Leviticus

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Leviticus 20 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Leviticus 20 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

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.

(20:2) "Whosoever ... giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones."
What the Bible says about stoning
Does God approve of human sacrifice?

Murdering your children is a capital offence? Bring it back!

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.

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:

(20:4-5) "If the people ... hide their eyes from the man ... and kill him not: Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family."
If you refuse to kill someone who gives his seed to Molech, God set his face against you and your family.

I'm afraid the author of the SAB does not understand the phrase “giving your seed to the Molech.” The Molech was a statue with a hollow opening. The statue was heated as hot as possible, and the little baby was put inside the statue, so it would burn to death.

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.

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.

(20:6) "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."

Witchcraft is specifically forbidden.

7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.

(20:7) "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy." Is only God holy?

See Rev. 15:4.

8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.

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.

(20:9-16) People who must be killed. Does God approve of capital punishment?
What the Bible says about children, homosexuality, capital punishment, parenting, and crime and punishment (20:9) "For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death."
Couldn't we try spanking first?

On the meaning of cursing, see Ex. 21:17.
Penalties in Israel were severe, if the crime was severe.

10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

(20:10) "The adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death."
How should adulterers be punished?

See John 8:7.

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.

(20:11) If a man has sex with his father's wife, kill them both.

This and subsequent describes various forms of adultery.

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.

(20:12) If a man has sex with his daughter in law, kill them both.

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.

(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."
If a man has sex with another man, kill them both.
How should homosexuals be treated?
What the Bible says about homosexuality

Homosexuality is sin. How punishment should be meted out depends on the circumstances. The laws in Leviticus do not proscribe how governments in all times and all ages should conduct their punishment, as the country of Israel was a special case: this country specifically was chosen by God to be holy.

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.

(20:14) "And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire."
If a man has sex with his wife and her mother (now that sounds like fun!), burn to death all three.
What the Bible says about burning people to death

The author of the SAB has consulted his wife when expressing his delight in such sin?

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

(20:15) "And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast."
"If a man lie with a beast"

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.

(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."
If a woman has sex with an animal, kill them both.

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.

(20:17, 19-21) Don't uncover the nakedness of your sister, uncle's wife, or your brother's wife. (Just tell them to wear clothes whenever you're around.)
Is incest forbidden?

The phrase “uncover their nakedness” means having intercourse. See chapter 18:6.

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.

(20:18) "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."
Don't have sex with menstruating women.
How should a man who has sex with a menstruating woman be punished?What the Bible says about Menstruation

See chapter 15:24.

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.

(20:19-21) Don't have sex with your aunts or uncles.(20:19) "Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister, nor of thy father's sister."

To give just one argument: the risk on genetic defects in their offspring is greatly increased.

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.

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.

(20:21-22) "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."
Don't have sex with your uncle's or brother's wife or you'll die childless.

The meaning is not just that they should not have intercourse, but they should not even marry. The Bible forbids sexual relationships between people related by blood or previously related through marriage.

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, spue you not out.

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.

(20:23) "I abhorred them."
Contrary to popular opinion, the god of the bible does not love everyone. (Some people he abhors.)
Does God love everyone?

The author of the SAB is quite right: God does not love sin.

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.

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.

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.

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.

(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."
Stone to death any witches or wizards "Their blood shall be upon them."
What the Bible says about stoning

The land of Israel had to be clean of practitioners of witchcraft.