Deuteronomy 22:30

A Son Must Not Make Love To His Father's Wife (Deuteronomy 22:30)

Deuteronomy 22:30

‘ A man shall not take his father's wife, and shall not uncover his father's skirt.'

The short section on sexual misdemeanour ends with the worse possible case, that of a man taking his father's wife, (probably not to be seen as his own mother), and having intercourse with her. This would uncover his own father's naked relationship, and would be a gross insult to the father and a great sin against him, betraying family honour and trust, and destroying family relationships. It might also be seen as an attempt to usurp his father's place (the father may have been dead). It put the son under a curse (Deuteronomy 27:20).