Leviticus 20:19 (LSB)

Passage

You shall also not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister or of your father’s sister, for such a one has made naked his blood relative; they will bear their guilt.

Nearby Context

Leviticus 20:17 ‘If there is a man who takes his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he bears his guilt.

Leviticus 20:18 If there is a man who lies with a menstruous woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her flow, and she has uncovered the flow of her blood; thus both of them shall be cut off from among their people.

Leviticus 20:19 You shall also not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister or of your father’s sister, for such a one has made naked his blood relative; they will bear their guilt.

Leviticus 20:20 If there is a man who lies with his aunt, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness; they will bear their sin. They will die childless.

Leviticus 20:21 If there is a man who takes his brother’s wife, it is an impure act; he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They will be childless.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "shall", "uncover", "nakedness", "mother", "sister", "father", and "such". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "shall" and "uncover", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "If there is a man who lies..." into verse 20's "If there is a man who lies...", so "shall" and "uncover" 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 "shall" and "uncover" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.