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“Give the people of Israel these instructions, which apply both to native Israelites and to the foreigners living in Israel. “If any of them offer their children as a sacrifice to Molech, they must be put to death. The people of the community must stone them to death. 3I myself will turn against them and cut them off from the community, because they have defiled my sanctuary and brought shame on my holy name by offering their children to Molech. And if the people of the community ignore those who offer their children to Molech and refuse to execute them, 5I myself will turn against them and their families and will cut them off from the community. This will happen to all who commit spiritual prostitution by worshiping Molech. 6“I will also turn against those who commit spiritual prostitution by putting their trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead. I will cut them off from the community.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And if the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• of the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• do any waysעָלַם‛âlam · to concealH5956
• their eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• from the manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• when he givethנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• of his seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
• unto Molechמֹ֫לֶךְmôlek · MolechH4432
• and killמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• him notבִּלְתִּיbiltîy · lestH1115

Cross-references for Leviticus 20:4

• Acts 17:30“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.
• Deuteronomy 13:8But do not give in or listen. Have no pity, and do not spare or protect them.
• Deuteronomy 17:2“When you begin living in the towns the Lord your God is giving you, a man or woman among you might do evil in the sight of the Lord your God and violate the covenant.
• Joshua 7:12That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.
• 1 Samuel 3:13I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them.
• 1 Kings 20:42The prophet said to him, “This is what the Lord says: Because you have spared the man I said must be destroyed, now you must die in his place, and your people will die instead of his people.”
• Revelation 2:14“But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin.

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