Albert Barnes Commentary Leviticus 20
Albert Barnes Commentary
Leviticus 20
Albert Barnes Commentary
Leviticus 20
"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying," — Leviticus 20:1 (ASV)
The crimes which are condemned in Leviticus 18 and Leviticus 19 on purely spiritual ground, have here special punishments allotted to them as offences against the well-being of the nation.
"Moreover, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones. I also will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name. And if the people at the land do at all hide their eyes from that man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and put him not to death; then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that play the harlot after him, to play the harlot with Molech, from among their people." — Leviticus 20:2-5 (ASV)
Molech, literally, “the King”, also called Moloch, Milcom, and Malcham, was known in later times as “the abomination of the Ammonites” (1 Kings 11:5). He appears to have been the fire-god of the eastern nations, related to, and sometimes made identical with, Baal, the sun-god. The nature of the rite and of the impious custom called passing children through the fire to Molech is very doubtful. These practices appear to have been essentially connected with magical arts, probably also with unlawful lusts, and with some particular form of profane swearing. The rite in the time of Moses belonged to the region of magic rather than definite idolatrous worship, and may have been practiced as a lustral charm, or fire-baptism, for the children of incest and adultery.
Stone him with stones (Leviticus 20:2) – This was the commonest form of capital punishment. It was probably preferred as being the one in which the execution was the act of the whole congregation.
Defile my sanctuary (Leviticus 20:3) – that is, to pollute the people as identified with their sanctuary.
"And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you." — Leviticus 20:14 (ASV)
The burning under the sentence of the Law took place after the death of the criminal by stoning, or strangling (Joshua 7:25).
"And if a man shall take his sister, his father`s daughter, or his mother`s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a shameful thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people: he hath uncovered his sister`s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity." — Leviticus 20:17 (ASV)
Cut off ... - See Exodus 31:14 note. The more full expression here used probably refers to some special form of public excommunication, accompanied, it may be, by expulsion from the camp.
"And if a man shall lie with his uncle`s wife, he hath uncovered his uncle`s nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless." — Leviticus 20:20 (ASV)
They shall die childless - Either the offspring should not be regarded as lawfully theirs, nor be entitled to any hereditary privileges, or they should have no blessing in their children.
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