Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Harold R. Holmyard III" <hholmyard AT ont.com>]

Dear Peter,
     You write:

No, I don't think this expression is about sexual relations. The first part
of these verses is, but the part about "uncovering nakedness" is not. I
remember we translated these verses to mean something like
"bring shame or disgrace". We don't understand shame well in western
cultures, but (to overgeneralise) in eastern cultures even today people are
much more concerned than we understand about not doing
things to bring shame on the family. I think that is the point here: a
person's sexual misdemeanours bring shame on the father or mother
comparable with stripping them naked in public - though this metaphor
may be a dead one.

Peter, it is the first part of these verses that mentions uncovering the
nakedness of someone. You say that the first part of the verses concern
sexual relations, but not this phrase. "The nakedness of the father" in
verse 7 receives explanation from verse 8, where it is clear that the wife
of the father is in view. The idea seems to be possession. The nakedness of
the father's wife belongs to the father; so it is not for the son to expose
it. "Nakedness" would refer to nakedness for the sake of sexual relations.
Further, you are right that the idea of shame is implied. Verse 7b explains
"uncover the nakedness of your mother" in verse 7a. A man is not to expose
the nakedness of his mother because she is his mother. He should be ashamed
to do something like that.

                                        Yours,
                                        Harold Holmyard