Leviticus 20:4

Easy-to-Read Version

Maybe the common people will ignore them. Maybe they will not kill those who gave their children to Molech.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
If the people at the land do at all hide their eyes from that man, when he gives of his seed to Molekh, and don't put him to death;

King James Version
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:

Lexham English Bible
And if the people of the land ever shut their eyes from that man at his giving some of his offspring to Molech, not putting him to death,

New Century Version
The people of the community might ignore that person and not kill the one who gave his children to Molech.

New English Translation
If, however, the people of the land shut their eyes to that man when he gives some of his children to Molech so that they do not put him to death,

Amplified Bible
'If the people of the land should ever tolerate that man when he gives any of his children [as a burnt offering] to Molech, and fail to put him to death [as My law requires],

New American Standard Bible
'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,

Geneva Bible (1587)
And if the people of the lande hide their eyes, and winke at that man when he giueth his children vnto Molech, and kill him not,

Legacy Standard Bible
If the people of the land, however, should ever turn a blind eye to that man when he gives any of those who are his seed to Molech, so as not to put him to death,

Contemporary English Version
Some of you may let them get away with human sacrifice,

Complete Jewish Bible
If the people of the land look the other way when that man sacrifices his child to Molekh and fail to put him to death,

Darby Translation
And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from that man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, that they kill him not,

English Standard Version
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,

George Lamsa Translation
And if the people of the land do in any way ignore the offense of the man who has cast of his semen into an alien woman, that they may not kill him,

Good News Translation
But if the community ignores what you have done and does not put you to death,

Christian Standard Bible®
But if the people of the country look the other way when that man gives any of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death,

Literal Translation
And if the people of the land truly hide their eyes from that man, as he gives his seed to Molech, so as not to put him to death,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And though the people of the londe loke thorow the fyngers vpon that man, which hath geuen of his sede unto Moloch, so that they put him not to death,

American Standard Version
And if the people at the land do at all hide their eyes from that man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and put him not to death;

Bible in Basic English
And if the people of the land do not take note of that man when he gives his offspring to Molech, and do not put him to death,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And though that the people of the lande hyde their eyes from the man that geueth his chyldren vnto Moloch, and kyll hym not:

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And if the people of the land do at all hide their eyes from that man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and put him not to death;

King James Version (1611)
And if the people of the land doe any wayes hide their eyes from the man, when he giueth of his seed vnto Molech, and kill him not:

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And if the natives of the land should in anywise overlook that man in giving of his seed to Moloch, so as not to put him to death;

English Revised Version
And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from that man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and put him not to death:

Berean Standard Bible
And if the people of the land ever hide their eyes and fail to put to death the man who gives one of his children to Molech,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
That if the puple of the lond is necgligent, and as litil chargynge myn heeste, and suffrith the man that yaf of his seed to Moloch, nether wole sle hym, Y schal sette my face on that man,

Young's Literal Translation
`And if the people of the land really hide their eyes from that man, in his giving of his seed to the Molech, so as not to put him to death,

Update Bible Version
And if the people at the land do at all hide their eyes from that man, when he gives of his seed to Molech, and do not put him to death;

Webster's Bible Translation
And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed to Molech, and kill him not;

World English Bible
If the people at the land do at all hide their eyes from that man, when he gives of his seed to Molech, and don't put him to death;

New King James Version
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,

New Living Translation
And if the people of the community ignore those who offer their children to Molech and refuse to execute them,

New Life Bible
If the people of the land close their eyes when a man gives any of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death,

New Revised Standard
And if the people of the land should ever close their eyes to them, when they give of their offspring to Molech, and do not put them to death,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, if the people of the land, do even hide, their eyes from that man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, - so as not to put him to death,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And if the people of the land neglecting, and as it were little regarding my commandment, let alone the man that hath given of his seed to Moloch, and will not kill him:

Revised Standard Version
And if the people of the land do at all hide their eyes from that man, when he gives one of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'If the people of the land, however, should ever disregard that man when he gives any of his offspring to Molech, so as not to put him to death,

Contextual Overview

¹ The Lord said to Moses, ² "You must also tell the Israelites these things: Anyone living in Israel who gives one of their children to the false god Molech must be killed! It doesn't matter if they are a citizen of Israel or a foreigner, you must throw stones at them and kill them. ³ I will be against them and separate them from their people, because they gave their children to Molech. They showed that they did not respect my holy name. And they made my holy place unclean. ⁴ Maybe the common people will ignore them. Maybe they will not kill those who gave their children to Molech. ⁵ But I will be against these people and their families. I will separate them from their people. I will separate anyone who is unfaithful to me and chases after Molech. ⁶ "I will be against anyone who goes to mediums and wizards for advice. Whoever does this is being unfaithful to me. So I will separate them from their people. ⁷ "Be special. Make yourselves holy, because I am the Lord your God. ⁸ Remember and obey my laws. I am the Lord . And I have made you my special people. ⁹ "Whoever curses their father or mother must be put to death. They cursed their father or mother, so they are responsible for their own death!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

hide: Acts 17:30

and kill: Deuteronomy 13:8, Deuteronomy 17:2-5, Joshua 7:12, 1 Samuel 3:13, 1 Samuel 3:14, 1 Kings 20:42, Revelation 2:14

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 22:1 - hide thyself

Cross-References

Genesis 19:24
and the Lord began to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. He caused fire and burning sulfur to fall from the sky.

Genesis 20:6
Then God said to Abimelech in a dream, "Yes, I know that you are innocent and that you did not know what you were doing. I saved you. I did not allow you to sin against me. I was the one who did not allow you to sleep with her.

Genesis 20:17
The Lord made all the women in Abimelech's family not able to have children. God did this because Abimelech had taken Sarah, Abraham's wife. But Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his servant girls.

2 Samuel 4:11
I will kill you too and remove this evil from our land because you evil men killed a good man sleeping on his own bed, in his own house."

1 Chronicles 21:17
David said to God, "I am the one who sinned. I gave the order for the people to be counted! I was wrong. The Israelites did not do anything wrong. Lord my God, punish me and my family, but stop the terrible sicknesses that are killing your people."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 connive at his wickedness, and will not discover him, and bear witness against him; or if a court of judicature, before whom he comes, does not take the evidence of his crime, nor condemn for it, or are negligent in punishing him as the law directs, a gift having blinded their eyes, or they careless and remiss in their duty:

when he giveth his seed unto Molech; a crime so heinous and abominable:

and kill him not; do not bring witness against him, so as that he may be put to death, or do not upon the evidence given condemn him to death, or do not take care to have sentence executed, by stoning him to death.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 connected with magical arts, probably also with unlawful lusts, and with some particular form of profane swearing. The rite in the time of Moses belonged to the region rather of magic than of definite idolatrous worship, and may have been practiced as a lustral charm, or fire-baptism, for the children of incest and adultery.

Leviticus 20:2

Stone him with stones - The commonest form of capital punishment. It was probably preferred as being the one in which the execution was the act of the whole congregation.

Leviticus 20:3

Defile my sanctuary - i. e. pollute the people as identified with their sanctuary.