In Israel, the family was the foundation for the unity of the community. Each of the twelve tribes was a mixed group of families and clans. Together, these tribes made up the entire nation of Israel.
While this unified identity might weaken with distance from a person's immediate family, this family concept was present throughout Israelite society. A relative was often called a brother. This showed how close they felt to each other. Extending this family model, the term often translated as "brother" could also mean a fellow Israelite (see Deuteronomy 1:16, "a man and his brother"; Deuteronomy 3:18, "your brothers, the Israelites").
In ancient Israel, the community was like a large family. So, the home's integrity was important. Crimes like incest (sexual relationships between close family members) and adultery (when a married person has a sexual relationship with someone who is not their spouse) had harsh punishments because they harmed family relationships. Incest damaged trust between family members, destroyed the safe environment that a home should provide, and broke the special bonds that family members should share. Adultery harmed families by people giving loyalty to someone other than their spouse. These threats to family unity weakened the clan and tribe, and finally, the nation's unity (see Leviticus 18:6–23).
Sexual sins, even ones to which both people agree, are not without victims. They can eventually harm the community. Old Testament laws emphasize these crimes, and the New Testament also warns against sexual immorality (see especially 1 Corinthians 5:1–2; 6:13–20; 7:2; Galatians 5:19–21; Ephesians 5:3; Jude 1:7; Revelation 2:14–16, 20).
Passages for Further Study
Genesis 19:30–38; 49:3–4; Leviticus 18:6–30; 20:14, 21; 2 Samuel 13:1–39; Matthew 14:3–5; 1 Corinthians 5:1–2; 6:13–20; 7:2; Galatians 5:19–21; Ephesians 5:3; Jude 1:7; Revelation 2:14–16, 20