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Leviticus 20:1-3
New Catholic Bible
Leviticus 20:1-3
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 20[a]
Consequences of Forbidden Behavior. 1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Say again to the children of Israel: ‘Whoever among you sacrifices his child to Molech, whether he be of the children of Israel or of the aliens dwelling in your land, must be put to death. The people of the land will stone him.[b] 3 I will set my face against that man, and cut him off from among his people, for he has sacrificed his child to Molech, defiling my sanctuary and profaning my holy name.
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- Leviticus 20:1 Those who disobeyed the prohibitions mandated by the law (many of these are listed in chapter 18) were severely punished: either condemned to death or expelled from the community. The severity is explained by the ways of that time; it shows how deeply rooted in the cultural environment of that period was the demand that drove Israel to protect itself from the pagan customs with which it was in constant contact: the holy God wanted his chosen people to be holy. Despite the conclusion (vv. 22-24), this legislation supposes that the Hebrews were already settled in the land of Canaan.
- Leviticus 20:2 Such pagan practices as sacrificing children to Molech had found their way into Israel (2 Ki 16:3).
