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Leviticus 20:2-5
New English Translation
Leviticus 20:2-5
New English Translation
2 “You are to say to the Israelites, ‘Any man from the Israelites (or any of the resident foreigners[a] who live in Israel) who gives any of his children[b] to Molech[c] must be put to death; the people of the land must pelt him with stones.[d] 3 I myself will set my face[e] against that man and cut him off from the midst of his people,[f] because he has given some of his children to Molech and thereby defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name.[g] 4 If, however, the people of the land shut their eyes[h] to that man[i] when he gives some of his children to Molech so that they do not put him to death, 5 I myself will set my face against that man and his clan. I will cut off from the midst of the people both him and all who follow after him in spiritual prostitution,[j] committing prostitution by worshiping Molech.[k]
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- Leviticus 20:2 tn The noun “foreigner” (גֵּר; ger) is based on the same verbal root as “lives” (גּוּר; gur), which means “to sojourn, to dwell as an alien.” On the Hebrew ger (גֵּר) “resident foreigner” see notes at Exod 12:19 and Deut 29:11.
- Leviticus 20:2 tn Heb “his seed” (so KJV, ASV); likewise in vv. 3-4.
- Leviticus 20:2 tn Regarding Molech and Molech worship see the note on Lev 18:21.
- Leviticus 20:2 tn This is not the most frequently-used Hebrew verb for stoning (see instead סָקַל, saqal), but a word that refers to the action of throwing, slinging, or pelting someone with stones (רָגָם, ragam; see HALOT 1187 s.v. רגם qal.a, and B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 136).
- Leviticus 20:3 tn Heb “And I, I shall give my faces.”
- Leviticus 20:3 sn On the “cut off” penalty see the notes on Lev 7:20 and 17:4.
- Leviticus 20:3 tn Heb “for the sake of defiling my sanctuary and to profane my holy name.”
- Leviticus 20:4 tn Heb “And if shutting [infinitive absolute] they shut [finite verb].” For the infinitive absolute used to highlight contrast rather than emphasis see GKC 343 §113.p.
- Leviticus 20:4 tn Heb “from that man” (so ASV); NASB “disregard that man.”
- Leviticus 20:5 tn The adjective “spiritual” has been supplied in the translation to clarify that this is not a reference to literal prostitution, but figuratively compares idolatry to prostitution.
- Leviticus 20:5 tn Heb “to commit harlotry after Molech.” The translation employs “worshiping” here for clarity (cf. NAB, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT). On the “cut off” penalty see the note on Lev 7:20.
Leviticus 20:2-5
New International Version
Leviticus 20:2-5
New International Version
2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molek is to be put to death.(A) The members of the community are to stone him.(B) 3 I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people;(C) for by sacrificing his children to Molek, he has defiled(D) my sanctuary(E) and profaned my holy name.(F) 4 If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molek and if they fail to put him to death,(G) 5 I myself will set my face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molek.
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