Deuteronomy 27:23
New International Version
“Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his mother-in-law.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

New Living Translation
‘Cursed is anyone who has sexual intercourse with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

English Standard Version
“‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

Berean Standard Bible
‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his mother-in-law.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

King James Bible
Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen.

New King James Version
‘Cursed is the one who lies with his mother-in-law.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

New American Standard Bible
‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

NASB 1995
‘Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

NASB 1977
‘Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

Legacy Standard Bible
‘Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

Amplified Bible
‘Cursed is he who is intimate with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

Christian Standard Bible
‘The one who sleeps with his mother-in-law is cursed.’ And all the people will say, ‘Amen! ’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The one who sleeps with his mother-in-law is cursed.’ And all the people will say, ‘Amen!’

American Standard Version
Cursed be he that lieth with his mother-in-law. And all the people shall say, Amen.

English Revised Version
Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Whoever has sexual intercourse with his mother-in-law will be cursed." Then all the people will say amen.

Good News Translation
"'God's curse on anyone who has intercourse with his mother-in-law.' "And all the people will answer, 'Amen!'

International Standard Version
"'Cursed is the one who has sexual relations with his mother-in-law. "Then all the people are to respond by saying, 'Amen!'

Majority Standard Bible
?Cursed is he who sleeps with his mother-in-law.? And let all the people say, ?Amen!?

NET Bible
Cursed is the one who has sexual relations with his mother-in-law.' Then all the people will say, 'Amen!'

New Heart English Bible
'Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.' All the people shall say, 'Amen.'

Webster's Bible Translation
Cursed be he that lieth with his mother-in-law: and all the people shall say, Amen.

World English Bible
‘Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Cursed [is] he who is lying with his mother-in-law.” And all the people have said, “Amen.”

Young's Literal Translation
Cursed is he who is lying with his mother-in-law, -- and all the people have said, Amen.

Smith's Literal Translation
Cursed he lying with his daughter-in-law: and all the people said Amen.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law: and all the people shall say: Amen.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Cursed be he who lies with his mother-in-law. And all the people shall say: Amen.

New American Bible
“Cursed be anyone who has relations with his mother-in-law!” And all the people shall answer, “Amen!”

New Revised Standard Version
“Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.” All the people shall say, “Amen!”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Cursed be he who lies with his mother-in-law. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Cursed is everyone who will have sex with his mother in law, and all the people shall say, “Amen.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Cursed be he that lieth with his mother-in-law. And all the people shall say: Amen.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Cursed is he that lies with his daughter-in-law: and all the people shall say, So be it. Cursed is he that lies with his wife's sister: and all the people shall say, So be it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Curses Pronounced from Ebal
22‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ 23‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his mother-in-law.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ 24‘Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’…

Cross References
Leviticus 18:8
You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; it would dishonor your father.

Leviticus 20:11
If a man lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness. Both must surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.

1 Corinthians 5:1
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.

Genesis 9:22-25
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside. / Then Shem and Japheth took a garment and placed it across their shoulders, and walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned away so that they did not see their father’s nakedness. / When Noah awoke from his drunkenness and learned what his youngest son had done to him, ...

Ezekiel 22:10
In you they have uncovered the nakedness of their fathers; in you they violate women during their menstrual impurity.

2 Samuel 16:21-22
Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” / So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, / nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; / idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, / and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Romans 1:26-27
For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. / Likewise, the men abandoned natural relations with women and burned with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality; / each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, / not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God;

Colossians 3:5
Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.

Ephesians 5:3-5
But among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed. / Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving. / For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

1 Timothy 1:9-10
We realize that law is not enacted for the righteous, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for killers of father or mother, for murderers, / for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching

Revelation 21:8
But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”

Revelation 22:15
But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.


Treasury of Scripture

Cursed be he that lies with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Leviticus 18:17
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness.

Leviticus 20:14
And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.

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Deuteronomy 27
1. The people are commanded to write the law upon stones
5. and to build an altar of whole stones
11. The tribes to be divided on Gerizim and Ebal
14. The curses to be pronounced on mount Ebal














Cursed is he who sleeps with his mother-in-law.
This phrase is part of a series of curses pronounced by Moses and the Levites on Mount Ebal as the Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land. The act described here is a violation of the moral and social order established by God. In the ancient Near Eastern context, such an act would have been seen as a grave offense, disrupting family structures and dishonoring both the mother-in-law and the family. This curse underscores the importance of maintaining sexual purity and respecting familial boundaries, as outlined in Leviticus 18:8 and 20:11. The severity of the curse reflects the seriousness with which God views the sanctity of family relationships.

And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
The communal response of "Amen" signifies agreement and acceptance of the curse by the entire assembly of Israel. This practice of collective affirmation emphasizes the unity and shared responsibility of the community in upholding God's laws. The use of "Amen" is a declaration of truth and commitment, seen throughout Scripture in contexts of worship and covenant (e.g., Nehemiah 8:6, 1 Chronicles 16:36). It reflects the people's acknowledgment of God's authority and their willingness to adhere to His commandments. This response also serves as a public witness to the covenant, reinforcing the communal aspect of Israel's relationship with God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites who delivered God's laws and commands, including the blessings and curses in Deuteronomy.

2. The Israelites
The chosen people of God, receiving the law as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.

3. Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim
The locations where the blessings and curses were to be proclaimed to the Israelites.

4. The Levites
The tribe responsible for proclaiming the curses to the people.

5. The Covenant
The agreement between God and the Israelites, which includes adherence to His laws.
Teaching Points
The Sanctity of Family Boundaries
God's laws protect the integrity and sanctity of family relationships. Violating these boundaries leads to societal and spiritual decay.

The Seriousness of Sexual Sin
Sexual immorality is not just a personal sin but affects the community and one's relationship with God. It is crucial to uphold purity and holiness.

The Role of Community in Upholding God's Standards
The communal response of "Amen" signifies collective agreement and responsibility in maintaining God's laws. The community plays a role in accountability.

The Importance of Obedience to God's Commands
Obedience to God's laws is a sign of faithfulness and commitment to the covenant relationship with Him. Disobedience brings curses, while obedience brings blessings.

Repentance and Restoration
While the curse highlights the severity of sin, God's grace offers a path to repentance and restoration through Christ.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
‘Cursed is
אָר֕וּר (’ā·rūr)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 779: To execrate

he who sleeps
שֹׁכֵ֖ב (šō·ḵêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7901: To lie down

with
עִם־ (‘im-)
Preposition
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

his mother-in-law.’
חֹֽתַנְתּ֑וֹ (ḥō·ṯan·tōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2859: To give, away in marriage, to contract affinity by marriage

And {let} all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the people
הָעָ֖ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

say,
וְאָמַ֥ר (wə·’ā·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘Amen!’
אָמֵֽן׃ (’ā·mên)
Adverb
Strong's 543: Sure, faithfulness, truly


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 27:23 Cursed be he who lies with his (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 27:22
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