- Leviticus / Vayikra
- <
- 20
- >

20
(LY:5) 1 Adonai spoke to Moses [Drawn out], saying, 2 “Moreover, you shall tell the children of Israel [God prevails], ‘Anyone of the children of Israel [God prevails], or of the strangers who live as foreigners in Israel [God prevails], who gives any of his offspring to Molech; he shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones. 3 I also will set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people because he has given of his offspring to Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name. 4 If the people of the land all hide their eyes from that person, when he gives of his offspring to Molech, and don’t put him to death; 5 then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all who play the prostitute after him, to play the prostitute with Molech, from among their people.
6 “ ‘The person that turns to those who are mediums, and to the wizards, to play the prostitute after them, I will even set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people.
7 “ ‘Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am Yahweh M’Kaddesh [Yahweh our Santifier / He sustains breathing who makes you holy]. (RY:7, LY:6) 8 You shall keep my regulations, and do them. I am Yahweh M’Kaddesh [Yahweh our Santifier / He sustains breathing who makes you holy].
9 “ ‘For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death: * Quoted in Matt 15:4; Mark 7:10 he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
10 † Lev 20:10 (#6.399): T. “Both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death” / R. For the court to execute by strangulation
T. Note: (Leviticus 20) does not explain how the adulterers are to be put to death, simply that they are to be executed
R. Note: The Rabbis teach this strangulation execution was not preformed in malice nor by human hands. “The 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” (Sanhedrin, c.7. sect.3) “ ‘The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, that is with the wife of a fellow countryman, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. ‡ Selectively Quoted in John 8:4-5 § Context of John 8:5
11 “ ‘The man who lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
12 “ ‘If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have committed a perversion; their blood shall be upon them.
13 “ ‘If a man lies with a male, as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
14 “ ‘If a man takes a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: * Lev 20:14 (#6.400): T. To burn a man (and the women) by fire as punishment for taking / acquiring / buying / marrying a woman and her mother / R. For the court to execute by burning they shall be burned with fire, both he and they; that there may be no wickedness among you.
15 “ ‘If a man lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; and you shall kill the animal.
16 “ ‘If a woman approaches any animal, and lies down with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.
17 “ ‘If a man takes his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness; it is a cheshed ·disgraceful· thing. They shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness. He shall bear his iniquity.
18 “ ‘If a man lies with a woman having her monthly period, and uncovers her nakedness; he has made naked her fountain, and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood. Both of them shall be cut off from among their people.
19 “ ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, nor of your father’s sister; for he has made his close relative naked. They shall bear their iniquity. 20 If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered his dod ·uncle’s· nakedness. They shall bear their sin. They shall die childless.
21 “ ‘If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is an impurity. He has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They shall be childless.
22 “ ‘You shall therefore keep all my regulations, and all my judgments, and do them; that the land, where I am bringing you to dwell, may not vomit you out. (LY:7) 23 † Lev 20:23 (Lev 20:22-26) (#2b.143): T. Not to adopt the practices or institutions of idolaters / R. Not to imitate idolaters in their customs and clothing You shall not walk in the regulations and customs of the nations, which I am casting out before you: for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. 24 But I have said to you, “You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am Adonai your God, who has separated you from the peoples.
(Maftir ·Conclusion·) 25 “ ‘You shall therefore make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the clean: and you shall not make yourselves detestable by animal, or by bird, or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have separated from you as unclean for you. 26 You shall be holy to me; for I, Adonai , am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, that you should be mine.
27 “ ‘A man or a woman that is a spirit-medium, or is a sorcerer, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones. Their blood shall be upon them.’ ”
Haftarah K'doshim ·Taking leave · Holy people / Set-apart people·:
'Amos /Amos 9:7-15 (A); Yechezk'el / Ezekiel 20:2-20 (S)
B'rit Hadashah ·New Covenant·: John 7:53-10:21

- Leviticus / Vayikra
- <
- 20
- >

*20:9 Quoted in Matt 15:4; Mark 7:10

†20:10 Lev 20:10 (#6.399): T. “Both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death” / R. For the court to execute by strangulation T. Note: (Leviticus 20) does not explain how the adulterers are to be put to death, simply that they are to be executed R. Note: The Rabbis teach this strangulation execution was not preformed in malice nor by human hands. “The 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” (Sanhedrin, c.7. sect.3)

‡20:10 Selectively Quoted in John 8:4-5

§20:10 Context of John 8:5

*20:14 Lev 20:14 (#6.400): T. To burn a man (and the women) by fire as punishment for taking / acquiring / buying / marrying a woman and her mother / R. For the court to execute by burning

†20:23 Lev 20:23 (Lev 20:22-26) (#2b.143): T. Not to adopt the practices or institutions of idolaters / R. Not to imitate idolaters in their customs and clothing

© 2016 Thomas Robinson