2. Whosoever . . . giveth any of his seed unto
Molech--(See on
Le 18:21).
the people of the land shall stone him with stones,
&c.--Criminals who were condemned to be stoned were led, with their
hands bound, without the gates to a small eminence, where was a large
stone placed at the bottom. When they had approached within ten cubits
of the spot, they were exhorted to confess, that, by faith and
repentance, their souls might be saved. When led forward to within four
cubits, they were stripped almost naked, and received some stupefying
draught, during which the witnesses prepared, by laying aside their
outer garments, to carry into execution the capital sentence which the
law bound them to do. The criminal, being placed on the edge of the
precipice, was then pushed backwards, so that he fell down the
perpendicular height on the stone lying below: if not killed by the
fall, the second witness dashed a large stone down upon his breast, and
then the "people of the land," who were by-standers, rushed forward,
and with stones completed the work of death
(Mt 21:44;
Ac 7:58).
4. If the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the
man, &c.--that is, connive at their countrymen practising the
horrid rites of Molech. Awful was it that any Hebrew parents could so
violate their national covenant, and no wonder that God denounced the
severest penalties against them and their families.
7-19. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy--The minute
specification of the incestuous and unnatural crimes here enumerated
shows their sad prevalence amongst the idolatrous nations around, and
the extreme proneness of the Israelites to follow the customs of their
neighbors. It is to be understood, that, whenever mention is made that
the offender was "to be put to death" without describing the mode,
stoning is meant. The only instance of another form of capital
punishment occurs in
Le 20:14,
that of being burnt with fire; and yet it is probable that even here
death was first inflicted by stoning, and the body of the criminal
afterwards consumed by fire
(Jos 7:15).
20. they shall die childless--Either by the judgment of God they
shall have no children, or their spurious offspring shall be denied by
human authority the ordinary privileges of children in Israel.
24. I . . . have separated you from other
people--Their selection from the rest of the nations was for the
all-important end of preserving the knowledge and worship of the true
God amid the universal apostasy; and as the distinction of meats was
one great means of completing that separation, the law about making a
difference between clean and unclean beasts is here repeated with
emphatic solemnity.
Leviticus 20 Bible Commentary
Jamieson, Faussett, and Brown
Le 20:1-27. GIVING ONE'S SEED TO MOLECH.
2. Whosoever . . . giveth any of his seed unto Molech--(See on Le 18:21).
the people of the land shall stone him with stones, &c.--Criminals who were condemned to be stoned were led, with their hands bound, without the gates to a small eminence, where was a large stone placed at the bottom. When they had approached within ten cubits of the spot, they were exhorted to confess, that, by faith and repentance, their souls might be saved. When led forward to within four cubits, they were stripped almost naked, and received some stupefying draught, during which the witnesses prepared, by laying aside their outer garments, to carry into execution the capital sentence which the law bound them to do. The criminal, being placed on the edge of the precipice, was then pushed backwards, so that he fell down the perpendicular height on the stone lying below: if not killed by the fall, the second witness dashed a large stone down upon his breast, and then the "people of the land," who were by-standers, rushed forward, and with stones completed the work of death (Mt 21:44; Ac 7:58).
4. If the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, &c.--that is, connive at their countrymen practising the horrid rites of Molech. Awful was it that any Hebrew parents could so violate their national covenant, and no wonder that God denounced the severest penalties against them and their families.
7-19. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy--The minute specification of the incestuous and unnatural crimes here enumerated shows their sad prevalence amongst the idolatrous nations around, and the extreme proneness of the Israelites to follow the customs of their neighbors. It is to be understood, that, whenever mention is made that the offender was "to be put to death" without describing the mode, stoning is meant. The only instance of another form of capital punishment occurs in Le 20:14, that of being burnt with fire; and yet it is probable that even here death was first inflicted by stoning, and the body of the criminal afterwards consumed by fire (Jos 7:15).
20. they shall die childless--Either by the judgment of God they shall have no children, or their spurious offspring shall be denied by human authority the ordinary privileges of children in Israel.
24. I . . . have separated you from other people--Their selection from the rest of the nations was for the all-important end of preserving the knowledge and worship of the true God amid the universal apostasy; and as the distinction of meats was one great means of completing that separation, the law about making a difference between clean and unclean beasts is here repeated with emphatic solemnity.