 are laws, reputedly given to Moses by God. They are found in the broad context of the Holiness Code (Leviticus 17–26). The immediate context is introduced by the admonition to not do as was done in Egypt or Canaan. Rather, the Israelites are instructed, “You shall keep my statutes and my ordinances; by doing so one shall live. I am the Lord” (Lev 18:5).[1] There would be life for those who obeyed these laws and punishments for those who did not. In the midst of a list of laws that primarily denounce certain specific sexual encounters (chapters 18 and 20), we read these laws:

“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination” (18:22).

“If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death; their blood is upon them” (20:13).

At first reading, in translation, these verses seem very straight-forward and numerous scholars regard as indisputable what is prohibited and thus what Yahweh thinks about all same-sex encounters. However, a closer reading and careful analyses of these texts indicates they are not as unambiguous in the Hebrew text as they appear to be in translation. In fact, I have found that the most read English translations are less literal. In being more interpretive, these translations suggest a meaning that cannot be confidently substantiated by careful lexical, grammatical and contextual analyses.[2]  

It is not the purpose of this paper to resolve all issues related to the inclusion versus non-inclusion debate. Clearly stated, the thesis of this paper is that close reading and analyses of Lev 18:22 and 20:13 raises legitimate questions regarding what activity was actually prohibited among the Israelites who lived in the land. Since these questions do not have easy or unequivocal answers, the use of Lev 18:22 and 20:13 by scholars, leaders of various Christian denominations or individual Christians, to support non-inclusion of persons who identify as LGBTQ and Christian is unwarranted. Such use of these verses belies a biblical hermeneutic that ignores or minimizes the linguistic complexities and contextual uncertainties that are obvious to many scholars.[3] My minimal goal is to demonstrate that these texts, at least at this chronological and cultural distance, are extremely challenging to translate and exegete with certainty. 

This paper begins with a close reading and various analyses of Lev 18:22 and 20:13. This is followed by a careful consideration of broader contextual issues. These analyses raise very specific questions about each text, and their contexts, the answers to which are essential to any attempt to understand what acts are prohibited.  In the final section, I offer what I think are the best answers to these questions and thus what is prohibited by Lev 18:22 and 20:13.

---

[1] All biblical quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

[2] See Appendix A: Various Translations of Lev 18:22 & 20:13.

[3] E.g., Wold writes, “I treat the biblical text in a ‘what you see is what you get fashion.’” See: Donald J. Wold, Out of Order: Homosexuality in the Bible and the Ancient Near East (Austin, TX: Venus Moon Press, 2009), 9.