Worthy.Bible » Parallel » Leviticus » Chapter 20 » Verse 1-27

Leviticus 20:1-27 King James Version (KJV)

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.

3 And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.

4 And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not:

5 Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people.

6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.

8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.

9 For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.

10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

11 And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

12 And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them.

13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

14 And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.

15 And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.

16 And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

17 And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister's nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.

18 And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.

19 And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister, nor of thy father's sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity.

20 And if a man shall lie with his uncle's wife, he hath uncovered his uncle's nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.

21 And if a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless.

22 Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.

23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.

24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.

25 Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.

26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.

27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.


Leviticus 20:1-27 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559

2 Again, thou shalt say H559 to the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 Whosoever H376 he be of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 or of the strangers H1616 that sojourn H1481 in Israel, H3478 that giveth H5414 any of his seed H2233 unto Molech; H4432 he shall surely H4191 be put to death: H4191 the people H5971 of the land H776 shall stone H7275 him with stones. H68

3 And I will set H5414 my face H6440 against that man, H376 and will cut him off H3772 from among H7130 his people; H5971 because he hath given H5414 of his seed H2233 unto Molech, H4432 to defile H2930 my sanctuary, H4720 and to profane H2490 my holy H6944 name. H8034

4 And if the people H5971 of the land H776 do any ways H5956 hide H5956 their eyes H5869 from the man, H376 when he giveth H5414 of his seed H2233 unto Molech, H4432 and kill H4191 him not: H1115

5 Then I will set H7760 my face H6440 against that man, H376 and against his family, H4940 and will cut him off, H3772 and all that go a whoring H2181 after H310 him, to commit whoredom H2181 with Molech, H4432 from among H7130 their people. H5971

6 And the soul H5315 that turneth H6437 after H413 such as have familiar spirits, H178 and after H310 wizards, H3049 to go a whoring H2181 after H310 them, I will even set H5414 my face H6440 against that soul, H5315 and will cut him off H3772 from among H7130 his people. H5971

7 Sanctify H6942 yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: H6918 for I am the LORD H3068 your God. H430

8 And ye shall keep H8104 my statutes, H2708 and do H6213 them: I am the LORD H3068 which sanctify H6942 you.

9 For every H376 one H376 that curseth H7043 his father H1 or his mother H517 shall be surely H4191 put to death: H4191 he hath cursed H7043 his father H1 or his mother; H517 his blood H1818 shall be upon him.

10 And the man H376 that committeth adultery H5003 with another man's H376 wife, H802 even he that committeth adultery H5003 with his neighbour's H7453 wife, H802 the adulterer H5003 and the adulteress H5003 shall surely H4191 be put to death. H4191

11 And the man H376 that lieth H7901 with his father's H1 wife H802 hath uncovered H1540 his father's H1 nakedness: H6172 both H8147 of them shall surely H4191 be put to death; H4191 their blood H1818 shall be upon them.

12 And if a man H376 lie H7901 with his daughter in law, H3618 both H8147 of them shall surely H4191 be put to death: H4191 they have wrought H6213 confusion; H8397 their blood H1818 shall be upon them.

13 If a man H376 also lie H7901 with mankind, H2145 as he lieth H4904 with a woman, H802 both H8147 of them have committed H6213 an abomination: H8441 they shall surely H4191 be put to death; H4191 their blood H1818 shall be upon them.

14 And if a man H376 take H3947 a wife H802 and her mother, H517 it is wickedness: H2154 they shall be burnt H8313 with fire, H784 both he and they; that there be no wickedness H2154 among H8432 you.

15 And if a man H376 lie H5414 H7903 with a beast, H929 he shall surely H4191 be put to death: H4191 and ye shall slay H2026 the beast. H929

16 And if a woman H802 approach H7126 unto any beast, H929 and lie down H7250 thereto, thou shalt kill H2026 the woman, H802 and the beast: H929 they shall surely H4191 be put to death; H4191 their blood H1818 shall be upon them.

17 And if a man H376 shall take H3947 his sister, H269 his father's H1 daughter, H1323 or H176 his mother's H517 daughter, H1323 and see H7200 her nakedness, H6172 and she see H7200 his nakedness; H6172 it is a wicked thing; H2617 and they shall be cut off H3772 in the sight H5869 of their people: H5971 H1121 he hath uncovered H1540 his sister's H269 nakedness; H6172 he shall bear H5375 his iniquity. H5771

18 And if a man H376 shall lie H7901 with a woman H802 having her sickness, H1739 and shall uncover H1540 her nakedness; H6172 he hath discovered H6168 her fountain, H4726 and she hath uncovered H1540 the fountain H4726 of her blood: H1818 and both H8147 of them shall be cut off H3772 from among H7130 their people. H5971

19 And thou shalt not uncover H1540 the nakedness H6172 of thy mother's H517 sister, H269 nor of thy father's H1 sister: H269 for he uncovereth H6168 his near kin: H7607 they shall bear H5375 their iniquity. H5771

20 And if a man H376 shall lie H7901 with his uncle's wife, H1733 he hath uncovered H1540 his uncle's H1730 nakedness: H6172 they shall bear H5375 their sin; H2399 they shall die H4191 childless. H6185

21 And if a man H376 shall take H3947 his brother's H251 wife, H802 it is an unclean thing: H5079 he hath uncovered H1540 his brother's H251 nakedness; H6172 they shall be childless. H6185

22 Ye shall therefore keep H8104 all my statutes, H2708 and all my judgments, H4941 and do H6213 them: that the land, H776 whither I bring H935 you to dwell H3427 therein, spue you not out. H6958

23 And ye shall not walk H3212 in the manners H2708 of the nation, H1471 which I cast out H7971 before H6440 you: for they committed H6213 all these things, and therefore I abhorred H6973 them.

24 But I have said H559 unto you, Ye shall inherit H3423 their land, H127 and I will give H5414 it unto you to possess H3423 it, a land H776 that floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey: H1706 I am the LORD H3068 your God, H430 which have separated H914 you from other people. H5971

25 Ye shall therefore put difference H914 between clean H2889 beasts H929 and unclean, H2931 and between unclean H2931 fowls H5775 and clean: H2889 and ye shall not make your souls H5315 abominable H8262 by beast, H929 or by fowl, H5775 or by any manner of living thing that creepeth H7430 on the ground, H127 which I have separated H914 from you as unclean. H2930

26 And ye shall be holy H6918 unto me: for I the LORD H3068 am holy, H6918 and have severed H914 you from other people, H5971 that ye should be mine.

27 A man H376 also or woman H802 that hath H3588 a familiar spirit, H178 or that is a wizard, H3049 shall surely H4191 be put to death: H4191 they shall stone H7275 them with stones: H68 their blood H1818 shall be upon them.


Leviticus 20:1-27 American Standard (ASV)

1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Moreover, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.

3 I also will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.

4 And if the people at the land do at all hide their eyes from that man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and put him not to death;

5 then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that play the harlot after him, to play the harlot with Molech, from among their people.

6 And the soul that turneth unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto the wizards, to play the harlot after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am Jehovah your God.

8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am Jehovah who sanctifieth you.

9 For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.

10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

11 And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

12 And if a man lie with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them.

13 And if a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

14 And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.

15 And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.

16 And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

17 And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a shameful thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people: he hath uncovered his sister's nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.

18 And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath made naked her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.

19 And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister, nor of thy father's sister; for he hath made naked his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity.

20 And if a man shall lie with his uncle's wife, he hath uncovered his uncle's nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.

21 And if a man shall take his brother's wife, it is impurity: he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless.

22 Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all mine ordinances, and do them; that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, vomit you not out.

23 And ye shall not walk in the customs of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.

24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey: I am Jehovah your God, who hath separated you from the peoples.

25 Ye shall therefore make a distinction between the clean beast and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by bird, or by anything wherewith the ground teemeth, which I have separated from you as unclean.

26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I, Jehovah, am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, that ye should be mine.

27 A man also or a woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon them.


Leviticus 20:1-27 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,

2 `And unto the sons of Israel thou dost say, Any man of the sons of Israel, and of the sojourners who is sojourning in Israel, who giveth of his seed to the Molech, is certainly put to death; the people of the land do stone him with stones;

3 and I -- I set My face against that man, and have cut him off from the midst of his people, for of his seed he hath given to the Molech, so as to defile My sanctuary, and to pollute My holy name.

4 `And if the people of the land really hide their eyes from that man, in his giving of his seed to the Molech, so as not to put him to death,

5 then I have set My face against that man, and against his family, and have cut him off, and all who are going a-whoring after him, even going a-whoring after the Molech, from the midst of their people.

6 `And the person who turneth unto those having familiar spirits, and unto the wizards, to go a-whoring after them, I have even set My face against that person, and cut him off from the midst of his people.

7 `And ye have sanctified yourselves, and ye have been holy, for I `am' Jehovah your God;

8 and ye have kept My statutes and have done them; I `am' Jehovah, sanctifying you.

9 `For any man who revileth his father and his mother is certainly put to death; his father and his mother he hath reviled: his blood `is' on him.

10 `And a man who committeth adultery with a man's wife -- who committeth adultery with the wife of his neighbour -- the adulterer and the adulteress are surely put to death.

11 `And a man who lieth with his father's wife -- the nakedness of his father he hath uncovered -- both of them are certainly put to death; their blood `is' on them.

12 `And a man who lieth with his daughter-in-law -- both of them are certainly put to death; confusion they have made; their blood `is' on them.

13 `And a man who lieth with a male as one lieth with a woman; abomination both of them have done; they are certainly put to death; their blood `is' on them.

14 `And a man who taketh the woman and her mother -- it `is' wickedness; with fire they burn him and them, and there is no wickedness in your midst.

15 `And a man who giveth his lying with a beast is certainly put to death, and the beast ye do slay.

16 `And a woman who draweth near unto any beast to lie with it -- thou hast even slain the woman and the beast; they are certainly put to death; their blood `is' on them.

17 `And a man who taketh his sister, a daughter of his father or daughter of his mother, and he hath seen her nakedness, and she seeth his nakedness: it is a shame; and they have been cut off before the eyes of the sons of their people; the nakedness of his sister he hath uncovered; his iniquity he beareth.

18 `And a man who lieth with a sick woman, and hath uncovered her nakedness, her fountain he hath made bare, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood, -- even both of them have been cut off from the midst of their people.

19 `And the nakedness of thy mother's sister, and of thy father's sister, thou dost not uncover; because his relation he hath made bare; their iniquity they bear.

20 `And a man who lieth with his aunt, the nakedness of his uncle he hath uncovered; their sin they bear; childless they die.

21 `And a man who taketh his brother's wife -- it `is' impurity; the nakedness of his brother he hath uncovered; childless they are.

22 `And ye have kept all My statutes, and all My judgments, and have done them, and the land vomiteth you not out whither I am bringing you in to dwell in it;

23 and ye walk not in the statutes of the nation which I am sending away from before you, for all these they have done, and I am wearied with them;

24 and I say to you, Ye -- ye do possess their ground, and I -- I give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey; I `am' Jehovah your God, who hath separated you from the peoples.

25 `And ye have made separation between the pure beasts and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the pure, and ye do not make yourselves abominable by beast or by fowl, or by anything which creepeth `on' the ground which I have separated to you for unclean;

26 and ye have been holy to Me; for holy `am' I, Jehovah; and I separate you from the peoples to become Mine.

27 `And a man or woman -- when there is in them a familiar spirit, or who `are' wizards -- are certainly put to death; with stones they stone them; their blood `is' on them.'


Leviticus 20:1-27 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

2 Thou shalt say also to the children of Israel, Every one of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, that giveth of his seed unto Molech, shall certainly be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.

3 And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, so as to make my sanctuary unclean, and to profane my holy name.

4 And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from that man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, that they kill him not,

5 then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people.

6 -- And the soul that turneth unto necromancers and unto soothsayers, to go a whoring after them, I will set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

7 Hallow yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am Jehovah your God.

8 And ye shall observe my statutes, and do them: I am Jehovah who hallow you.

9 Whatever man revileth his father and his mother shall certainly be put to death: he hath reviled his father and his mother; his blood is upon him.

10 And a man that committeth adultery with a man's wife, who committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, -- the adulterer and the adulteress shall certainly be put to death.

11 And a man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall certainly be put to death; their blood is upon them.

12 And if a man lie with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall certainly be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood is upon them.

13 And if a man lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall certainly be put to death; their blood is upon them.

14 And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is infamy: they shall burn him and them with fire, that there be no infamy among you.

15 And if a man lie with a beast for copulation, he shall certainly be put to death; and ye shall kill the beast.

16 And if a woman approach unto any beast to gender therewith, thou shalt kill the woman and the beast: they shall certainly be put to death; their blood is upon them.

17 And if a man take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness, that is a disgrace; and they shall be cut off before the eyes of the children of their people: he hath uncovered his sister's nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.

18 And if a man shall lie with a woman in her infirmity, and uncover her nakedness, her flux doth he lay bare, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood; and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.

19 And the nakedness of thy mother's sister, and of thy father's sister shalt thou not uncover; for he hath laid naked his near relation: they shall bear their iniquity.

20 And if a man lie with his aunt, he hath uncovered his uncle's nakedness: their sin shall they bear: they shall die childless.

21 And if a man take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness: they shall be childless.

22 And ye shall observe all my statutes, and all mine ordinances, and do them, that the land whither I bring you to dwell therein vomit you not out.

23 And ye shall not walk in the customs of the nation which I am casting out before you; for all these things have they done, and they became an abomination to me.

24 And I have said unto you, Ye shall possess their land, and I will give it unto you for a possession; a land flowing with milk and honey: I am Jehovah your God, who have separated you from the peoples.

25 And ye shall make a separation between the clean beast and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the clean, and ye shall not make yourselves an abomination by beast, or by fowl, or by anything that creepeth on the ground which I have separated for you, declaring [it] as unclean.

26 And ye shall be holy unto me; for I Jehovah am holy, and have separated you from the peoples to be mine.

27 And if there be a man or a woman in whom is a spirit of Python or of divination, they shall certainly be put to death: they shall stone them with stones; their blood is upon them.


Leviticus 20:1-27 World English Bible (WEB)

1 Yahweh 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 seed to Molech; he shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones.

3 I also will set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people because he has given of his seed 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 seed 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 among their people.

6 "'The person that turns to those who are mediums, and to the wizards, to play the prostitute after them, I will even set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people.

7 "'Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am Yahweh your God.

8 You shall keep my statutes, and do them. I am Yahweh 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 him.

10 "'The man who commits adultery with another man's wife, even he who commits adultery with his neighbor'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 them.

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 them.

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 them.

14 "'If a man takes a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burned with fire, both he and they; that there may be no wickedness among 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 down 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; and 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 naked her fountain, and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.

19 "'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, nor of your father's sister; for he has made naked his close relative: 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 Yahweh 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: and 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, Yahweh, 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 stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon them.'"


Leviticus 20:1-27 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 And the Lord said to Moses,

2 Again, say to the children of Israel, If any man of the children of Israel, or any other man living in Israel, gives his offspring to Molech, he is certainly to be put to death: he is to be stoned by the people of the land;

3 And my face will be turned against that man, and he will be cut off from his people; because he has given his offspring to Molech, making my holy place unclean, and making my holy name common.

4 And if the people of the land do not take note of that man when he gives his offspring to Molech, and do not put him to death,

5 Then my face will be turned against him and his family, and he and all those who do evil with him will be cut off from among their people.

6 And whoever goes after those who make use of spirits and wonder-workers, doing evil with them, against him will my face be turned, and he will be cut off from among his people.

7 So make and keep yourselves holy, for I am the Lord your God.

8 And keep my rules and do them: I am the Lord, who make you holy.

9 Every man cursing his father or his mother is certainly to be put to death; because of his curse on his father or his mother, his blood will be on him.

10 And if a man has sex relations with another man's wife, even the wife of his neighbour, he and she are certainly to be put to death.

11 And the man who has sex relations with his father's wife has put shame on his father: the two of them are to be put to death; their blood will be on them.

12 And if a man has sex relations with his son's wife, the two of them are to be put to death: it is unnatural; their blood will be on them.

13 And if a man has sex relations with a man, the two of them have done a disgusting thing: let them be put to death; their blood will be on them.

14 And if a man takes as wife a woman and her mother, it is an act of shame; let them be burned with fire, all three of them, so that there may be no shame among you.

15 And if a man has sex relations with a beast, let him be put to death, and let the beast be put to destruction.

16 And if a woman goes near a beast and has sex relations with it, you will put an end to the woman and the beast: their blood will be on them.

17 And if a man takes his sister, daughter of his father or his mother, and has sex relations with her and she with him, it is an act of shame: they are to be cut off before the children of their people; he has had sex relations with his sister, and his sin will be on him.

18 And if a man has sex relations with a woman at the time when she is unwell, he has seen her fountain and she has let the fountain of her blood be uncovered, and the two of them are to be cut off from among their people.

19 And you may not have sex connection with your mother's sister or your father's sister, for they are his near relations: their sin will be on them.

20 And if a man has sex relations with the wife of his father's brother, he has put shame on his father's brother: their sin will be on them; till the day of their death they will have no children.

21 And if a man takes his brother's wife, it is an unclean act; he has put shame on his brother; they will have no children.

22 So then, keep my rules and my decisions and do them, so that the land which I am giving you as your resting-place may not violently send you out again.

23 And do not keep the rules of the nations which I am driving out before you; for they did all these things, and for that reason my soul was turned against them.

24 But I have said to you, You will take their land and I will give it to you for your heritage, a land flowing with milk and honey: I am the Lord your God who have made you separate from all other peoples.

25 So then, make division between the clean beast and the unclean, and between the clean bird and the unclean: do not make yourselves disgusting by any beast or bird or anything which goes flat on the earth, which has been marked by me as unclean for you.

26 And you are to be holy to me; for I the Lord am holy and have made you separate from the nations, so that you may be my people.

27 Any man or woman who makes use of spirits, or who is a wonder-worker, is to be put to death: they are to be stoned with stones: their blood will be on them.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Leviticus 20

Commentary on Leviticus 20 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary


Verse 1

Punishments for the Vices and crimes Prohibited in Ch. 18 and 19. - The list commences with idolatry and soothsaying, which were to be followed by extermination, as a practical apostasy from Jehovah, and a manifest breach of the covenant.


Verse 2

Whoever, whether an Israelite or a foreigner in Israel, dedicated of his seed (children) to Moloch (see Leviticus 18:21), was to be put to death. The people of the land were to stone him. בּאבן רגם , lapide obruere , is synonymous with סקל , lit., lapidem jacere: this was the usual punishment appointed in the law for cases in which death was inflicted, either as the result of a judicial sentence, or by the national community.


Verse 3

By this punishment the nation only carried out the will of Jehovah; for He would cut off such a man (see at Leviticus 17:10 and Leviticus 18:21) for having defiled the sanctuary of Jehovah and desecrated the name of Jehovah, not because he had brought the sacrifice to Moloch into the sanctuary of Jehovah, as Movers supposes, but in the same sense in which all the sins of Israel defiled the sanctuary in their midst (Leviticus 15:31; Leviticus 16:16).


Verse 4-5

If the people, however (the people of the land), should hide their eyes from him (on the dagesh in חעלּם and יעלּימוּ see the note on Leviticus 4:13-21), from an unscrupulous indifference or a secret approval of his sin, the Lord would direct His face against him and his family, and cut him off with all that went a whoring after him.


Verse 6

He would also do the same to every soul that turned to familiar spirits and necromantists (Leviticus 19:31, cf. Exodus 22:17), “to go a whoring after them,” i.e., to make himself guilty of idolatry by so doing, such practices being always closely connected with idolatry.


Verse 7-8

For the Israelites were to sanctify themselves, i.e., to keep themselves pure from all idolatrous abominations, to be holy because Jehovah was holy (Leviticus 11:44; Leviticus 19:2), and to keep the statutes of their God who sanctified them (Exodus 31:13).


Verses 9-18

Whoever cursed father or mother was to be punished with death (Leviticus 19:3); “ His blood would be upon him .” The cursing of parents was a capital crime (see at Leviticus 17:4, and for the plural דּמיו Exodus 22:1 and Genesis 4:10), which was to return upon the doer of it, according to Genesis 9:6. The same punishment was to be inflicted upon adultery (Leviticus 20:10, cf. Leviticus 18:20), carnal intercourse with a father's wife (Leviticus 20:11, cf. Leviticus 18:7-8) or with a daughter-in-law (Leviticus 20:12, cf. Leviticus 18:17), sodomy (Leviticus 20:13, cf. Leviticus 18:22), sexual intercourse with a mother and her daughter, in which case the punishment was to be heightened by the burning of the criminals when put to death (Leviticus 20:14, cf. Leviticus 18:17), lying with a beast (Leviticus 20:15, Leviticus 20:16, cf. Leviticus 18:23), sexual intercourse with a half-sister (Leviticus 20:17, cf. Leviticus 18:9 and Leviticus 18:11), and lying with a menstruous woman (Leviticus 20:18, cf. Leviticus 18:19). The punishment of death, which was to be inflicted in all these cases upon both the criminals, and also upon the beast that had been abused (Leviticus 20:15, Leviticus 20:16), was to be by stoning, according to Leviticus 20:2, Leviticus 20:27, and Deuteronomy 22:21.; and by the burning (Leviticus 20:14) we are not to understand death by fire, or burning alive, but, as we may clearly see from Joshua 7:15 and Joshua 7:25, burning the corpse after death. This was also the case in Leviticus 21:9 and Genesis 38:24.


Verses 19-21

No civil punishment, on the other hand, to be inflicted by the magistrate or by the community generally, was ordered to follow marriage with an aunt, the sister of father or mother (Leviticus 20:19, cf. Leviticus 18:12-13), with an uncle's wife (Leviticus 20:20, cf. Leviticus 18:4), or with a sister-in-law, a brother's wife (Leviticus 20:21, cf. Leviticus 18:16). In all these cases the threat is simply held out, “they shall bear their iniquity,” and (according to Leviticus 20:20, Leviticus 20:21) “die childless;” that is to say, God would reserve the punishment to Himself (see at Leviticus 18:14). In the list of punishments no reference is made to intercourse with a mother (Leviticus 18:7) or a granddaughter (Leviticus 18:10), as it was taken for granted that the punishment of death would be inflicted in such cases as these; just as marriage with a daughter or a full sister is passed over in the prohibitions in ch. 18.


Verses 22-26

The list of punishments concludes, like the prohibitions in Leviticus 18:24., with exhortations to observe the commandments and judgments of the Lord, and to avoid such abominations (on Leviticus 18:22 cf. Leviticus 18:3-5, Leviticus 18:26, Leviticus 18:28, Leviticus 18:30; and on Leviticus 18:23 cf. Leviticus 18:3 and Leviticus 18:24). The reason assigned for the exhortations is, that Jehovah was about to give them for a possession the fruitful land, whose inhabitants He had driven out because of their abominations, and that Jehovah was their God, who had separated Israel from the nations. For this reason (Leviticus 18:25) they were also to sever (make distinctions) between clean and unclean cattle and birds, and not make their souls (i.e., their persons) abominable through unclean animals, with which the earth swarmed, and which God had “ separated to make unclean, ” i.e., had prohibited them from eating or touching when dead, because they defiled (see ch. 11). For (Leviticus 18:26) they were to be holy, because Jehovah their God was holy, who had severed them from the nations, to belong to Him, i.e., to be the nation of His possession (see Exodus 19:4-6).


Verse 27

But because Israel was called to be the holy nation of Jehovah, every one, ether man or woman, in whom there was a heathenish spirit of soothsaying, was to be put to death, viz., stoned (cf. Leviticus 19:31), to prevent defilement by idolatrous abominations.