Praise the Lord Jesus Christ, please study this chapter and then answer all 64 questions at the end of this chapter.

Leviticus Chapter 20

Verses 1-27: Here capital and other grave crimes are discussed. Many of the same issues from Chapters 18 and 19 are elaborated, with the emphasis on the penalty paid for the violation. This chapter deals with holiness in worship (verses 1-8, 27), and holiness in family relations (verses 9-26).

The laws in earlier chapters (specifically chapters 18 and 19), addressed would be offenders and specific actions, but the ones in this chapter address the entire community and give specific punishments for certain crimes, most of which receive “death” (Exodus 21:12-17). These harsh penalties were essential to prevent sin from infecting God’s people.

Leviticus 20:1 “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”

After he had delivered the above laws to him in the preceding chapter, he added penalties, to many of them. Or declared what punishment should be inflicted on the transgressors of them.

“Saying”: As follows.

Verses 2-8, 27: The death penalty was prescribed for those who fell into Molech worship, which was forbidden (in 18:21). Death by stoning was also required for goring oxen (Exodus 21:28-31), necromancers (verse 27), blasphemers (24:16; 1 Kings 21:10-13), Sabbath breakers (Num. 15:35-36), idolaters (Deut. 13:10; 17:5), intransigent children (Deut. 21:21), and adulterous brides (Deut. 22:21, 24). Turning to “familiar spirits” and “wizards” would incur similar judgment. God’s people were to “sanctify” themselves (set themselves apart from the world), and “be … holy”, because He was the One “sanctifying them”.

Leviticus 20:2 “Again, 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 [any] of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.”

“Giveth any of his seed unto Molech”: Molech, the Ammonite god of the people surrounding Israel, required human (especially child), sacrifice (see note on 18:21).

Molech had been mentioned in a previous lesson. Molech is a false god. To worship Molech, or allow your children to worship this false god, is committing spiritual adultery. This crime is punishable by death. This should be a public killing, and the method would be stoning. All the people were to stone him, to show that all the congregation disapproves of this crime against God.

Leviticus 20:3 “And I 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.”

To worship false gods, was a very grievous sin before God. The very first of the 10 commandments says,

Exodus 20:3 “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

Jesus said the most important commandment was to love God.

Mark 12:30 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment.”

To worship a false god, is to commit spiritual adultery. In the next Scripture, you will see that all believers in Christ must be chaste virgins in the spirit.

2 Corinthians 11:2 “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ.”

Those who follow other gods are not chaste virgins in God’s sight. In the following Scripture, we will see what God requires of the church (all who believe in Christ).

Ephesians 5:27 “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

The only way we can do this is to stay faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Leviticus 20:4 “And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not:”

That is, the people of the house of Israel, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan. If the friends, relations, and neighbors of such a man, though they know what he is about to do, or has done, yet they shut their eyes willfully, or look another way. Or, however, wink and connive at his wickedness, and will not discover him, and bear witness against him. Or if a court of judicature, before whom he comes, does not take the evidence of his crime, nor condemn for it. Or are negligent in punishing him as the law directs, a gift having blinded their eyes, or they careless and remiss in their duty.

“When he giveth his seed unto Molech”: A crime so heinous and abominable.

“And kill him not”: Do not bring witness against him, so as that he may be put to death. Or do not upon the evidence given, condemn him to death. Or do not take care to have sentence executed, by stoning him to death.

Verses 5-6: “Cut him off”: This means to kill. It is synonymous with “put to death” (in verse 9).

Leviticus 20:5 “Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people.”

That man that sees him do the fact, and winks at it, or the judge that connives at him, and will not condemn him, as well as the man that has committed the iniquity.

“And against his family”: Either the family of the witness, who could and should have testified against him, or of the judge negligent of his office, or of the man himself, whose family must be privy to so shocking an action, and were abettors of it, and aiders and assisters in it. And so Onkelos renders it, “and his helpers”.

“And will cut him off”: The head of the family, whether judge, witness, or the criminal himself.

“And all that go a whoring after him”: That commit the like idolatry after his example, and encouraged to it by the connivance of others at it. Speaking figuratively of spiritual idolatry.

“To commit whoredom with Molech”: That is, idolatry, which is spiritual whoredom, and often so called in Scripture, and with great propriety. For since God had espoused these people to himself, and was their husband, as he was from the time of his bringing them out of Egypt, and making a covenant with them (Jer. 31:32). And their sacrificing to and serving other gods being a breach of their matrimonial covenant with him, it was no other than whoredom in a spiritual sense, for which he threatens to cut them off.

“From among their people”: By an immature death, even all that were guilty of such abominable actions, or made themselves accessory to them, by any ways conniving at them, either as judges or witnesses.

Notice the word whoredom in the verse above. You can easily see, as we said in the verse above, that to worship a false god, whether Molech or any other, is to commit spiritual adultery. We are the bride of Christ, to follow after any other would be spiritual adultery. This is so serious, that to know of someone committing spiritual adultery and not reporting it is a serious crime as well. Perhaps one reason this is so is because, if you do not report it, you would be saying it is alright. In the Old Testament, the father was the agent for the whole family. We can see that to neglect reporting this, would be as if he were telling his family and the world, that it was ok to commit this sin. This would make him an accessory to the sin.

Leviticus 20:6 “And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.”

The Lord strictly forbad occult practices (19:31), and consistently condemned “familiar spirits” (20:27), commanding the death penalty for those who consult them. Trafficking with Satan in any form is dangerous.

“Familiar spirits … wizards” (see note on 19:31). “Spiritists” refers to demons (compare 20:27).

We will find that the first king of the Israelites (Saul), had this very thing happen to him when he disobeyed God and sought help from those with evil spirits. We have gone into this in a previous lesson. I will touch one more time, on who these are. Palm readers, witches and warlocks, hypnotists, and those who tell fortunes. This also includes all sorts of mind control believers. All of these things are very dangerous to get involved in. So many people today innocently get involved with some of the above and with horoscopes as well. We should not seek answers to life’s problems from anyone but God.

Verses 7-8: “The Lord which sanctify you” is a translation of a divine title that means “Yahweh Who Makes You Holy”. While the people had to “sanctify” themselves and keep God’s “statutes”, God was the One who ultimately sanctified them. The process of any believer being conformed into His image is a cooperative process: His people participate in the work, but only God accomplishes it.

Leviticus 20:7 “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I [am] the LORD your God.”

By abstaining from such impious and idolatrous practices, and separating themselves from all that gave into them, as well as by observing the holy commandments of the Lord. Otherwise internal sanctification is not the work of man, but of the Lord himself (as in Lev. 20:8).

“And be ye holy”: Or a separate people from all others in worship and conversation.

“For I am the Lord your God”: Who is a holy God, and therefore it became them to be holy, in imitation of him (Lev. 19:2).

Sanctify means to cleanse. We are to cleanse ourselves of worldly things and follow the living God. God is the answer to all of life’s problems. Be ye holy, means that we must walk in our salvation after we receive it. Notice (I Am), the LORD, and God in the verse above. We are to be holy, because He is holy. This does not mean that we might unknowingly sin sometime, it does mean that the desire of our heart is to live perfectly before God.

Leviticus 20:8 “And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I [am] the LORD which sanctify you.”

Not only those respecting the above things, but all others, which would be a means of preserving them from sin, and of promoting holiness in their lives and conversations.

“I am the Lord which sanctify you”: Who had separated and distinguished them from all other people on earth, and who had given them holy laws, as the means of holiness. And who only could and did sanctify internally, by his Spirit and grace, such or them as were sanctified in heart, as well as outwardly.

This at first glance, looks like it is the same as the one above. Notice here who makes us in right standing with God. God Himself sets us aside to follow him (sanctify).

Verses 9-10: The Ten Commandments required children to honor their parents and prohibited “adultery” (Exodus 20:12, 14). The penalty for violating either commandment was death (20:10; Exodus 21:17). God’s laws show how seriously He takes marriage and family.

Leviticus 20:9 “For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood [shall be] upon him.”

“Cursed his father or his mother” (quoting this verse and Exodus 20:12). Jesus stresses the spirit as well as the letter of honoring one’s parents, by exposing the practice of claiming that what children might provide for elderly parents could instead be donated as a gift to someone else or an institution, such as the temple (see Matt. 15:1-6). This made the word of God of none effect through human tradition or practices.

Doing the very opposite of the command to honor or to revere (compare 19:3), had fatal consequences (see Mark 7:10), where Jesus referred to this text.

The only thing that I can see in this is that a child’s very existence is because of their father and mother. We are also taught to show great respect for our parents. They are in authority over us until we are grown. We must honor them all our lives. They two are what we are. Many of our traits come from our parents. Next to God, our parents love us more than anyone. They want to see us do well.

Verses 10-20: Here are the punishments for violating the prohibitions of sexual sins detailed (in 18:1-30; see Deut. 22:13-30).

Leviticus 20:10 “And the man that committeth adultery with [another] man’s wife, [even he] that committeth adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.”

Which is a breach of the seventh command (Exodus 20:14).

“Even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor’s wife”: Which is only an explanation of the former clause; though the Jewish writers, as Jarchi and Ben Gersom, say this is so expressed to except the wife of a stranger, or a Gentile. But it means whether a Gentile or an Israelite. And which may be confirmed by the instance of Phinehas slaying a prince of Israel, that lay with a Midianite woman (Num. 25:6).

“The adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death”: On account of her that is espoused, by strangling, with a hard napkin within a soft one. And on account of her that is married, by casting stones. Even both the adulterer and adulteress, as the Targum. And the Jews say, strangling was thus performed. They that were strangled were fixed up to their knees in dung, and then they put a hard napkin within a soft one. And rolled it about his neck, and one drew it to him this way, and another drew it to him that way, until he expired. And there is no unlawful copulation punished with strangling, according to Maimonides, but lying with another man’s wife. And who observes, that the death which is spoken of in the law absolutely, that is, without specifying any kind of death, is strangling. But stoning seems rather meant, agreeably to (Deut. 22:24).

Adultery involves the flesh. It is a very bad sin, especially for a believer in Christ, because the Spirit of God dwells within us. Then a Christian who committed adultery would include the Holy Spirit in their sin. You can easily see how bad this sin is. Spiritual and physical adultery were both punishable by death. If the woman was not a willing participant, then she was not killed. This death was by stoning, showing the utter contempt of those who commit such sin.

Leviticus 20:11 “And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them.”

Whether she be his mother, or another woman, as the Targum of Jonathan. That is, whether she is his own mother, or a stepmother, or whether he did this in the lifetime of his father, or after his death. Or whether she was betrothed or married, it mattered not. According to the Jewish tradition, this is a breach of the law (Lev. 18:8); and a man guilty of this.

“Hath uncovered his father’s nakedness”: And which is a foul and shameful piece of wickedness. The penalty follows.

“Both of them shall be put to death”: By casting stones on them, as the Targum of Jonathan adds. For, as before observed, wherever the following phrase.

“Their blood shall be upon them”: Stoning is meant; and so, according to the Misnah, all those were to be stoned, after mentioned, of whom this phrase is used.

Genesis 35:22 “And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard [it]. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:”

1 Chronicles 5:1 “Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he [was] the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.”

We find in these two Scriptures the horrible consequences of sleeping with your father’s wife. This with Reuben happened before the law was given, or they would have been stoned to death. Even though there was no law, conscience should have told them that this was wrong. The father’s wife belongs to him alone. The son that would do such a thing would be sinning against himself, against God, against the wife, and against his father.

Leviticus 20:12 “And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood [shall be] upon them.”

His son’s wife, whether in the lifetime of his son, or after his death, or whether she was espoused or married, according to the above tradition.

“Both of them shall surely be put to death”: It being a breach of the law in (Lev. 18:15); and this is the penalty annexed to it, even death.

“They have wrought confusion”: Have been guilty of a shocking and shameful mixture, as Jarchi and Ben Gersom. As well as confounded the degrees of relation and affinity.

“Their blood shall be upon them”: It being a capital crime, their, blood shall be shed for it. They shall be found guilty of death by stoning, as the Targum of Jonathan.

In a previous lesson, we got into the moral wrong in this. Now we see that this is so bad that it is punishable by death. In (chapter 38 of Genesis), we see this terrible act in Judah and Tamar. Read and see the outcome. This would be a sin against God and your son.

Leviticus 20:13 “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them.”

Is guilty of the sin of sodomy, this is a breach of the law in (Lev. 18:22).

“Both of them have committed an abomination”: He that lies, and he that is lain with, both consenting to perpetrate the abominable wickedness. Which may well be called an abomination, being contrary to nature, and more than brutish. For nothing of that kind is to be found among brutes.

“They shall surely be put to death”: If he that is lain with is not forced, as Aben Ezra observes.

“Their blood shall be upon them”: Be slain by stoning, as the above Targum.

Abomination in the verse above, means disgusting. This is more than just a sin. Homosexual activity is so disgusting to God, that it is the one sin where God turns them over to a reprobate mind.

Romans 1:27-28 “And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.” “And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;”

Homosexuality is not an alternate life style; it is a disgusting sin unto God. They were not just put to death, but their blood was upon themselves for such a disgusting sin.

How can we view this so lightly today? GOD NEVER CHANGES.

Leviticus 20:14 “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.”

Marry both the one and the other, or commit uncleanness with them, they consenting to it.

“It is wickedness”: Abominable wickedness, shocking and detestable. There are other things, which also are wicked and not to be done, but this is extremely wicked, wickedness to a high degree.

“They shall be burnt with fire, both he and they”: The man, the mother and her daughter both being married together to him, or both consenting to his lying with them. Otherwise, if one of them was first his wife, it was not reasonable that she should be put to death. And therefore some interpret “they”, one of them, as Jarchi observes, one or other of them. And so Aben Ezra explains it, this or that. If the mother was his wife, the daughter was to be burnt. And so on the contrary, if the daughter was his wife, the mother was to be burnt. According to the Targum of Jonathan, they were to be burnt by pouring lead into their mouths. And so the manner of burning is described in the Misnah. They that are to be burnt are fixed in dung up to their knees, then they put a hard napkin within a soft one, and roll it about the neck. One draws it one way, and another draws it another way, until he opens his mouth. Then they take hot melted lead, and pour it into his mouth, which goes down into his bowels and burns them.

“That there be no wickedness among you”: Of such kind, continued, countenanced, and pass unpunished. This punishment was to be inflicted, to deter persons from it. The law against it is in (Lev. 18:17).

In all of these verses (in chapter 20), we have already dealt with the fact that these are very serious sins. This is a list of the punishments that should be carried out for each sin. I don’t believe that the method of killing these people, that verse 14 deals with, is to burn them at the stake. They were probably stoned to death and then their dead bodies were burned. Not only does God deal with the sin and its punishment, but He also tells us why the punishment is so harsh. It is very important to God, as we mentioned in the last lesson, to have a holy people. This is a sin of the flesh. Worldly people sometimes are involved in this type sin. God wants His people to be overcomers of the world. Someone who pretended to be a follower of God, and was involved in this type sin, would have to be destroyed to keep this sin from spreading through the congregation.

Leviticus 20:15 “And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.”

A sin quite unnatural, exceeding shocking and detestable and forbidden (Lev. 18:23).

“He shall surely be put to death”: By stoning, as the Targum of Jonathan adds. And this is the death such are condemned to in the Misnah.

“And ye shall slay the beast”: With clubs, as says the Targum of Jonathan. The reasons given in the Misnah, why the beast was to be slain, are, because ruin came to the man by means of it, and that it might not be said, as it passed along the streets, that is the beast for which such a one was stoned. Aben Ezra says it was to be slain, that it might not cause others to sin.

This is called bestiality. Many satanic cults practice this very thing today. This is a very serious sin. God made man above the animals, to rule over them. Man was made in the image of God. What a terrible blow to God, for a person to lower themselves to this type sin. Animals do not have a soul. For a man to do such an awful sin, would be to say that he regarded his soul as nothing. Even I can agree with the punishment of death.

Leviticus 20:16 “And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them.”

In order that the beast may lie with her, and solicit it to commit such an action with her (see Lev. 18:23).

“Thou shall kill the woman and the beast”: The woman by stoning, and the beast with clubs, as the Targum of Jonathan. And this for the same reasons as before, as well as to prevent monstrous births.

“They shall surely be put to death”: Both the one and the other, and not spared.

“Their blood shall be upon them”: They are guilty of a capital crime, a crime which deserves death. This must be understood of the man that lies with a beast, and of the woman. For as for the beast itself, as it is not capable of sinning, so not of guilt, in a proper sense.

This is the very same sin as the one (in verse 15 above). The only difference is the fact that this is a woman committing this sin. What a horrible sin. You can easily see why God would never allow this type of union. The only answer is death for both, and the second death awaits the woman involved here.

Leviticus 20:17 “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 wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.”

“Incest was condemned, and offenders were to be “cut off in the sight of their people”. The fact that David did not properly punish his son Amnon for raping David’s daughter Tamar caused severe consequences later (2 Sam. chapters 13-15).

This is speaking of indecent exposure. It does not appear that they have actually been involved in the sex act, but it is certainly against all Christian principles. Ham got into a great deal of trouble by looking at the naked body of his father.

Genesis 9:22-9:25 “And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.” “And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid [it] upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces [were] backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.” “And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.” “And he said, Cursed [be] Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.”

You can easily see the seriousness of this type of sin. God’s people must have high morals. He will not permit low morality among His people.

Leviticus 20:18 “And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.”

Her monthly courses, which make her weak and languid, which is forbidden (Lev. 18:19). This is not to be understood of a man’s lying with his wife ignorantly, when in such a condition, for this being the case, he was only unclean seven days (Lev. 15:24). Whereas this made him and her liable to cutting off, as in an after clause. But of his lying with her, knowing this to be the case with her, and of which she could not be ignorant, and therefore both liable to the same punishment. Or else of any other man lying with her, or of any man lying with any woman, married or unmarried, being in such circumstances.

“And shall uncover her nakedness”: That is, have carnal knowledge of her.

“He hath discovered her fountain”: From whence her issue of blood flows. And she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood; freely and willingly, as Aben Ezra observes. For if she had been forced, he alone would have been cut off. But both these phrases put together show agreement in this matter, that they both had knowledge of her case, and both consented to commit the sin.

“And both of them shall be cut off from among their people”: By death, either by the hand of the civil magistrate, the case being known and proved, or else by the hand of God being known by mortality or the pestilence, as the Targum of Jonathan. Or they should die childless (see notes on Lev. 20:17).

We covered this in a previous lesson on the woman with the issue of blood. A woman’s normal monthly cycle at the most will usually be for 7 days. This was the time regarded as her time of uncleanness. The only difference we see here, is the punishment for this sin. The punishment would be that they would be cut off from their people.

Leviticus 20:19 “And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, nor of thy father’s sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity.”

An aunt either by mother or father’s side, against which the law is (Lev. 18:13).

“For he uncovereth his near kin”: As an aunt is to a man, and so an uncle to a woman, and both equally criminal. For it is a rule that holds good in all those cases, though not expressed, that what is binding upon one sex is upon the other, being in the same degree of relation, whether of consanguinity or affinity.

“They shall bear their iniquity”: Both” of them, as the Vulgate Latin version, the man and his aunt, and so a woman and her uncle.

“The guilt of their sin shall be upon them, and the punishment of it be inflicted on them”: Either they should be cut off from their people, as before, or be childless, as in the following instances.

This too was dealt with as a serious sin in a previous lesson. We see from this that guilt and a conscience bothering them would be the major punishment.

Leviticus 20:20 “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.”

His uncle being dead, and he marry her, which is forbidden (Lev. 18:14).

“He hath uncovered his uncle’s nakedness”: His wife’s, which was his, and therefore the kindred too near for a man to marry in, and such a copulation must be incestuous.

“They shall bear their sin”: Both” of them, as the Vulgate Latin, as before (Lev. 20:19). The punishment of it, as follows.

“They shall be childless”: Which Jarchi and other Jewish writers interpret, if they had any children at this time, that is, by a former marriage, they should die and be buried before them. Which was reckoned a great punishment (see Jer. 22:30).

For a Hebrew, to be childless was thought of punishment from God in all instances. It was, in fact, considered a disgrace. Children were considered a blessing from God. To be childless then, would be a painful punishment.

Leviticus 20:21 “And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it [is] an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.”

To his wife, whether in his life, as the Targum of Jonathan adds, or whether after his death, unless when there is no issue, then he was obliged to it by another law (Deut. 25:5). Which is now ceased, and the law in (Lev. 18:16); here referred to, stands clear of all exceptions.

“It is an unclean thing”: Or a “separation” from which a man should remove and keep at a distance, as from menstruous women, of whom this word is used. And so denotes that it is by all means to be avoided, as an abominable and detestable thing. And it is observed that of all copulations it is only used of this. And the Jewish writers, as Aben Ezra and others, observe that this case is somewhat like that of a menstruous woman, who in the time of her separation is unlawful, but when out of it lawful. And so, in this case, a brother’s wife might not be taken, he being alive. But after his death she might, if she had no son, according to the law before referred to, but that is now abolished.

“He hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness”: His wife’s, which was his brother’s; which through nearness of kin, he ought not to have done. And the same holds good of a wife’s sister, the relation being the same.

“They shall be childless”: They shall have none by such a marriage or copulation, and die without any. And as this supposes the brother’s wife to have children by her first husband, or otherwise while the Jewish law lasted, it would not have been unlawful to marry her husband’s brother. The meaning may be, that these should die before them, or rather, as some think, those that might be born of such a marriage should not be reckoned legitimate, and so not inherit.

In the case of the brother’s death, we will find that the brother is to take his wife and raise a son in his brother’s name. That is possibly, what this means here. If the brother is living, however, then the man and his brother’s wife would be childless as punishment for the sin.

Verses 22-26: Verses (22-24 are similar to 18:24-30). The command to distinguish between the clean and the unclean indicates that God had separated Israel from the people; a holy God must have a holy people.

Leviticus 20:22 “Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spew you not out.”

“Spew you not out”: God told Israel repeatedly that remaining in the land required obedience to the Mosaic Covenant (compare 18:25, 28).

Leviticus 20:23 “And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.”

Nation seems to be put for nations, for there were seven nations cast out for them. Though the Canaanites may be intended, being a general name for the whole. Some think the Amorites are meant, who were a principal nation, and notorious for their wickedness. Hence we often meet with this phrase in Jewish writings, “the way of the Amorites”, as being exceeding bad, and so to be avoided, and by no means to be walked in (Gen. 15:16).

“For they committed all these things”: Were guilty of all the idolatries, incest, and uncleanness before mentioned, and forbid under severe penalties.

“And therefore I abhorred them”: The sins committed by them, being so abominable and detestable: their persons, though the creatures of God, were had in abhorrence by him. And this he showed by casting them out of the land. And hereby it is suggested, that, should they, the Israelites, be guilty of the like, they also would be rejected and abhorred by him. The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan are, “my Word abhorred them,” Christ, the eternal Word (Psalm 45:7).

God is reminding these Hebrews (children of Israel), that He is bringing them into a land that is already inhabited. The only reason God is allowing these Hebrews to overcome and utterly destroy the people before them, is because the people before them are worldly people who are so disgusting to God (abhorred). The people in the land had been given a time to repent, and they did not repent. Now they will be destroyed and the land given to these Hebrews (Israelites). The Israelites must obey God and live godly lives, or they themselves will be destroyed, and God will give their inheritance unto another who will obey.

Leviticus 20:24 “But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I [am] the LORD your God, which have separated you from [other] people.”

Promised it unto them, as he had to their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and also to them. Or he had said the above things unto them, that they, observing them, might possess the land of Canaan, and continue therein. Which is the sense of the Targum of Jonathan: The Jews say, that the right of inheritance belonged to them, from Shem the son of Noah, whose portion it was, and which they gather from Melchizedek being king of Salem, whom they take to be Shem. And they say, the Canaanites only dwelt in it to make it better, till they should come and inherit it.

“And I will give it unto you to possess it”: In whose gift it was, and who had a right to dispose of it. And could give them a good title to it, and secure them in the possession of it.

“A land that floweth with milk and honey”: Abounding with all good things, with all the comforts of life, with everything both for necessity and delight (see Exodus 3:8).

“I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people”: Had chosen them above all people, to be a special and peculiar people to him. Had distinguished them by his favors, and had given them particular laws and ordinances, to observe and walk according to them, different from all other nations, which it became them carefully to regard.

God has always wanted a people who would be totally devoted to Him. The land promised to these Israelites would be a land that was abundant in the necessities. The promise was a land of milk and honey. God even promises the Christians wonderful things, if we seek Him first.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Those who follow God are to be a separated people. We are not to be like the rest of the world.

Galatians 5:16 “[This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

God’s people are in the world, but are not of the world. We will see, in the next few verses, how we must conduct ourselves toward the world.

1 John 2:15-16 “Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” “For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

Leviticus 20:25 “Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.”

The ten clean ones, as Aben Ezra observes. And all the rest that are unclean, according to the law before given (Lev. 11:3). By using the one for food, and not the other. And so the Targum of Jonathan, ye shall separate between the beast which is fit for food, and that which is not fit for food.

“And between unclean fowls and clean”: And which the same Targum interprets, what is unfit to eat and what is fit, even all that are particularly mentioned as unclean, and not fit for food (in Lev. 11:13). And all the rest not excepted to as clean and fit for food, which was one way and means God made use of, to separate them from other nations, and so preserve them from their idolatrous and evil works.

“And ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground. That is, by eating them, contrary to the command of God, which would make them abominable in his sight (see Lev. 11:43). Every sin or transgression of this law being so to him.

“Which I have separated from you as unclean”: Which by law he had commanded them to abstain from the use of, as unclean, and not fit to be eaten.

This physical house of Israel is to be a separated people. They are to observe the laws of God, every one. We will find a very similar request of the spiritual house of Israel (Christians), in the following verse.

1 Peter 2:9 “But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:”

As I have said so many times before, it would be of no use to study Leviticus, unless the Christians could find Jesus and themselves in it. They were to obey these laws and ordinances that were written down. We Christians are to be obedient to the high calling of Jesus Christ. We, too, must walk holy before our LORD.

Leviticus 20:26 “And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD [am] holy, and have severed you from [other] people, that ye should be mine.”

Separated from all unclean persons and things, and devoted to his service, and obedient to all his commands. And so live holy lives and conversations, according to his will, and to his honor and glory.

“For I the Lord am holy”: And therefore they, his people, should be like him, and imitate him. And observe those things which are agreeable to his holy nature and will, and yield a cheerful obedience to his holy precepts.

“And have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine”: Which is a very forcible argument. A strong motive, and which laid them under great obligation to obedience and holiness.

How wonderful to be called His. The LORD JESUS CHRIST has chosen us Christians out to be His bride. Will you be like the five wise virgins, or will you be among the five virgins who let the oil run out of their lamp? It is enough to know that He is coming again to make us His bride. Do not give up so near the goal. We sing a song that says: “We’ll work till Jesus comes”. Will you be found working? Or will you be like so many who have tired of waiting, and have begun to sleep?

Leviticus 20:27 “A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood [shall be] upon them.”

Or the spirit of Python or divination (see Lev. 19:31). Such as the damsel had (in Acts 16:16). A woman is here particularly mentioned, though before included in the above law. Because, as Aben Ezra says, such sort of practices was more frequently committed by women. To which Maimonides adds another reason, because men have a natural clemency towards the female sex, and are not easily prevailed upon to put them to death. Therefore, the law says, “thou shall not suffer a witch to live” (Exodus 22:18).

“Or that is a wizard”: A knowing one, who pretends to a great deal of knowledge of things. As of lost or stolen goods, and even knowledge of things future, and imposes upon persons, and cheats them of their money they give for information. Such:

“Shall surely be put to death”: And not spared through favor and affection. The death they are to be put to follows.

“They shall stone them with stones”: Until they are dead. Of the manner of stoning (see notes on Acts 7:58).

“Their blood shall be upon them”: They are worthy of death, and they shall suffer it. This phrase following upon the former, the Jews gather from hence, that, wherever it is used, it is to be understood of stoning (see notes on Lev. 20:9).

This is so serious that it is mentioned over and over. Witches and warlocks are very prevalent in our society today. How sad that most of us just look the other way and allow this to go on. We mentioned earlier how Saul (the first king of Israel), was dethroned by God for consulting someone with a familiar spirit. We cannot stress enough, do not go to palm readers, do not read your horoscope, do not practice any type of mind control. Stay away from wizards. Do not seek help in anything connected with these evils. God is the answer to all your problems. You will find help by reading His Word.

Leviticus 20: Questions