Bible Study: 7th Commandment -- Do Not Commit Adultery (Exo 20:14)¶
Question¶
What does the Bible say about the seventh commandment? Trace the creation foundation of marriage (Gen 2:24 -- "one flesh," pre-Sinai). What does Leviticus 18 say about sexual ethics, and how does its introduction (Lev 18:24-30 -- the Canaanites judged for the same violations) establish the scope? How does Jesus deepen this to lust (Mat 5:27-28) and address divorce (Mat 19:3-9)? What do Paul (1 Cor 6:18-20; Rom 1:26-27), the author of Hebrews (13:4), and Revelation (21:8; 22:15) say? Examine: Gen 2:24, Exo 20:14, Lev 18:1-30, Mat 5:27-28, Mat 19:3-9, 1 Cor 6:18-20; 7:1-16, Rom 1:26-27, Heb 13:4, Rev 21:8; 22:15.
Series Context¶
Study 8 of 13 in the Ten Commandments Deep Dive series. Read D:/bible/bible-studies/cmd-series-methodology.md for the investigative methodology, evidence classification system (E/N/I with I-A through I-D subtypes), category classification, and all required sections.
Discovered Scope¶
Topics Found (from naves_semantic.py)¶
| Topic | Score | Key Verse References |
|---|---|---|
| ADULTERY | 0.82 | GEN 20:3; EXO 20:14; LEV 18:20; DEU 5:18; MAT 5:27,28; 19:9; MRK 10:11,12; ROM 7:3; 1CO 6:15-18; HEB 13:4; REV 2:20-22; 9:21; 21:8; 22:15 |
| LUST | 0.81 | GEN 3:6; EXO 20:17; JOB 31:9-12; PRO 6:24,25; MAT 5:28; 1JN 2:16,17; JAS 1:14,15; 1PE 2:11 |
| DIVORCE | 0.81 | EXO 21:7-11; DEU 24:1-4; MAL 2:14-16; MAT 5:31,32; 19:3-12; MRK 10:2; LUK 16:18; 1CO 7:10-17 |
| COVETOUSNESS | 0.78 | EXO 20:17; DEU 5:21; ROM 7:7 |
| FORNICATION | 0.72 | (See ADULTERY, LASCIVIOUSNESS) |
| MARRIAGE | 0.69 | GEN 2:23,24; 24:67; DEU 7:3,4; MAT 19:4,5; MRK 10:7; 1CO 7:1-40; EPH 5:22-33; HEB 13:4 |
| WIFE | 0.58 | GEN 2:18,23,24; 1CO 11:3-12; EPH 5:22-33; 1PE 3:1-7 |
| HUSBAND | 0.51 | GEN 2:23,24; MAL 2:14-16; MAT 19:5; EPH 5:22-33; 1PE 3:7 |
| BRIDE | 0.53 | ISA 49:18; REV 19:7,8; 21:2,9 |
| POLYGAMY | 0.50 | DEU 17:17; LEV 18:18; MAL 2:14,15; MAT 19:4,5; 1TI 3:2,12 |
| SODOMY | 0.48 | GEN 19:5-8; LEV 18:22,23; 20:13; ROM 1:24,26,27; 1CO 6:9; 1TI 1:9,10 |
| WHOREDOM | 0.47 | LEV 19:29; DEU 31:16; JDG 2:17; EZK 16; 23; REV 17 |
| LASCIVIOUSNESS | 0.46 | EXO 32:6; MRK 7:21-23; ROM 1:22-29; 1CO 6:9-18; GAL 5:19-21; EPH 4:17-19; JUDE 1:4-7 |
| SENSUALITY | 0.61 | ECC 2:24; ISA 22:13; 1CO 15:32,33; JAS 5:5 |
| FLESH | 0.46 | GAL 5:19-21; JHN 6:51-63 |
| TEMPTATION | 0.52 | GEN 3:1-13; PRO 7:7-23; MAT 4:1-11; 1CO 10:13; JAS 1:14,15 |
Verse References (from Nave's entries)¶
A. The Commandment Itself: - EXO 20:14; DEU 5:18
B. Creation Foundation of Marriage (pre-Sinai): - GEN 2:18,20,23,24; GEN 1:27-28
C. Adultery Forbidden (OT Law): - EXO 20:14; LEV 18:20; LEV 19:29; DEU 5:18; DEU 23:17
D. Leviticus 18 -- Sexual Ethics (comprehensive): - LEV 18:1-30 (incest: 6-18; adultery: 20; homosexuality: 22; bestiality: 23; Canaanite judgment: 24-30) - LEV 20:10-21 (penalties)
E. Penalties for Adultery (OT): - GEN 20:7; 26:11; 38:24; EXO 22:16,17; LEV 19:20-22; 20:10-12; 21:9; NUM 5:11-29; DEU 22:13-29; 27:20,22,23
F. Proverbs on Adultery: - PRO 2:16-19; 5:3-22; 6:24-29,32,33; 7:5-23; 9:13-18; 22:14; 23:27,28; 29:3; 30:18-20; 31:3
G. Prophetic Denunciations: - ISA 57:3,4; JER 3:1; 5:7,8; 7:9,10; 23:10; 29:23; EZK 18:5,6; 22:9-11; HOS 4:1,2,11; 7:4
H. Jesus' Teaching: - MAT 5:27-28 (lust = adultery); MAT 5:31-32 (divorce); MAT 19:3-12 (divorce/remarriage); MRK 10:2-12; LUK 16:18; MAT 15:19; MRK 7:21
I. Divorce: - DEU 24:1-4; MAL 2:14-16; MAT 5:31,32; 19:3-12; MRK 10:2; LUK 16:18; 1CO 7:10-17
J. Paul's Teaching: - ROM 1:24,26,27 (homosexuality); ROM 7:1-3 (marriage law); ROM 13:9,13 (commandments); 1CO 5:1-13 (church discipline); 1CO 6:9-10,13,15-18 (body is temple); 1CO 7:1-40 (marriage instructions); 1CO 10:8; 2CO 12:21; GAL 5:19,21; EPH 4:17-19; 5:3,5,6; COL 3:5; 1TH 4:3-5,7; 1TI 1:9,10
K. Other NT Witnesses: - HEB 13:4 (marriage honourable, whoremongers judged); JAS 2:11 (law unity); 1PE 4:3; 2PE 2:9,10,14; JUDE 1:7; REV 2:20-22; 21:8; 22:15
L. OT Instances of Adultery: - Sodomites GEN 19:5-8; Lot GEN 19:31-38; Shechem GEN 34:2; Reuben GEN 35:22; Judah GEN 38:1-24; Potiphar's wife GEN 39:7-12; Levite's concubine JDG 19:2; Sons of Eli 1SA 2:22; David 2SA 11:1-5; Amnon 2SA 13:1-20; Absalom 2SA 16:22; Herod MAT 14:3,4
M. Figurative Adultery (Idolatry): - JER 3:2; EZK 16:15,16; HOS 1; REV 17
Strong's Numbers Found (from semantic_strongs.py)¶
| Strong's | Word | Transliteration | Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| H5003 | נָאַף | naaph | Core term: "to commit adultery" -- the verb in Exo 20:14 |
| H5004 | נִאֻף | niuph | Noun form: "adultery" |
| H5005 | נַאֲפוּף | naaphuph | Noun form: "adulteries" |
| H2181 | זָנָה | zanah | "to commit fornication, play the harlot" -- broader sexual sin |
| G3431 | μοιχεύω | moicheuo | Greek "to commit adultery" -- used in Mat 5:27; 19:18; Rom 13:9 |
| G3429 | μοιχάω | moichao | "to commit adultery" (middle voice) -- used for remarriage adultery |
| G3430 | μοιχεία | moicheia | Noun: "adultery" |
| G4202 | πορνεία | porneia | "fornication" -- broader term including sexual immorality; key in Mat 19:9 exception clause |
| G4203 | πορνεύω | porneuo | "to commit fornication" |
| G4204 | πόρνη | porne | "harlot, prostitute" |
| G4205 | πόρνος | pornos | "fornicator, whoremonger" -- used in Rev 21:8; 22:15; Heb 13:4 |
| G1608 | ἐκπορνεύω | ekporneuo | "to give over to fornication" -- intensified form (Jude 1:7) |
| G2845 | κοίτη | koite | "bed, cohabitation" -- used in Heb 13:4 ("bed undefiled"); Rom 13:13 ("chambering") |
| G647 | ἀποστάσιον | apostasion | "bill of divorcement" -- Mat 5:31; 19:7; Mrk 10:4 |
| H898 | בָּגַד | bagad | "to deal treacherously" -- used for marital unfaithfulness (Mal 2:14-16) |
| G1060 | γαμέω | gameo | "to marry" |
| G1062 | γάμος | gamos | "marriage, wedding" |
| H1166 | בָּעַל | baal | "to be master, to marry" |
Related Existing Studies¶
| Study | Score | Question | Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| pentateuch-sexual-legislation-angel-unions | 0.425 | Moses's sexual legislation in Lev 18-20 comprehensively catalogs prohibited sexual acts | Directly analyzes Lev 18 categories; confirms 12+ categories of sexual sin addressed |
| law-12-matthew-5-17-20 | 0.401 | What does Jesus mean by "not come to destroy but to fulfil"? | Analyzes Mat 5:27-28 as Antithesis 2 (adultery deepened to lust); confirms magnification pattern |
| law-14-jesus-law-teachings | 0.401 | What did Jesus specifically teach about the law and commandments? | Catalogues Jesus citing 7th commandment; E359 covers Mat 5:21-28 antitheses |
| law-29-what-continues-what-ceased | 0.580 | What specific laws continue and what ceased? | Confirms 7th commandment continues (E15: Rom 13:8-10 lists adultery prohibition) |
| law-01-gods-moral-law | 0.281 | What is God's moral law? | Establishes Decalogue as continuing moral standard |
Key findings from existing studies: - law-12: The second antithesis (Mat 5:27-28) quotes Exo 20:14 verbatim and extends it to lustful intent -- deepening, not revoking. This is the "magnification" of Isa 42:21. - law-29: E15 explicitly lists "Thou shalt not commit adultery" among the Decalogue commands Paul quotes as continuing (Rom 13:8-10). James 2:11 treats the adultery prohibition alongside the murder prohibition as the "law of liberty" still operative. - pentateuch-sexual-legislation: Lev 18 covers 12+ categories of sexual sin. Lev 18:24-30 states these are the sins for which the Canaanites were judged, establishing that the sexual ethic is not uniquely Israelite but universally binding. - cmd-evidence.db: E393 (Jas 2:11) explicitly pairs the adultery and murder commandments. E031 (Rom 13:8-10) lists the 7th commandment as love's content. E380 (Jer 7:9-10) lists adultery alongside other Decalogue violations.
Database Cross-References¶
cmd-evidence.db items (relevant): - E393: "He that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill" (Jas 2:11) - E380: "Will ye steal, murder (ratsach), and commit adultery..." (Jer 7:9-10) - E031: Paul quotes five Decalogue commandments as love's content (Rom 13:8-10) - E222: False swearing listed alongside adultery and other violations (Jer 7:9) - E379: "By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery" (Hos 4:2)
law-evidence.db items (relevant): - E078: Abimelech recognized adultery brings guilt (Gen 26:10-11 -- pre-Sinai awareness) - E079: Shechem's rape called defilement (Gen 34:2,5,7,13 -- pre-Sinai moral standard) - E359: Jesus quotes 6th and 7th commandments in Antitheses 1-2, deepening to heart level (Mat 5:21-28) - N064: The first two antitheses each quote a Decalogue commandment and extend to intent - N077: The Jerusalem Council retained porneia as a moral prohibition (Acts 15:20,29)
law-study.db findings: - law-12: Second antithesis analysis -- adultery deepened to lust (Mat 5:27-30) - law-29: Seventh commandment catalogued as "Continues" with NT passages confirming
Focus Areas¶
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Creation foundation: Gen 2:24 establishes the "one flesh" marriage principle before Sinai. How does this pre-Sinai origin affect the commandment's scope? Jesus appeals to Gen 2:24 in Mat 19:4-6 as the creation baseline.
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Leviticus 18 comprehensive scope: The chapter addresses incest (6-18), adultery (20), homosexuality (22), bestiality (23), and states the Canaanites were expelled for these same violations (24-30). This establishes the sexual ethic as universal, not merely Israelite.
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Jesus' two-fold deepening: (a) Adultery extended to lustful intent (Mat 5:27-28); (b) Divorce restricted -- Moses allowed it "for the hardness of your hearts" but "from the beginning it was not so" (Mat 19:8). Jesus appeals to Gen 2:24 and tightens the standard.
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The porneia exception clause: Mat 19:9 -- "except it be for porneia" -- the scope and meaning of porneia (G4202) in this context.
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Paul's body-temple theology: 1 Cor 6:18-20 -- "your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost" -- the theological basis for sexual purity. Also 1 Cor 7:1-16 on marriage, celibacy, and the believing spouse.
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Romans 1:26-27: Paul's treatment of homosexual acts as "against nature" -- how this connects to the Lev 18 framework.
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Hebrews 13:4: "Marriage is honourable...but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge" -- the positive and negative sides.
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Eschatological exclusion: Rev 21:8 and 22:15 -- pornos (fornicators/whoremongers) excluded from the new Jerusalem.
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Figurative dimension: Adultery/whoredom as metaphor for idolatry (Jer 3:2; Ezk 16; Hos 1; Rev 17) -- spiritual unfaithfulness.
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Pre-Sinai evidence: Gen 20:3 (Abimelech warned), Gen 26:10-11 (Abimelech recognized guilt), Gen 38:24 (Judah's sentence on Tamar), Gen 39:9 (Joseph: "sin against God") -- the moral awareness before Sinai.
Research Instructions¶
You are the Research Agent. Execute this study by:
- Read the SKILL.md at
C:/Users/Michael/.claude/skills/bible-study2/SKILL.mdfor full tool documentation and principles - Read your agent instructions at
C:/Users/Michael/.claude/skills/bible-study2/agents/research-agent.md - Read the series methodology at
D:/bible/bible-studies/cmd-series-methodology.md - Follow the answer-question workflow from the skill
Mandatory Data Gathering¶
A. Retrieve ALL verse text (from kjv.txt) for these passages: - Gen 1:27-28; 2:18-25 (creation of marriage) - Gen 20:1-7 (Abimelech); Gen 26:10-11; Gen 38:24; Gen 39:7-12 (pre-Sinai adultery awareness) - Exo 20:14; Deu 5:18 (the commandment) - Lev 18:1-30 (full chapter -- sexual ethics comprehensive) - Lev 20:10-21 (penalties) - Num 5:11-29 (jealousy trial) - Deu 22:13-29 (marriage and sexual offenses) - Deu 24:1-4 (divorce law) - Pro 5:1-23; 6:24-33; 7:1-27 (wisdom on adultery) - Isa 57:3-4; Jer 3:1-14; 5:7-8; 7:9-10; 23:10; 29:23 - Ezk 16:38,40,41; 18:5,6; 22:9-11 - Hos 4:1-2,11; 7:4 - Mal 2:14-16 (God hates divorce) - Mat 5:27-32 (antitheses on adultery and divorce) - Mat 15:19; 19:3-12 (divorce/remarriage) - Mrk 7:21; 10:2-12 - Luk 16:18 - Jhn 8:1-11 (woman caught in adultery) - Rom 1:24-27 (homosexuality); 7:1-3; 13:9,13 - 1 Cor 5:1-5,9-11; 6:9-10,13-20; 7:1-16; 10:8 - 2 Cor 12:21 - Gal 5:19-21 - Eph 4:17-19; 5:3-6 - Col 3:5 - 1 Th 4:3-7 - 1 Ti 1:9-10 - Heb 13:4 - Jas 2:11 - 1 Pe 4:3 - 2 Pe 2:9-10,14 - Jude 1:7 - Rev 2:20-22; 9:21; 21:8; 22:15
B. Hebrew parser -- Run on: - Exo 20:14 (the commandment itself -- parse H5003 naaph) - Gen 2:24 ("one flesh" -- parse the construct) - Deu 5:18 (parallel)
C. Greek parser -- Run on: - Mat 5:27-28 (moicheuo, epithumeo) - Mat 19:9 (porneia exception clause) - Heb 13:4 (koite, pornos, moichos) - 1 Cor 6:18-20 (body as temple) - Rom 1:26-27 (para phusin)
D. Cross-testament parallels -- Run BOTH --hybrid-ot AND --hybrid-nt for: - EXO 20:14 - GEN 2:24 - MAT 5:27 - MAT 19:9 - HEB 13:4 - REV 21:8
E. concept_context.py -- Run for: - EXO 20:14
F. Query databases:
- python D:/bible/evidence_db.py --db D:/bible/bible-studies/cmd-evidence.db search "adultery fornication marriage sexual"
- python D:/bible/evidence_db.py --db D:/bible/bible-studies/cmd-evidence.db find E --ref "Exo 20:14"
- python D:/bible/study_db.py --db D:/bible/bible-studies/cmd-study.db search "adultery marriage seventh commandment" --top 5
- python D:/bible/study_db.py --db D:/bible/bible-studies/cmd-study.db find-passage "Exo 20:14"
- python D:/bible/evidence_db.py --db D:/bible/bible-studies/law-evidence.db search "adultery fornication sexual immorality"
- python D:/bible/study_db.py --db D:/bible/bible-studies/law-study.db search "adultery seventh commandment sexual ethics" --top 5
G. Strong's lookups -- Complete lookups for: - H5003 (naaph -- commit adultery) - H5004 (niuph -- adultery noun) - H2181 (zanah -- fornication/harlotry) - H898 (bagad -- deal treacherously) - G3431 (moicheuo -- commit adultery) - G3429 (moichao -- commit adultery, middle) - G3430 (moicheia -- adultery noun) - G4202 (porneia -- fornication/sexual immorality) - G4205 (pornos -- fornicator/whoremonger) - G2845 (koite -- bed/cohabitation) - G647 (apostasion -- bill of divorcement) - G1937 (epithumeo -- to lust, desire)
Output Files¶
Write research files to D:/bible/bible-studies/cmd-08-seventh-commandment-adultery/:
- 01-topics.md -- Nave's topics and full entries
- 02-verses.md -- All verse texts retrieved with context
- 04-word-studies.md -- Strong's research for all listed numbers
- raw-data/ -- Raw tool output organized by category
Do NOT write 03-analysis.md or CONCLUSION.md -- those are for the analysis agent.
Workflow¶
answer-question
Scoped: 2026-02-27 Folder: bible-studies/cmd-08-seventh-commandment-adultery/