Although, we all probably have an idea of what adultery is. In this article, we would like to search the Scriptures, and define "adultery" by the Scriptures alone. We are looking for verses that define the word. The goal should be to take that word and define it by the Scriptures. This follows the method described in the article on a systematic method of word study.
Matthew 19:9 gives us a verse with context of adultery:
In Matthew 19:18, Jesus quotes Exodus 20:14
The Greek adultery here is the word "moichao". In Exodus 20:14, the word translated as adultery is the Hebrew word "na'aph".
Now we can systematically investigate where the word "na'aph" is used. The first place it is used is in Exodus 20:14; however, no context is given as to infer what it means. The second place "na'aph" is used is in Leviticus 20:10:
This verse at least tells us that adultery has to do with a man and another man's wife. The third place "na'aph" is used is in Proverbs 6:29,32:
The fourth place "na'aph" is rather translated as "break wedlock" as in Ezekiel 16:32,38:
And the final place, that gives some context, is Hosea 4:14 which says:
Here, Hosea distinguishes that daughters commit fornication and spouses commit adultery.
Therefore, from all the verses above, we can conclude the following:
Adultery is sexual intercourse between a man another man's wife. Adultery is also sexual intercourse between a married man with an unmarried woman.
