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
Regard H6437 not them that have familiar spirits, H178 neither seek H1245 after wizards, H3049 to be defiled H2930 by them: I am the LORD H3068 your God. H430
Lest thou make H3772 a covenant H1285 with the inhabitants H3427 of the land, H776 and they go a whoring H2181 after H310 their gods, H430 and do sacrifice H2076 unto their gods, H430 and one call H7121 thee, and thou eat H398 of his sacrifice; H2077 And thou take H3947 of their daughters H1323 unto thy sons, H1121 and their daughters H1323 go a whoring H2181 after H310 their gods, H430 and make H2181 thy sons H1121 go a whoring H2181 after H310 their gods. H430
Ye shall not eat H398 any thing with the blood: H1818 neither shall ye use enchantment, H5172 nor observe times. H6049
And it shall be unto you for a fringe, H6734 that ye may look H7200 upon it, and remember H2142 all the commandments H4687 of the LORD, H3068 and do H6213 them; and that ye seek H8446 not after H310 your own heart H3824 and your own eyes, H5869 after H310 which ye use to go a whoring: H2181
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. Thou shalt be perfect H8549 with the LORD H3068 thy God. H430 For these nations, H1471 which thou shalt possess, H3423 hearkened H8085 unto observers of times, H6049 and unto diviners: H7080 but as for thee, the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath not suffered H5414 thee so to do.
So Saul H7586 died H4191 for his transgression H4604 which he committed H4603 against the LORD, H3068 even against the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 which he kept H8104 not, and also for asking H7592 counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, H178 to enquire H1875 of it; And enquired H1875 not of the LORD: H3068 therefore he slew H4191 him, and turned H5437 the kingdom H4410 unto David H1732 the son H1121 of Jesse. H3448
And they that escape H6412 of you shall remember H2142 me among the nations H1471 whither they shall be carried captives, H7617 because I am broken H7665 with their whorish H2181 heart, H3820 which hath departed H5493 from me, and with their eyes, H5869 which go a whoring H2181 after H310 their idols: H1544 and they shall lothe H6962 themselves H6440 for the evils H7451 which they have committed H6213 in all their abominations. H8441
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.