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.
There shall not be found H4672 among you any one that maketh his son H1121 or his daughter H1323 to pass H5674 through the fire, H784 or that useth H7080 divination, H7081 or an observer of times, H6049 or an enchanter, H5172 or a witch, H3784 Or a charmer, H2266 H2267 or a consulter H7592 with familiar spirits, H178 or a wizard, H3049 or a necromancer. H1875 H4191 For all that do H6213 these things are an abomination H8441 unto the LORD: H3068 and because H1558 of these abominations H8441 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 doth drive them out H3423 from before H6440 thee.
Then said H559 Saul H7586 unto his servants, H5650 Seek H1245 me a woman H802 that hath H1172 a familiar spirit, H178 that I may go H3212 to her, and enquire H1875 of her. And his servants H5650 said H559 to him, Behold, there is a woman H802 that hath H1172 a familiar spirit H178 at Endor. H5874 And Saul H7586 disguised H2664 himself, and put on H3847 other H312 raiment, H899 and he went, H3212 and two H8147 men H582 with him, and they came H935 to the woman H802 by night: H3915 and he said, H559 I pray thee, divine H7080 unto me by the familiar spirit, H178 and bring me him up, H5927 whom I shall name H559 unto thee. And the woman H802 said H559 unto him, Behold, thou knowest H3045 what Saul H7586 hath done, H6213 how he hath cut off H3772 those that have familiar spirits, H178 and the wizards, H3049 out of the land: H776 wherefore then layest thou a snare H5367 for my life, H5315 to cause me to die? H4191
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Leviticus 20
Commentary on Leviticus 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
Le 20:1-27. Giving One's Seed to Molech.
2. Whosoever … giveth any of his seed unto Molech—(See on Le 18:21).
the people of the land shall stone him with stones, &c.—Criminals who were condemned to be stoned were led, with their hands bound, without the gates to a small eminence, where was a large stone placed at the bottom. When they had approached within ten cubits of the spot, they were exhorted to confess, that, by faith and repentance, their souls might be saved. When led forward to within four cubits, they were stripped almost naked, and received some stupefying draught, during which the witnesses prepared, by laying aside their outer garments, to carry into execution the capital sentence which the law bound them to do. The criminal, being placed on the edge of the precipice, was then pushed backwards, so that he fell down the perpendicular height on the stone lying below: if not killed by the fall, the second witness dashed a large stone down upon his breast, and then the "people of the land," who were by-standers, rushed forward, and with stones completed the work of death (Mt 21:44; Ac 7:58).
4. If the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, &c.—that is, connive at their countrymen practising the horrid rites of Molech. Awful was it that any Hebrew parents could so violate their national covenant, and no wonder that God denounced the severest penalties against them and their families.
7-19. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy—The minute specification of the incestuous and unnatural crimes here enumerated shows their sad prevalence amongst the idolatrous nations around, and the extreme proneness of the Israelites to follow the customs of their neighbors. It is to be understood, that, whenever mention is made that the offender was "to be put to death" without describing the mode, stoning is meant. The only instance of another form of capital punishment occurs in Le 20:14, that of being burnt with fire; and yet it is probable that even here death was first inflicted by stoning, and the body of the criminal afterwards consumed by fire (Jos 7:15).
20. they shall die childless—Either by the judgment of God they shall have no children, or their spurious offspring shall be denied by human authority the ordinary privileges of children in Israel.
24. I … have separated you from other people—Their selection from the rest of the nations was for the all-important end of preserving the knowledge and worship of the true God amid the universal apostasy; and as the distinction of meats was one great means of completing that separation, the law about making a difference between clean and unclean beasts is here repeated with emphatic solemnity.