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
If there be found H4672 among H7130 you, within any H259 of thy gates H8179 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee, man H376 or woman, H802 that hath wrought H6213 wickedness H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 in transgressing H5674 his covenant, H1285 And hath gone H3212 and served H5647 other H312 gods, H430 and worshipped H7812 them, either the sun, H8121 or moon, H3394 or any of the host H6635 of heaven, H8064 which I have not commanded; H6680 And it be told H5046 thee, and thou hast heard H8085 of it, and enquired H1875 diligently, H3190 and, behold, it be true, H571 and the thing H1697 certain, H3559 that such abomination H8441 is wrought H6213 in Israel: H3478 Then shalt thou bring forth H3318 that man H376 or that woman, H802 which have committed H6213 that wicked H7451 thing, H1697 unto thy gates, H8179 even that man H376 or that woman, H802 and shalt stone H5619 them with stones, H68 till they die. H4191
For I have told H5046 him that I will judge H8199 his house H1004 for H5704 ever H5769 for the iniquity H5771 which he knoweth; H3045 because his sons H1121 made themselves vile, H7043 and he restrained H3543 them not. And therefore I have sworn H7650 unto the house H1004 of Eli, H5941 that the iniquity H5771 of Eli's H5941 house H1004 shall not be purged H3722 with sacrifice H2077 nor offering H4503 for H5704 ever. H5769
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.