Homosexuality in the Hebrew Bible Homosexuality in the Hebrew Bible Some relationships in the Hebrew Bible have been described as homosexual, though not all without some dispute, and makes references to certain male homosexual acts. The harshest condemnation of male homosexuality - specifically, of anal-penetrative sexual behavior - is found in Leviticus, where it is described as an "abomination". Genesis chapters 18 and 19 are concerned with the immorality of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and the judgement that must be imposed. The New International Version (NIV) of reads: In Genesis 19:5 the Hebrew word "yada" is translated "relations" in the New American Standard
Development of the Hebrew Bible canon member of the Pharisaic party and, although he might not have liked to think so, his was not the universally accepted Jewish Bible—other Jewish communities included more than twenty-two books." The first reference to a 24-book Jewish canon is found in 2 Esdras, which was probably written in 90–96 CE (after the destruction of the Second Temple) or the second half of the third century. The Pharisees also debated the status of canonical books. In the 2nd century CE, Rabbi Akiva declared that those who read non canonical books would not share in the afterlife (Sanhedrin 11:1, Talmud 90a). But,