Leviticus 18:5

Hebrew Bible

3 You must not do as they do in the land of Egypt where you have been living, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan into which I am about to bring you; you must not walk in their statutes. 4 You must observe my regulations, and you must be sure to walk in my statutes. I am the Lord your God. 5 So you must keep my statutes and my regulations; anyone who does so will live by keeping them. I am the Lord. 6 “‘No man is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations with her. I am the Lord. 7 You must not expose your father’s nakedness by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have sexual relations with her.

Onkelos Leviticus 18:5

Targum

3 You shall not do according to the people of the land of Mizraim in which you dwelt, nor after the works of the people of the land of Kenaan, whither I am bringing you, shall you do, neither shall you walk in their laws. 4 My judgments shall you perform, and keep My statutes to walk in them; I am the Lord your God. 5 And you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man do he shall live by them an everlasting life. I am the Lord. 6 No man shall come nigh to any of his own flesh to uncover the nakedness; I am the Lord. 7 The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, thou shalt not uncover. She is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

 Notes and References

"... Leviticus 18 concerns long life and prosperity in the promised land, as a reward for obeying the laws of the covenant. Jesus’ understanding of Leviticus 18:5 reflects targumic exegesis. According to Onqelos: ‘You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, by doing which a person shall live through them in eternal life; I am the LORD.’ According to Pseudo-Jonathan: ‘You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, by doing which a person shall live in eternal life, and his portion shall be with the righteous; I am the LORD’ ..."

Evans, Craig A Encyclopedia of the Historical Jesus (p. 619) Routledge, 2008

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