Focused Passage

Leviticus 20:1-5

Holiness, Judgment, and the LORD Who Sanctifies His People

The chapter begins with penalties for Molek worship and warnings against tolerating child sacrifice, then forbids turning to mediums and spiritists. It calls Israel to consecrate themselves because the LORD sanctifies them. It then gives penalties for cursing parents and for multiple sexual sins, including adultery, incest, same-sex intercourse, and bestiality. The chapter closes by commanding Israel to distinguish clean and unclean, reject the nations' practices, and live as the LORD's separated possession.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Then the LORD said to Moses,

2 “Tell the Israelites, ‘Any Israelite or foreigner living in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death. The people of the land are to stone him.

3 And I will set My face against that man and cut him off from his people, because by giving his offspring to Molech, he has defiled My sanctuary and profaned My holy name.

4 And if the people of the land ever hide their eyes and fail to put to death the man who gives one of his children to Molech,

5 then I will set My face against that man and his family and cut off from among their people both him and all who follow him in prostituting themselves with Molech.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Leviticus 26:14 BSB references Deuteronomy 28:15 BSB references Jeremiah 7:31 Classic cross-references Ezra 7:26 Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 12:14 Classic cross-references

Original words

Then the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Moses מֹשֶׁ֥ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . לֵּאמֹֽר׃ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Verse 2

Cross-references

Leviticus 18:21 Classic cross-references Amos 5:26 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 18:10 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 32:35 Classic cross-references Acts 7:43 Classic cross-references

Original words

Tell תֹּאמַר֒ H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular . . . וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the Israelites בְּנֵ֣י H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . יִשְׂרָאֵ֘ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular Any אִ֣ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular . . . אִישׁ֩ H376 Noun - masculine singular Israelite מִבְּנֵ֨י H1121 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct . . . יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular or וּמִן־ H4480 Conjunctive waw | Preposition foreigner הַגֵּ֣ר׀ H1616 Article | Noun - masculine singular living הַגָּ֣ר H1481 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular in Israel בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל H3478 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular who אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative gives יִתֵּ֧ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular any of his children מִזַּרְע֛וֹ H2233 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular to Molech לַמֹּ֖לֶךְ H4432 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular must be put to death מ֣וֹת H4191 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute . . . יוּמָ֑ת H4191 Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular The people עַ֥ם H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct of the land הָאָ֖רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular are to stone יִרְגְּמֻ֥הוּ H7275 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singular him בָאָֽבֶן׃ H68 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

1 Peter 3:12 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 3:17 Classic cross-references Leviticus 17:10 Classic cross-references Leviticus 18:21 Classic cross-references Leviticus 23:30 Classic cross-references

Original words

And I וַאֲנִ֞י H589 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular will set אֶתֵּ֤ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker My face פָּנַי֙ H6440 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular against that הַה֔וּא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular man בָּאִ֣ישׁ H376 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular and cut him off וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י H3772 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular - אֹת֖וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular from מִקֶּ֣רֶב H7130 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct his people עַמּ֑וֹ H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular because כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction by giving נָתַ֣ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular his offspring מִזַּרְעוֹ֙ H2233 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular to Molech לַמֹּ֔לֶךְ H4432 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . לְמַ֗עַן H4616 Conjunction he has defiled טַמֵּא֙ H2930 Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker My sanctuary מִקְדָּשִׁ֔י H4720 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular and profaned וּלְחַלֵּ֖ל H2490 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker My holy קָדְשִֽׁי׃ H6944 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular name שֵׁ֥ם H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct

Verse 4

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 17:2 Classic cross-references Acts 17:30 Classic cross-references

Original words

And if וְאִ֡ם H518 Conjunction the people עַ֨ם H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct of the land הָאָ֜רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker ever hide הַעְלֵ֣ם H5956 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute . . . יַעְלִימֽוּ֩ H5956 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural their eyes עֵֽינֵיהֶם֙ H5869 Noun - cdc | third person masculine plural and fail לְבִלְתִּ֖י H1115 Preposition-l to put to death הָמִ֥ית H4191 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct - אֹתֽוֹ׃ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular - מִן־ H4480 Preposition the man הָאִ֣ישׁ H376 Article | Noun - masculine singular who הַה֔וּא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular gives בְּתִתּ֥וֹ H5414 Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular one of his children מִזַּרְע֖וֹ H2233 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular to Molech לַמֹּ֑לֶךְ H4432 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 5

Cross-references

Exodus 20:5 Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 21:11 Classic cross-references Psalms 106:39 Classic cross-references Exodus 34:15 Classic cross-references Hosea 2:13 Classic cross-references

Original words

then I אֲנִ֧י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker will set וְשַׂמְתִּ֨י H7760 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular My face פָּנַ֛י H6440 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular against that הַה֖וּא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular man בָּאִ֥ישׁ H376 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular and his family וּבְמִשְׁפַּחְתּ֑וֹ H4940 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular and cut off וְהִכְרַתִּ֨י H3772 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular - אֹת֜וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular - וְאֵ֣ת׀ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker from among מִקֶּ֥רֶב H7130 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct their people עַמָּֽם׃ H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural both him and all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct who follow him אַחֲרָ֗יו H310 Preposition | third person masculine singular in prostituting themselves הַזֹּנִ֣ים H2181 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural . . . לִזְנ֛וֹת H2181 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct with אַחֲרֵ֥י H310 Preposition Molech הַמֹּ֖לֶךְ H4432 Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular

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