Leviticus 18:23

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Leviticus 18:23 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And thou shalt not lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith; neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down thereto: it is confusion.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And thou shalt not lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith; neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down thereto: it is confusion.
Leviticus 18:23 — American Standard Version

Context — Leviticus 18

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
23And thou shalt not lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith; neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Neither shall thou lie with any beast, to defile thyself therewith, etc.] A female one, as Aben Ezra notes, as a mare, cow, or ewe, or any other beast, small or great, as Ben Gersom, or whether tame or wild, as Maimonides f648; and even fowls are comprehended, as the same writers observe: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: that is, stand before a beast, and by a lascivious and obscene behaviour solicit the beast to a congress with her, and then lie down after the manner of fourfooted beasts, as the word signifies, that it may have carnal copulation with her: for a man to lie with a beast is most shocking and detestable, but for a woman to solicit such an…”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“18:23 Like homosexuality, bestiality is a violation of the natural order (see study note on 18:22). • The phrase perverse act referred not only to a violation, but to a confusion of the order God created because it broke down clear boundaries that he had established.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“any beast: Lev 20:15, Lev 20:16; Exo 22:19 confusion: Lev 20:12 Leviticus 18:24”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification