29 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Leviticus 20 In this chapter several laws are, repeated, enforced with a penalty annexed to them, and the breach them made capital, to deter from it, as giving seed to Molech, Leviticus 20:1; going after such that have familiar spirits, or are wizards, Leviticus 20:6; by shunning which, and other sins, a regard would be shown to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... 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.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The laws which before were made are in this chapter repeated and penalties annexed to them, that those who would not be deterred from sin by the fear of God might be deterred from it by the fear of punishment. If we will not avoid such and such practices because the law has made them sin (and it is most acceptable when we go on that principle of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Again thou shalt say to the children of Israel,.... The body of the people by their elders, and the heads of their tribes; for the following laws were binding on them all: whosoever [he be] of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel; everyone of the people of Israel, of whatsoever age, sex, or condition of life: and not...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I will set my face against that man,.... Express resentment, anger, wrath, and indignation at him, see Psalms 34:16: and will cut him off from among his people: that is, supposing him to have been guilty of the above horrid crime, and there being not sufficient evidence given of it by witnesses, or the magistrates negligent in doing their...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man,.... That is, the people of the house of Israel, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; if the friends, relations, and neighbours of such a man, though they know what he is about to do, or has done, yet they shut their eyes wilfully, or look another way; or, however, wink and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then I will set my face against that man,.... 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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
The soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits,.... The man or woman that has respect unto them, seeks after them, and inquires of them, in order to get knowledge of things: and after wizards who pretend to tell fortunes, and discover lost and stolen goods, [See comments on Leviticus 19:31]; to go a whoring after them; for to consult...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Sanctify yourselves therefore,.... 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 Leviticus 20:8: and be ye holy; or a separate people...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them,.... 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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For everyone that curseth his father or his mother,.... Here begins the account of the penalties annexed to the several laws in the preceding chapter; and that respecting the fear and honour of parents being the first, Leviticus 19:3, is here begun with: shall surely be put to death; the Targum of Jonathan adds, "by casting of stones,'' stoning...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the man that committeth adultery with [another] man's wife,.... Which is a breach of the seventh command, Exodus 20:14; [even he] that committeth adultery with his neighbour'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,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the man that lieth with his father's wife,.... 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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
If a man lie with his daughter in law,.... 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 (f): both of them shall surely be put to death; it being a breach of the law in Leviticus 18:15; and this is the penalty annexed to it, even death: they have...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
If a man lie also with mankind, as he lieth with a woman,.... Is guilty of the sin of sodomy, this is a breach of the law in Leviticus 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,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And if a man take a wife, and her mother,.... 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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
If a man lie with a beast,.... A sin quite unnatural, exceeding shocking and detestable, forbid Leviticus 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 (h): and ye shall slay the beast; with clubs, as says the Targum of Jonathan; the reasons given in...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto,.... In order that the beast may lie with her, and solicit it to commit such an action with her, see Leviticus 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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter,.... Take her to be his wife, or commit lewdness with her, whether she be his sister by both father and mother's side, or whether by one only, either way she is his sister, and it is not lawful to marry her, or lie with her, see Leviticus 18:9: and see her...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness,.... Her monthly courses, which make her weak and languid, which is forbidden, Leviticus 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, Leviticus 15:24; whereas this made him and...