1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am Jehovah your God.
3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do : and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do ; neither shall ye walk in their statutes.
4 Mine ordinances shall ye do, and my statutes shall ye keep, to walk therein : I am Jehovah your God.
5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and mine ordinances ; which if a man do, he shall live in them : I am Jehovah.
6 None of you shall approach to any that are near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness : I am Jehovah.
7 The nakedness of thy father, even the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover : she is thy mother ; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
8 The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover ; it is thy father’s nakedness.
9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or the daughter of thy mother, whether born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.
10 The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or of thy daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover : for theirs is thine own nakedness.
11 The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister : she is thy father’s near kinswoman.
13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister : for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman.
14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife : she is thine aunt.
15 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter-in-law : she is thy son’s wife ; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife : it is thy brother’s nakedness.
17 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter ; thou shalt not take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness ; they are near kinswomen : it is wickedness.
18 And thou shalt not take a wife to her sister, to be a rival to her, to uncover her nakedness, besides the other in her life-time.
Note · Lévitique 18.1–18
Les liens de parenté imposent aussi des limites
La liste vise des relations dont la proximité familiale pourrait devenir un lieu d’appropriation. Les cadres anciens sont souvent formulés du point de vue masculin ; cela ne signifie pas que la dignité des autres personnes serait sans importance. La présence de ces interdits rappelle que l’autorité familiale ne donne pas tous les droits.
19 And thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.
20 And thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbor’s wife, to defile thyself with her.
21 And thou shalt not give any of thy seed to make them pass through the fire to Molech ; neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God : I am Jehovah.
22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind : it is abomination.
23 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.
Note · Lévitique 18.19–23
Des interdits distincts ne doivent pas être confondus
Le passage traite de menstruation, d’adultère, d’enfants livrés à Molek, de relations sexuelles entre hommes et de rapports avec les animaux. L’interdit concernant les hommes est explicite et n’est pas limité expressément au seul culte idolâtre. La lecture chrétienne traditionnelle le reçoit comme une norme sexuelle ; les débats actuels ne doivent ni cacher sa formulation ni justifier violence ou humiliation.
24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things : for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out from before you ;
25 and the land is defiled : therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land vomiteth out her inhabitants.
26 Ye therefore shall keep my statutes and mine ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations ; neither the home-born, nor the stranger that sojourneth among you
27 (for all these abominations have the men of the land done, that were before you, and the land is defiled) ;
28 that the land vomit not you out also, when ye defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.
29 For whosoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people.
30 Therefore shall ye keep my charge, that ye practise not any of these abominable customs, which were practised before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein : I am Jehovah your God.
Note · Lévitique 18.24–30
Israël reste lui aussi soumis à la responsabilité
L’image d’une terre qui rejette ses habitants avertit également Israël. La possession du pays ne lui donne pas une immunité morale. Ce langage de jugement ne permet pas de désigner des groupes actuels comme des populations à expulser ni de réduire la valeur d’une personne à une pratique évoquée dans le chapitre.