Leviticus Chapter 20
1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 "Moreover, you shall tell the children of Israel, 'Anyone of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners in Israel, who gives any of his offspring to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone that person with stones.
3 I also will set my face against that person, and will cut him off from amongst his people, because he has given of his offspring to Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.
4 If the people of the land all hide their eyes from that person when he gives of his offspring to Molech, and don't put him to death,
5 then I will set my face against that man and against his family, and will cut him off, and all who play the prostitute after him to play the prostitute with Molech, from amongst their people.
6 " 'The person that turns to those who are mediums and wizards, to play the prostitute after them, I will even set my face against that person, and will cut him off from amongst his people.
7 " 'Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am the LORD your God.
8 You shall keep my statutes, and do them. I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
9 " 'For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother. His blood shall be upon himself.
10 " 'The man who commits adultery with another man's wife, even he who commits adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
11 " 'The man who lies with his father's wife has uncovered his father's nakedness. Both of them shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon themselves.
12 " 'If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death. They have committed a perversion. Their blood shall be upon themselves.
13 " 'If a man lies with a male, as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon themselves.
14 " 'If a man takes a wife and her mother, it is wickedness. They shall be burnt with fire, both he and they, that there may be no wickedness amongst you.
15 " 'If a man lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; and you shall kill the animal.
16 " 'If a woman approaches any animal and lies with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.
17 " 'If a man takes his sister-his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter-and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness, it is a shameful thing. They shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has uncovered his sister's nakedness. He shall bear his iniquity.
18 " 'If a man lies with a woman having her monthly period, and uncovers her nakedness, he has made her fountain naked, and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood. Both of them shall be cut off from amongst their people.
19 " 'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, nor of your father's sister, for he has made his close relative naked. They shall bear their iniquity.
20 If a man lies with his uncle's wife, he has uncovered his uncle's nakedness. They shall bear their sin. They shall die childless.
21 " 'If a man takes his brother's wife, it is an impurity. He has uncovered his brother's nakedness. They shall be childless.
22 " 'You shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my ordinances, and do them, that the land where I am bringing you to dwell may not vomit you out.
23 You shall not walk in the customs of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
24 But I have said to you, "You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey." I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples.
25 " 'You shall therefore make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the clean. You shall not make yourselves abominable by animal, or by bird, or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have separated from you as unclean for you.
26 You shall be holy to me, for I, the LORD, am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, that you should be mine.
27 " 'A man or a woman that is a medium or is a wizard shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones. Their blood shall be upon themselves.' "
Footnotes
- Verse 2 (offspring)
- or, seed
Version: World English Bible
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Leviticus Chapter 20 Guide
Once more we have a repetition of laws already enunciated with the same persistent thought of responsibility. In this section we find the death sentence associated with certain forms of disobedience, and thus the fact of responsibility is lifted into a yet more clearly defined importance and lays a new and startling emphasis on the absolute authority of God. All the words which had thus been uttered for conditioning life were definite and positive laws. They were infinitely more than general messages of advice and direction. To disregard them was not merely unwise, it was positively penal a and must be visited with actual punishment, and in certain cases with the death penalty.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Leviticus Chapter 20 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- Law against sacrificing children to Moloch, Of children that curse their parents. -- (1-9)
- Laws repeated, Holiness enjoined. -- (10-27)
Verses 1-9
Are we shocked at the unnatural cruelty of the ancient idolaters in sacrificing their children? We may justly be so. But are there not very many parents, who, by bad teaching and wicked examples, and by the mysteries of iniquity which they show their children, devote them to the service of Satan, and forward their everlasting ruin, in a manner even more to be lamented? What an account must such parents render to God, and what a meeting will they have with their children at the day of judgment! On the other hand, let children remember that he who cursed father or mother was surely put to death. This law Christ confirmed. Laws which were made before are repeated, and penalties annexed to them. If men will not avoid evil practices, because the law has made these practices sin, and it is right that we go on that principle, surely they should avoid them when the law has made them death, from a principle of self-preservation. In the midst of these laws comes in a general charge, Sanctify yourselves, and be ye holy. It is the Lord that sanctifies, and his work will be done, though it be difficult. Yet his grace is so far from doing away our endeavours, that it strongly encourages them. Work out your salvation, for it is God that worketh in you.
Verses 10-27
These verses repeat what had been said before, but it was needful there should be line upon line. What praises we owe to God that he has taught the evil of sin, and the sure way of deliverance from it! May we have grace to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things; may we have no fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness, but reprove them.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.