Leviticus 20:4

Leviticus 20:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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:
• New International Version (NIV)If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molek and if they fail to put him to death,
• English Standard Version (ESV)And if the people of the land do at all close their eyes to that man when he gives one of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death,
• New King James Version (NKJV)And if the people of the land should in any way hide their eyes from the man, when he gives some of his descendants to Molech, and they do not kill him,

Context of Leviticus 20:4

2“You shall also say to the sons of Israel: ‘Anyone from the sons of Israel or from the strangers residing in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech, shall certainly be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones. 3I will also set My face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given some of his children to Molech, so as to defile My sanctuary and to profane My holy name. If the people of the land, however, should ever disregard that man when he gives any of his children to Molech, so as not to put him to death, 5then I Myself will set My face against that man and against his family, and I will cut off from among their people both him and all those who play the prostitute with him, by playing the prostitute with Molech. 6‘As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the prostitute with them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.

Leviticus 20:4 word by word

וְאִ֡ם הַעְלֵ֣ם יַעְלִימֽוּ֩ עַ֨ם הָאָ֜רֶץ אֶת־עֵֽינֵיהֶם֙ מִן־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא בְּתִתּ֥וֹ מִזַּרְע֖וֹ לַמֹּ֑לֶךְ לְבִלְתִּ֖י הָמִ֥ית אֹתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

• Ifאִם'im · ifH518
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• of the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• should everעָלַם‛âlam · to concealH5956
• disregardעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• that manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• when he givesנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• anyמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• childrenזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
• to Molechמֹ֫לֶךְmôlek · MolechH4432
• so as not to putמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for Leviticus 20:4

• Acts 17:30So having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent,
• Deuteronomy 13:8you shall not consent to him or listen to him; and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him.
• Deuteronomy 17:2“If there is found in your midst, in any of your towns which the Lord your God is giving you, a man or a woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, by violating His covenant,
• Joshua 7:12Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become designated for destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you eliminate from your midst the things designated for destruction.
• 1 Samuel 3:13For I have told him that I am going to judge his house forever for the wrongdoing that he knew, because his sons were bringing a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them.
• 1 Kings 20:42And the prophet said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Since you have let go from your hand the man I had designated for destruction, your life shall be forfeited in place of his life, and your people in place of his people.’”
• Revelation 2:14But I have a few things against you, because you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.

Commentaries on Leviticus 20:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2-5Verses 2-5 Molech, literally, “the King”, called also Moloch, Milcom, and Malcham, was known in later times as “the abomination of the Ammonites” 1 Kings 11:5. He appears to have been the fire-god of the eastern nations; related to, and sometimes made identical with, Baal, the sun-god. The nature of the rite and of the impious custom called passing children through the fire to Molech is very doubtful. The practices appear to have been essentially…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. If the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, &c.--that is, connive at their countrymen practising the horrid rites of Molech. Awful was it that any Hebrew parents could so violate their national covenant, and no wonder that God denounced the severest penalties against them and their families.Read the comment

Topics related to Leviticus 20:4

• Collusion
• Idolatry
• Molech
• Offerings
• Punishment
• Sanitation

In the dictionaries

• Molech; Moloch
• Molech
• Accomplish
• Crucifixion
• Moloch
• Wizard
• Ammon; Ammonites
• Burial
• Clean
• Criticism

Commentaries on Leviticus 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings