Deuteronomy 27:20

 Deuteronomy 27:20

Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.

. NASB 2020: ‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s garment.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’  [NASB20] New American Standard Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation; All Rights Reserved]

b. YLT: 'Cursed is he who is lying with his father's wife, for he hath uncovered his father's skirt, -- and all the people have said, Amen.  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: Cursed is he who lies with his father’s wife, because he uncovers what belongs to his father. All the people shall say, Amen.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d.   Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary: ‘Accursed is one who lies with the wife of his father, for he will have uncovered the robe of hisfather.’ And the entire people shall say, ‘Amen’.  [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

e. ESV: “‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s nakedness.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’  [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

f. Unless otherwise stated, all Greek and Hebrew definitions are from Blue Letter Bible

1. “Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's skirt…”

a. Cursed [Strong: 779 ʼârar, aw-rar'; a primitive root; to execrate:—× bitterly curse.]

b. [be he that] lieth [Strong: 7901 shâkab, shaw-kab'; a primitive root; to lie down (for rest, sexual connection, decease or any other purpose):—× at all, cast down, (lover-)lay (self) (down), (make to) lie (down, down to sleep, still with), lodge, ravish, take rest, sleep, stay.]

c. with [Strong: 5973 ʻim, eem; from H6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English):—accompanying, against, and, as (× long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-) to, with(-al).]

d. [his] father’s [Strong: 1 ʼâb, awb; a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application:—chief, (fore-) father(-less), × patrimony, principal.]

e. wife [Strong: 802 ʼishshâh, ish-shaw'; feminine of H376 or H582; irregular plural, נָשִׁים nâshîym;(used in the same wide sense as H582) a woman:—(adulter) ess, each, every, female, × many, none, one, together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.]

f. because [Strong: 3588 kîy, kee; a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:—and, (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), but, certainly, doubtless, else, even, except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, (al-) though, till, truly, until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

g. [he] uncovereth [Strong: 1540 gâlâh, gaw-law'; a primitive root; to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal:— advertise, appear, bewray, bring, (carry, lead, go) captive (into captivity), depart, disclose, discover, exile, be gone, open, × plainly, publish, remove, reveal, × shamelessly, shew, × surely, tell, uncover.]

h. [his] father’s [Strong: 1 ʼâb, awb; a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application:—chief, (fore-) father(-less), × patrimony, principal.]

i. skirt [Strong: 3671 kânâph, kaw-nawf'; from H3670; an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or bedclothing) a flap, (of the earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinnacle:— bird, border, corner, end, feather(-ed), × flying, (one an-) other, overspreading, × quarters, skirt, × sort, uttermost part, wing(-ed).]

1). The next four curses attempt to prevent a breakdown of commandment 7 within the society. Illicit sex is detestable to God (Leviticus 18:6-23), and the possibilities are: the person who sleeps with his father’s wife (the stepmother Deuteronomy 27:20; 22:30; Leviticus 18:8, 20:11); the one who commits besteality (Deuteronomy 27:21; Exodus 22:19; Leviticus 18:23; 20:15); the man who has sex relations with his sister (Deuteronomy 27:22, and the rule also applies to a brother and sister who have only one parent in common; and finally, the person who has relations with his mother-in-law; (Deuteronomy 27:23; Leviticus 18:17; 20:14).

2). There are a number of incidents in Scripture that this touches on. First is the curse brought upon Rueben because of his fornication with his fathers wife. 

a). Genesis 35:22  And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:

(1) Genesis 49:3, 4 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

49:4 Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

(2) This was of course before the Law was given and Rueben was not put to death, but he and his descendant’s did reap the fruit. Rueben and the tribe as a whole would not excel.

3). The incident at Corinth where a man was sleeping with his stepmother.

a). 1 Corinthians 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

b). UnderUnder the Old Covenant this sin would have demanded the death penalty for both the man and the woman. 

c). Leviticus 20:11 And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. 

d). Here we will see some of the stark differences between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Under the Mosaic Covenant he would have been put to death but under the New Covenant he was excommunicated from the local body.

4). The last incident is Noah, because of drunkenness being uncovered in his tent. It does not say how Noah became uncovered. Personally I lean toward either Ham or Canaan did something to Noah while he was drunkenly unconscious. Some scholars believe that something sexual occurred while Noah was drunk. The phrase “uncover the nakedness” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse. It is used in Leviticus 18:6-19. It is also found in Ezekiel.

 

a).  Ezekiel 16:36, 37 Thus saith the Lord God; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;

16:37 Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.

 

b). Ezekiel 23:10 These discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her daughters, and slew her with the sword: and she became famous among women; for they had executed judgment upon her.

2. “...And all the people shall say, Amen.”

a. [And] all [Strong: 3605 kôl, kole; or (Jeremiah 33:8) כּוֹל kôwl; from H3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):—(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]

b. [the] people [Strong: 5971 ʻam, am; from H6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock:—folk, men, nation, people.]

c.  [shall] say [Strong: 559 ʼâmar, aw-mar'; a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):—answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.]

d. Amen [Strong: 543 ʼâmên, aw-mane'; from H539; sure; abstract, faithfulness; adverb, truly:—Amen, so be it, truth.]