Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Jason Hare" <parousia_occ AT yahoo.com>]

In Vayiqra (Leviticus) 18, there is a long string of commands concerning 
"unlawful sexual relations."  I found it interesting to see that in the HB 
it reads in verse 7:

(ER:WAT )FBIYKF W:(ER:WAT )IM.:KF LO) T:GAL."H
(that is, 'ervat 'aviycha ve'ervat 'imcha lo' t'galeh)  :-)

There it begins a long list of people with whom you should not have sexual 
relations, or "uncover their nakedness."  Does "uncover nakedness" in this 
context necessarily mean "have sexual relations with"?  I notice that the 
LXX is consistent with the HB, for it reads:

ASCHMOSUNHN PATROS SOU KAI ASCHMOSUNHN MHTROS SOU OUK APOKALUYEI...

Interestingly, if that is the meaning of the idiom (for it seems to be 
consistent all the way down the list), then why would it say not to uncover 
the nakedness of your own father, like above??  Were the people in danger 
of having sexual relationships with their own papas??  I should hope not.  
And by the way, this is talking about men in the context (sleeping with 
sisters, mothers, aunts, etc. and animals and other men).  So it should be 
odd if they were commanded not to sleep with their fathers.  Just thought 
that was interesting.

Jason Hare
parousia_occ AT yahoo.com