Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

Dear Peter,
     Leviticus 20:21, a law against marrying a brother's wife, does not
have to be in conflict with the law of levirate marriage (Deut 25:5-11)
because the latter was a special case. Leviticus 20:21 can state the
general truth, assuming that the exception, or special condition, is not in
view.
     Yes, Lev 20:10, a law against adultery, would seem to cover several
other of the cases named, but the other cases may have warranted special
warnings due to the temptation that proximity can bring within family
settings. These ancient families often lived close together or shared much
in common. So God may have wanted to do everything possible to keep Israel
from such sins as had defiled the Canaanites.

                                        Yours,
                                        Harold Holmyard