Leviticus 20:15
New International Version
“’If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he is to be put to death, and you must kill the animal.

New Living Translation
“If a man has sex with an animal, he must be put to death, and the animal must be killed.

English Standard Version
If a man lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death, and you shall kill the animal.

Berean Standard Bible
If a man lies carnally with an animal, he must be put to death. And you are also to kill the animal.

King James Bible
And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.

New King James Version
If a man mates with an animal, he shall surely be put to death, and you shall kill the animal.

New American Standard Bible
If there is a man who has sexual intercourse with an animal, he must be put to death; you shall also kill the animal.

NASB 1995
If there is a man who lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; you shall also kill the animal.

NASB 1977
‘If there is a man who lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; you shall also kill the animal.

Legacy Standard Bible
If there is a man who lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; you shall also kill the animal.

Amplified Bible
If a man has intimate relations with an animal, he shall most certainly be put to death; you shall kill the animal also.

Christian Standard Bible
If a man has sexual intercourse with an animal, he must be put to death; you are also to kill the animal.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If a man has sexual intercourse with an animal, he must be put to death; you are also to kill the animal.

American Standard Version
And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.

English Revised Version
And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A man who has sexual intercourse with an animal must be put to death. You must kill the animal, too.

Good News Translation
If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he and the animal shall be put to death.

International Standard Version
"If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he is to be put to death, and you are also to kill the animal.

Majority Standard Bible
If a man lies carnally with an animal, he must be put to death. And you are also to kill the animal.

NET Bible
If a man has sexual intercourse with any animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal.

New Heart English Bible
"'If a man lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; and you shall kill the animal.

Webster's Bible Translation
And if a man shall lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.

World English Bible
“‘If a man lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; and you shall kill the animal.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And a man who commits his intercourse with a beast is certainly put to death, and you slay the beast.

Young's Literal Translation
'And a man who giveth his lying with a beast is certainly put to death, and the beast ye do slay.

Smith's Literal Translation
And a man who shall give his bed with a quadruped, dying, he shall die: and ye shall kill the quadruped.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He that shall copulate with any beast or cattle, dying let him die, the beast also ye shall kill.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Whoever will have committed sexual acts with any animal or cattle, he shall die a death. Likewise, you shall slay the beast.

New American Bible
If a man has sexual relations with an animal, the man shall be put to death, and you shall kill the animal.

New Revised Standard Version
If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he shall be put to death; and you shall kill the animal.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And if a man lies with a beast, he shall surely be put to death and the beast shall be stoned.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And a man who copulates with a beast certainly shall be killed; also that beast shall be stoned.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death; and ye shall slay the beast.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And whosoever shall lie with a beast, let him die the death; and ye shall kill the beast.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Punishments for Sexual Immorality
14If a man marries both a woman and her mother, it is depraved. Both he and they must be burned in the fire, so that there will be no depravity among you. 15If a man lies carnally with an animal, he must be put to death. And you are also to kill the animal. 16If a woman approaches any animal to mate with it, you must kill both the woman and the animal. They must surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.…

Cross References
Exodus 22:19
Whoever lies with an animal must surely be put to death.

Deuteronomy 27:21
‘Cursed is he who lies with any animal.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

Leviticus 18:23
You must not lie carnally with any animal, thus defiling yourself with it; a woman must not stand before an animal to mate with it; that is a perversion.

Deuteronomy 22:30
A man is not to marry his father’s wife, so that he will not dishonor his father’s marriage bed.

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.

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 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

Genesis 6:5-7
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time. / And the LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. / So the LORD said, “I will blot out man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—every man and beast and crawling creature and bird of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.”

Genesis 19:5-7
They called out to Lot, saying, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Send them out to us so we can have relations with them!” / Lot went outside to meet them, shutting the door behind him. / “Please, my brothers,” he pleaded, “don’t do such a wicked thing!

Judges 19:22-24
While they were enjoying themselves, suddenly the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they said to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house, so we can have relations with him!” / The owner of the house went out and said to them, “No, my brothers, do not do this wicked thing! After all, this man is a guest in my house. Do not commit this outrage. / Look, let me bring out my virgin daughter and the man’s concubine, and you can use them and do with them as you wish. But do not do such a vile thing to this man.”

2 Peter 2:6-8
if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes as an example of what is coming on the ungodly; / and if He rescued Lot, a righteous man distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless / (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—

Jude 1:7
In like manner, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, who indulged in sexual immorality and pursued strange flesh, are on display as an example of those who sustain the punishment of eternal fire.

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.

Ezekiel 16:50
Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them, as you have seen.


Treasury of Scripture

And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and you shall slay the beast.

Leviticus 18:23
Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

Exodus 22:19
Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.

Deuteronomy 27:21
Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.

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Animal Beast Copulation Death Destruction Kill Lies Relations Sex Sexual Slay Surely
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Animal Beast Copulation Death Destruction Kill Lies Relations Sex Sexual Slay Surely
Leviticus 20
1. Of him who gives his seed to Moloch
4. Of him who favors such an one
6. Of going to wizards
7. Of sanctification
9. Of him who curses his parents
11. Of incest
13. Of sodomy
15. Of bestiality
18. Of uncleanness
22. Obedience is required with holiness
27. Wizards must be put to death














If a man
This phrase sets the stage for a specific legal and moral directive aimed at individuals within the community. The Hebrew word for "man" here is "ish," which often denotes an adult male, emphasizing personal responsibility and accountability. In the context of ancient Israel, this directive underscores the importance of maintaining purity and holiness among the people, as each individual is seen as a representative of the community's covenant with God.

has sexual relations
The Hebrew term used here is "shakab," which means to lie down or to have sexual intercourse. This phrase is a direct reference to a prohibited sexual act, highlighting the severity of the transgression. In the cultural and religious context of ancient Israel, sexual purity was paramount, and any deviation was seen as a direct affront to God's established order and holiness.

with an animal
The mention of an "animal" (Hebrew: "behemah") indicates a clear boundary between human and animal relations. This prohibition is rooted in the creation order, where God established distinct categories for His creatures. The act of bestiality is seen as a violation of the natural order and an abomination that corrupts both the individual and the community.

he must be put to death
The prescribed punishment of death reflects the gravity of the sin in the eyes of God and the community. The Hebrew phrase "mot yumat" is a legal term indicating a mandatory death penalty. This severe consequence serves as a deterrent and a means of purging evil from the community, ensuring that the holiness of God's people is maintained.

And you must kill the animal
The directive to kill the animal involved in the act underscores the seriousness of the offense and the need to remove any trace of impurity. In ancient Israel, animals were often seen as part of the household and community, and their involvement in such an act would render them unclean. This command ensures that the community remains undefiled and that the sanctity of God's creation is upheld.

(15, 16) with a beast.--See Leviticus 18:23.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
If a man
וְאִ֗ישׁ (wə·’îš)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

has sexual relations
יִתֵּ֧ן (yit·tên)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

with an animal,
בִּבְהֵמָ֖ה (biḇ·hê·māh)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 929: A dumb beast, any large quadruped, animal

he must be put to death.
מ֣וֹת (mō·wṯ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

And
וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

you are also to kill
תַּהֲרֹֽגוּ׃ (ta·hă·rō·ḡū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2026: To smite with deadly intent

the animal.
הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה (hab·bə·hê·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 929: A dumb beast, any large quadruped, animal


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OT Law: Leviticus 20:15 If a man lies with an animal (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 20:14
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