Exodus 22:19

19 1"Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.

Exodus 22:19 Meaning and Commentary

Ver. 19 Whosoever lieth with a beast
In like manner as a man and woman, by carnal copulation; this is a crime so detestable and abominable, so shocking and dishonourable to human nature, that one would think it could never be committed by any of the human species, and that there was no occasion for making a law against it; but, such is the depravity and corruption of mankind, that divine wisdom saw it necessary, and, to deter from it, made it death, as follows; such an one

shall surely be put to death;
no mercy shown him, no pardon or respite given him by the civil magistrate: according to the Targum of Jonathan, the death of such a person was by stoning, for it paraphrases the words,

``he shall be killed with the casting of stones.''

Exodus 22:19 In-Context

17 If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.
18 "You shall not permit a sorceress to live.
19 "Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.
20 "Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the LORD alone, shall be devoted to destruction.
21 "You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

Cross References 1

  • 1. Leviticus 18:23; Leviticus 20:15; Deuteronomy 27:21
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.