Leviticus 20 Study Notes
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20:17-19 The punishment for lesser offenses was being cut off publicly from their people. In some instances God himself carried out this punishment (vv. 3,5-6; 17:10), in which he excommunicated the offenders from their relatives (7:20-21,25,27; 17:4,9-10; 18:29; 19:8; 20:3,5-6; 23:29).
20:20-21 Lesser violations were punished with childlessness. The presence of children was depicted in the Bible as divine reward (Ps 127:3). To be barren was regarded as shameful (Gn 16:2; 25:21; 30:1; 1Sm 1:5-11). Barrenness as punishment for sexual offenses was not a new judgment (Gn 20:17-18; Nm 5:22,27), but not all cases of barrenness were punishment for sin. Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah in the OT, and Elizabeth in the NT are examples of barrenness; nowhere does Scripture indicate that their barrenness was punishment for sin.