Leviticus 20:21 (GNV)

Passage

So the man that taketh his brothers wife, committeth filthines, because he hath vncouered his brothers shame: they shalbe childles.

Nearby Context

Leviticus 20:19 Moreouer thou shalt not vncouer the shame of thy mothers sister, nor of thy fathers sister: because he hath vncouered his kin, they shall beare their iniquitie.

Leviticus 20:20 Likewise the man that lyeth with his fathers brothers wife, and vncouereth his vncles shame: they shall beare their iniquitie, and shall die childlesse.

Leviticus 20:21 So the man that taketh his brothers wife, committeth filthines, because he hath vncouered his brothers shame: they shalbe childles.

Leviticus 20:22 Ye shall keepe therefore all mine ordinances and all my iudgements, and doe them, that the land, whither I bring you to dwel therein, spue you not out.

Leviticus 20:23 Wherefore ye shall not walke in the maners of this nation which I cast out before you: for they haue committed all these things, therefore I abhorred them.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "taketh", "brothers", "wife", "committeth", "filthines", "hath", and "vncouered". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "taketh" and "brothers", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "Likewise the man that lyeth with his..." into verse 22's "Ye shall keepe therefore all mine ordinances...", so "taketh" and "brothers" belong inside that flow. In Leviticus context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "taketh" and "brothers" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.