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

1Then 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.

3And 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.

4And 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,

5then 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 26:14BSB references Deuteronomy 28:15BSB references Jeremiah 7:31Classic cross-references Ezra 7:26Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 12:14Classic cross-references

Original words

Then the LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיְדַבֵּ֥רH1696Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionMosesמֹשֶׁ֥הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .לֵּאמֹֽר׃H559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Verse 2

Cross-references

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

Original words

Tellתֹּאמַר֒H559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular. . .וְאֶל־H413Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe Israelitesבְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֘לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularAnyאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular. . .אִישׁ֩H376Noun - masculine singularIsraeliteמִבְּנֵ֨יH1121Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֜לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularorוּמִן־H4480Conjunctive waw | Prepositionforeignerהַגֵּ֣ר׀H1616Article | Noun - masculine singularlivingהַגָּ֣רH1481Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularin Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לH3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularwhoאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativegivesיִתֵּ֧ןH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularany of his childrenמִזַּרְע֛וֹH2233Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularto Molechלַמֹּ֖לֶךְH4432Preposition-l, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularmust be put to deathמ֣וֹתH4191Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute. . .יוּמָ֑תH4191Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularThe peopleעַ֥םH5971Noun - masculine singular constructof the landהָאָ֖רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularare to stoneיִרְגְּמֻ֥הוּH7275Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singularhimבָאָֽבֶן׃H68Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

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

Original words

And Iוַאֲנִ֞יH589Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singularwill setאֶתֵּ֤ןH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerMy faceפָּנַי֙H6440Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularagainst thatהַה֔וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singularmanבָּאִ֣ישׁH376Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand cut him offוְהִכְרַתִּ֥יH3772Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular-אֹת֖וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singularfromמִקֶּ֣רֶבH7130Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructhis peopleעַמּ֑וֹH5971Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularbecauseכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionby givingנָתַ֣ןH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularhis offspringמִזַּרְעוֹ֙H2233Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularto Molechלַמֹּ֔לֶךְH4432Preposition-l, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .לְמַ֗עַןH4616Conjunctionhe has defiledטַמֵּא֙H2930Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markerMy sanctuaryמִקְדָּשִׁ֔יH4720Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularand profanedוּלְחַלֵּ֖לH2490Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markerMy holyקָדְשִֽׁי׃H6944Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularnameשֵׁ֥םH8034Noun - masculine singular construct

Verse 4

Cross-references

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

Original words

And ifוְאִ֡םH518Conjunctionthe peopleעַ֨םH5971Noun - masculine singular constructof the landהָאָ֜רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerever hideהַעְלֵ֣םH5956Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute. . .יַעְלִימֽוּ֩H5956Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluraltheir eyesעֵֽינֵיהֶם֙H5869Noun - cdc | third person masculine pluraland failלְבִלְתִּ֖יH1115Preposition-lto put to deathהָמִ֥יתH4191Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct-אֹתֽוֹ׃H853Direct object marker | third person masculine singular-מִן־H4480Prepositionthe manהָאִ֣ישׁH376Article | Noun - masculine singularwhoהַה֔וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singulargivesבְּתִתּ֥וֹH5414Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singularone of his childrenמִזַּרְע֖וֹH2233Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularto Molechלַמֹּ֑לֶךְH4432Preposition-l, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 5

Cross-references

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

Original words

then Iאֲנִ֧יH589Pronoun - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerwill setוְשַׂמְתִּ֨יH7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularMy faceפָּנַ֛יH6440Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularagainst thatהַה֖וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singularmanבָּאִ֥ישׁH376Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand his familyוּבְמִשְׁפַּחְתּ֑וֹH4940Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularand cut offוְהִכְרַתִּ֨יH3772Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular-אֹת֜וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singular-וְאֵ֣ת׀H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerfrom amongמִקֶּ֥רֶבH7130Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructtheir peopleעַמָּֽם׃H5971Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralboth him and allכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructwho follow himאַחֲרָ֗יוH310Preposition | third person masculine singularin prostituting themselvesהַזֹּנִ֣יםH2181Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural. . .לִזְנ֛וֹתH2181Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructwithאַחֲרֵ֥יH310PrepositionMolechהַמֹּ֖לֶךְH4432Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular

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