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Adultery. Not exactly the warmest of words. For some, it evokes thepain that can only be felt from experiencing a broken home. For others, itis a reminder of what could have been if certain circumstances hadpresented themselves. There are some who think of this word as anobstacle that was overcome and they are survivors indeed. While yet still,there are others who are ever vigilant of all the steps that lead to thisdreaded sin.

And finally, there are some who stand humbled in the rubble aroundthem (a life destroyed), that was brought to fruition through that terribleact of adultery. They enjoyed their brief night in paradise, only to be

awakened by the torrents of pain in the morning.The Word Adultery

It is amazing that some who would set forth the claim that theirinterests are in teaching of the Word of God, hold a variety of views as tothe nature and meaning of adultery contrary to the biblical data. Withoutconsiderable interaction with these distinct points of view, let us press onto consider some of the Old Testament evidence as to the meaning andnature of adultery. How does God represent it in the Hebrew Bible?

The actual derivation of the English word for adultery is quiteenlightening. It actually derives from combining a number of Latin terms

into one:

The word adultery originates not from the Late Latin word for “toalter, corrupt”: adulterare. Adulterare in turn is formed by thecombination of ad (“towards”), and alter  (“other”), together withthe infinitive form are (making it a verb). (Wikipedia)

So, in English the word adultery has the idea of one person movingtowards another person in order to make a new personal arrangement.Moreover, in some cases the Latin term adulterare carried the meaning of”to pollute” – taking something that is pure, and contaminating it.

When we say that some has committed adultery, we are simply statingthat a person has corrupted his or her marriage by introducing a thirdparty. The marriage has been altered, changed, and polluted. The Englishword is quite descriptive, but since the Old Testament was writtenprimarily in Hebrew we must understand this term biblically.

The Old Testament TermIn the Old Testament, the primary Hebrew word for adultery is na’aph. As

with any word, it is part of a grouping of words with similar meanings. Many of

these words emphasize a range of meanings; for example, they can take literalor figurative meanings, and even describe those who are married or

betrothed who are unfaithful. However, na’aph is the found the majority

Adultery and the Old Testament (1) |  Jovan Payes

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  of the time to state that a person has – as we say – “cheated” on theirspouse.[1] 

William Wilson notes that na’aph “is confined to adultery in theexclusive sense of the term or fornication by a married person.”[2] JameSwanson amplifies the meaning, stating that it refers to a person who ha

“sexual intercourse with [someone] other than a spouse, as a married orbetrothed person.”[3] 

One of the earliest appearances of na’aph in the Old Testament is inthe reading of the “10 Commandments” (Exodus 20.14). God saystransparently, “You shall not commit adultery.” This command iscradled between the “shall not’s” of murder and stealing, which shouldgive us an indication as to the severity of adultery in the eyes of God(Exod. 20.13, 15 cf. Lev. 20.10).

Clyde Woods makes the observation that in this command, the“sacredness of marriage” is emphasized, and it is this “principle of socia

purity” that “provides the basis for numerous [other] laws regardingsexual relationships and offences” (cf. Exod. 22.19; Lev. 18.1-18; Deut.22.13-30).[4] 

And in this connection, R. Alan Cole finds in Joseph’s rejectionof Potiphar’s wife the fact that: “For a man to have intercourse withanother man’s wife was considered as heinous sin against God as well aman, long before the law, in patriarchal times (Gen. 39.9).”[5] 

The holiness of God demands that the matrimonial bed be undefiledby extra-marital affairs (Heb.13.4). Some people defile their marriage by

enjoying the privileges of marriage with another person (John 8.4).Others so saturated their minds with “day dream scenarios”, that ifcircumstances presented themselves they would do it (Matt. 5.28). Fromthe beginning, however, this was not God’s ideal plan for marriage(Matt. 19.9 cf. Gen. 2.24).

To be continued…

Sources1. James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages With Semantic

Domains: Hebrew ( 2d ed. electronic ed. Oak Harbor: Logos ResearchSystems, 1997).

2. William Wilson, Wilson’s Old Testament Word Studies (Peabody:Hendrickson, n.d.), 6.

3. Swanson, DBLH 5537 (No. 1273).4. Clyde M. Woods, Genesis-Exodus (Henderson, TN: Woods, 1972), 1795. R. Alan Cole, Exodus: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers

Grove: InterVarsity, 1973), 160.

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Adultery and the Old Testament (1) (continued)