7 Sanctify H6942 yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: H6918 for I am the LORD H3068 your God. H430
According as G2531 he hath chosen G1586 us G2248 in G1722 him G846 before G4253 the foundation G2602 of the world, G2889 that we G2248 should be G1511 holy G40 and G2532 without blame G299 before G2714 him G846 in G1722 love: G26
Wherefore, G5620 my G3450 beloved, G27 as G2531 ye have G5219 always G3842 obeyed, G5219 not G3361 as G5613 in G1722 my G3450 presence G3952 only, G3440 but G235 now G3568 much G4183 more G3123 in G1722 my G3450 absence, G666 work out G2716 your own G1438 salvation G4991 with G3326 fear G5401 and G2532 trembling. G5156 For G1063 it is G2076 God G2316 which G3588 worketh G1754 in G1722 you G5213 both G2532 to will G2309 and G2532 to do G1754 of G5228 his good pleasure. G2107
For G1063 God G2316 hath G2564 not G3756 called G2564 us G2248 unto G1909 uncleanness, G167 but G235 unto G1722 holiness. G38
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.