Leviticus 20:1-9

1 ADONAI said to Moshe,

2 "Say to the people of Isra'el, 'If someone from the people of Isra'el or one of the foreigners living in Isra'el sacrifices one of his children to Molekh, he must be put to death; the people of the land are to stone him to death.

3 I too will set myself against him and cut him off from his people, because he has sacrificed his child to Molekh, defiling my sanctuary and profaning my holy name.

4 If the people of the land look the other way when that man sacrifices his child to Molekh and fail to put him to death,

5 then I will set myself against him, his family and everyone who follows him to go fornicating after Molekh, and cut them off from their people.

6 "'The person who turns to spirit-mediums and sorcerers to go fornicating after them -I will set myself against him and cut him off from his people.

7 Therefore consecrate yourselves -you people must be holy, because I am ADONAI your God.

8 Observe my regulations, and obey them; I am ADONAI, who sets you apart to be holy.

9 "'A person who curses his father or mother must be put to death; having cursed his father or his mother, his blood is on him.

Leviticus 20:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 20

In this chapter several laws are, repeated, enforced with a penalty annexed to them, and the breach them made capital, to deter from it, as giving seed to Molech, Le 20:1-5; going after such that have familiar spirits, or are wizards, Le 20:6; by shunning which, and other sins, a regard would be shown to holiness, Le 20:7,8; such as cursing parents, Le 20:9; committing adultery, Le 20:10; incestuous copulations, and marriages, and beastly actions, Le 20:11-21; all which it became the Israelites to avoid, lest, when come into the land of Canaan, they should be cast out of it, as the old inhabitants were for the same things, Le 20:22-24; and therefore, that they might appear to be a distinct people from others, they were to put a difference between clean and unclean creatures, Le 20:25,26; and the chapter is closed with a law, making it death for any person to have a familiar spirit, or to be a wizard, Le 19:27.