Leviticus 20:5

5 then I will turn[a] against that man and his family, and cut off from their people both him and all who follow[b] him, prostituting themselves with Molech.

Leviticus 20:5 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 20:5

Then I will set my face against that man
That man that sees him do the fact, and winks at it, or the judge that connives at him, and will not condemn him, as well as the man that has committed the iniquity:

and against his family;
either the family of the witness, who could and should have testified against him, or of the judge negligent of his office, or of the man himself, whose family must be privy to so shocking an action, and were abettors of it, and aiders and assisters in it; and so Onkelos renders it, "and his helpers":

and will cut him off:
the head of the family, whether judge, witness, or the criminal himself:

and all that go a whoring after him:
that commit the like idolatry after his example, and encouraged to it by the connivance of others at it:

to commit whoredom with Molech;
that is, idolatry, which is spiritual whoredom, and often so called in Scripture, and with great propriety; for since God had espoused these people to himself, and was their husband, as he was from the time of his bringing them out of Egypt, and making a covenant with them, ( Jeremiah 31:32 ) ; and their sacrificing to and serving other gods being a breach of their matrimonial covenant with him, it was no other than whoredom in a spiritual sense, for which he threatens to cut them off:

from among their people;
by an immature death, even all that were guilty of such abominable actions, or made themselves accessory to them, by any ways conniving at them, either as judges or witnesses.

Leviticus 20:5 In-Context

3 I will turn against that man and cut him off from his people, because he gave his offspring to Molech, defiling My sanctuary and profaning My holy name.
4 But if the people of the country look the other way when that man gives any of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death,
5 then I will turn against that man and his family, and cut off from their people both him and all who follow him, prostituting themselves with Molech.
6 "Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists and prostitutes himself with them, I will turn against that person and cut him off from his people.
7 Consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Lit will set My face
  • [b]. Lit prostitute themselves with
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