Father-Daughter Relations in Leviticus: Permitted or Omitted?

Leviticus is a book concerned greatly with laws and regulations for the people of Israel.  In this book we find regulations concerning sacrifices, sexual relationships, food, along with many others.

It is also in Leviticus that we read a significant listing of regulations concerning incestuous relations.  In fact, in Leviticus 18 and 20 we find the most extensive listing of regulations concerning incest of any Near Eastern legal literature.[1]

When I was reading articles on Leviticus, I came across the article by Ziskind, which caused come confusion and concern as I read it.  The article challenged my previously held ideas concerning Leviticus and its laws concerning incest.  Ziskind directed my attention to the fact that in this list of sexual relationships that are inappropriate to have, we have no mention of a sexual relationship between a father and daughter being wrong.  In fact, there is no mention of the father-daughter incestuous relationship at all.  We seemingly have every other type of relative-based sexual relationship voided, except that between a father and daughter.  This is strange considering the Law of Hammurabi and the Hittite Laws both prohibit this type of relationship.[2]

In his article, Ziskind offers many explanations for why this type of relationship is not covered.  First, He brings up the point that this could have been an accidental omission.[3] However, as he suggests this is not likely considering the number of opportunities, which the redactors, if we posit the Documentary Hypothesis, would have had to correct this accidental omission.  Second, Ziskind offers the idea that possibly conduct like this was not unequivocally condemned (cf. Section 154, Law of Hammurabi).[4] Third, the idea is offered that no responsible or intelligent father would involve himself in this type of relationship; therefore it needs not to be mentioned in the list.  Ziskind sees this as a possibility because it would have been a sexual taboo according to the societal expectations of the day.  Ziskind, sees this alone as a major motivating factor for why a father would be leery of this type of relationship.  He goes on to say that if that was not enough motivating factor, the business aspect of the relationship would.  In the context of the Israelite culture a woman was property of her father until she was married.  When she arrived at marrying age the father would receive a dowry of sorts.  Therefore, if the father were to present his prospective son-in-law with a virgin bride, he would receive a much greater financial gain.  For this reason the father would not want to have sexual relations with his daughter, in order that he might benefit financially.[5]

Regardless of why this stipulation was not included Ziskind points to a few things that we must note.  First, we know that the Hebrew Bible does not approve of this type of sexual relationship (cf. Genesis 29:30-38).[6] Second, we must note that in composing this list the author was exercising political prudence rather than moral courage.[7]

So how does this omission affect us today?  How does it affect our view of Scripture?  How should we as Christians treat this issue?

First, I found it interesting, if we consider the New Testament to be a commentary on the Old Testament, that when Paul, in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13, is talking about the judgment of sexual immorality, that once again there is no mention of father-daughter sexual relationships being judged.  The statement Paul makes is, “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber.  Do not even eat with such a one.”[8]

Second, I think we need to realize that although this specific relationship is not mentioned that we must realize that it is immoral in the context of their society (cf. Laws of Hammurabi and Hittite Laws).  This being the case, it would be very strange for Israel to be involved in actions considered by pagans to be immoral.

So what do we do with these seemingly conflicting pools of thought?  First, I think we need to look at what Scripture as a whole says concerning sexual relationships.  The Bible repeatedly talks about fathers giving their virgin daughters away in marriage[9], which sexual relations between a father and daughter would make impossible.  Second, if the pagans considered father-daughter sexual relations taboo, surely God would not condone it; therefore we should flee this and other types of fornication.[10] Lastly, marriage and sex are the metaphors used to describe humanity’s relationship with God.  God is a jealous God, and I think that a jealous God would not put up with having unnatural relations with your daughter.  Father-daughter sexual relations would pervert this beautiful marriage and sex metaphor that God uses concerning His relationship with humanity.

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[1] Ziskind, Jonathan, “The Missing Daughter in Leviticus XVIII,” Vestus Testamentum, 46 no. 1, January 1996, p. 125.

[2] Ziskind, p. 125.

[3] Ziskind, p. 125.

[4] Ziskind, p. 126.

[5] Ziskind, pp. 126, 129.

[6] Ziskind, pp. 126-127.

[7] Ziskind, p. 130.

[8] ____, Holy Bible: NRSV, American Bible Society, 1989, 1 Corinthians 5:11.

[9] Holy Bible: NRSV, Hebrews 13:4, 1 Corinthians 7:38, Deuteronomy 22:13ff.

[10] Holy Bible: NRSV, 1 Corinthians 6:18.

Works Consulted:

Carmichael, Calum.  Law, Legend, and Incest in the Bible. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1997.

Douglas, Mary.  “The Ancient Religion.”  Leviticus as Literature. Photocopy in Reading Room.

Haas, Peter J.  “The Sacred and the Mundane: The Message of Leviticus.”  Christian Century. October 8, 1997.

Johnson, Luke.  “The Use of Leviticus 19 in the Letter of James.”  Journal of Biblical Literature, 101 S, 1982, pp. 391-401.

Kiuchi, N.  The Purification Offering in the Priestly Literature: Its Meaning and Function. Sheffield Academic Press, 1987.

Mann, Thomas W.  The Book of Torah. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988, pp. 113-124.

Ziskind, Jonathan.  “The Missing Daughter in Leviticus XVIII.”  Vestus Testamentum, 46 no. 1, January 1996, pp. 125-130.

________.  Holy Bible: NRSV. American Bible Society, 1989.

Tags: Bible, Calum Carmichael, Familial Relationships, Jonathan Ziskind, Levitical Law, Luke Johnson, Mary Douglas, N. Kiuchi, Pentateuch, Peter J. Haas, Sexuality, Thomas W. Mann
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