Deuteronomy 27:20
“‘Cursed is he who lies with his father’s wife, because he dishonors his father’s bed.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’”
What does Deuteronomy 27:20 mean?
This verse comes from a series of curses the Israelites publicly recited as part of their covenant commitment to God's laws. It addresses the serious violation of sexual relations with a stepmother, which was understood as both a betrayal of the father and a corruption of family bonds that held society together. The practice of communal "amens" made these ethical standards everyone's responsibility, not just the authorities'. By speaking these curses aloud, the people were essentially saying they recognized certain actions as fundamentally harmful and wrong, and they committed themselves to upholding that standard. The underlying principle remains relevant: families depend on respect and boundaries, and breaking those bonds damages everyone involved.