201 Then the Lord spoke to Moses , saying , 2 "You shall also say to the sons of Israel : 'Any man from the sons of Israel or from the aliens sojourning in Israel who gives any of his offspring to Molech , shall surely be put to death ; the people of the land shall stone him with stones . 3 'I will also set My face against that man and will cut him off from among his people , because he has given some of his offspring to Molech , so as to defile My sanctuary and to profane My holy name . 4 'If the people of the land , however, should ever disregard e that man when he gives any of his offspring to Molech , so as not to put him to death , 5 then I Myself will set My face against that man and against his family , and I will cut off from among their people both him and all those who play the harlot after him, by playing the harlot after Molech . 6 'As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists , to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people . 7 'You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy , for I am the Lord your God . 8 ' You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you. 9 ' If there is anyone who curses his father or his mother , he shall surely be put to death ; he has cursed his father or his mother , his bloodguiltiness is upon him.
10 ' If there is a man who commits adultery with another man's wife , one who commits adultery with his friend's wife , the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death . 11 ' If there is a man who lies with his father's wife , he has uncovered his father's nakedness ; both of them shall surely be put to death , their bloodguiltiness is upon them. 12 ' If there is a man who lies with his daughter-in-law , both of them shall surely be put to death ; they have committed incest , their bloodguiltiness is upon them. 13 ' If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman , both of them have committed a detestable act ; they shall surely be put to death . Their bloodguiltiness is upon them. 14 ' If there is a man who marries a woman and her mother , it is immorality ; both he and they shall be burned with fire , so that there will be no immorality in your midst . 15 ' If there is a man who lies e with an animal , he shall surely be put to death ; you shall also kill the animal . 16 'If there is a woman who approaches any animal to mate with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal ; they shall surely be put to death . Their bloodguiltiness is upon them. 17 ' If there is a man who takes his sister , his father's daughter or his mother's daughter , so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness , it is a disgrace ; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people . He has uncovered his sister's nakedness ; he bears his guilt . 18 ' If there is a man who lies with a menstruous woman and uncovers her nakedness , he has laid bare her flow , and she has exposed the flow of her blood ; thus both of them shall be cut off from among their people . 19 ' You shall also not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister or of your father's sister , for such a one has made naked his blood relative ; they will bear their guilt . 20 ' If there is a man who lies with his uncle's wife he has uncovered his uncle's nakedness ; they will bear their sin . They will die childless . 21 ' If there is a man who takes his brother's wife , it is abhorrent ; he has uncovered his brother's nakedness . They will be childless .
22 'You are therefore to keep all My statutes and all My ordinances and do them, so that the land to which I am bringing you to live will not spew you out. 23 'Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nation which I will drive out before you, for they did all these things , and therefore I have abhorred them.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 20:1-23
Commentary on Leviticus 20:1-9
(Read Leviticus 20:1-9)
Are we shocked at the unnatural cruelty of the ancient idolaters in sacrificing their children? We may justly be so. But are there not very many parents, who, by bad teaching and wicked examples, and by the mysteries of iniquity which they show their children, devote them to the service of Satan, and forward their everlasting ruin, in a manner even more to be lamented? What an account must such parents render to God, and what a meeting will they have with their children at the day of judgment! On the other hand, let children remember that he who cursed father or mother was surely put to death. This law Christ confirmed. Laws which were made before are repeated, and penalties annexed to them. If men will not avoid evil practices, because the law has made these practices sin, and it is right that we go on that principle, surely they should avoid them when the law has made them death, from a principle of self-preservation. In the midst of these laws comes in a general charge, Sanctify yourselves, and be ye holy. It is the Lord that sanctifies, and his work will be done, though it be difficult. Yet his grace is so far from doing away our endeavours, that it strongly encourages them. Work out your salvation, for it is God that worketh in you.
Commentary on Leviticus 20:10-27
(Read Leviticus 20:10-27)
These verses repeat what had been said before, but it was needful there should be line upon line. What praises we owe to God that he has taught the evil of sin, and the sure way of deliverance from it! May we have grace to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things; may we have no fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness, but reprove them.