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Douay-Rheims Bible

Leviticus 20:2

Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel: If any man of the children Israel, or of the strangers that dwell in Israel, give of his seed to the idol Moloch, dying let him die. The people of the land shall stone him.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Molech;   Offerings;   Punishment;   Sanitation;   Thompson Chain Reference - Nation, the;   Punishments;   Sojourners;   Stoning;   The Topic Concordance - Counsel;   Execution;   Idolatry;   Sacrifice;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Punishments;   Strangers in Israel;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Molech, Moloch, or Milcom;   Sacrifice;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Execution;   Foreigner;   Molech;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Kill, Killing;   Marriage;   Murder;   Punishment;   Worship;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Foreigner;   Jephthah's Vow;   Moloch;   Stoning;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jephthah;   Law;   Moloch;   Proselytes;   Punishments;   Stranger;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Capital Punishment;   Crimes and Punishments;   Gods, Pagan;   Human Sacrifice;   Leviticus;   Molech;   Pentateuch;   People of the Land;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Canon of the Old Testament;   Child, Children;   Congregation, Assembly;   Crimes and Punishments;   Deuteronomy;   Hexateuch;   Holiness;   Law;   Molech, Moloch;   Priests and Levites;   Sanctification, Sanctify;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Stoning;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Molech ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Idolatry;   Jephthah;   Offering;   Stoning;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Law of Moses;   Punishments;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Moloch;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ammon;   Child;   Leviticus;   Molech;   Phoenicia;   Proselyte;   Punishments;   Relationships, Family;   Sacrifice, Human;   Stranger and Sojourner (in the Old Testament);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Aliens;   Bat Ḳol;   Capital Punishment;   Family and Family Life;   Father;   Gentile;   Homicide;   Moloch (Molech);  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Moreover, you shall tell the children of Yisra'el, Whoever he be of the children of Yisra'el, or of the strangers who sojourn in Yisra'el, who gives of his seed to Molekh; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
King James Version
Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
Lexham English Bible
"And to the Israelites you shall say, ‘If there is anyone from the Israelites or from the alien who is dwelling in Israel, who gives any of his offspring to Molech, he must surely be put to death; the people of the land must stone him with stones.
New Century Version
"You must also tell the people of Israel these things: ‘If a person in your country gives one of his children to Molech, that person must be killed. It doesn't matter if he is a citizen or a foreigner living in Israel; you must throw stones at him and kill him.
New English Translation
"You are to say to the Israelites, ‘Any man from the Israelites or from the foreigners who reside in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death; the people of the land must pelt him with stones.
Amplified Bible
"Moreover, you shall say to the children of Israel, 'Any Israelite or any stranger residing in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech (the god of the Ammonites) [as a human sacrifice] shall most certainly be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
New American Standard Bible
"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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thou shalt say also to the children of Israel, Whosoeuer he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that dwell in Israel, that giueth his children vnto Molech, he shal die the death, ye people of ye land shall stone him to death.
Legacy Standard Bible
"You shall also say to the sons of Israel: ‘Any man from the sons of Israel or from the sojourners sojourning in Israel who gives any of his seed to Molech shall surely be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
Contemporary English Version
to say to the community of Israel: Death by stoning is the penalty for any citizens or foreigners in the country who sacrifice their children to the god Molech.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Say to the people of Isra'el, ‘If someone from the people of Isra'el or one of the foreigners living in Isra'el sacrifices one of his children to Molekh, he must be put to death; the people of the land are to stone him to death.
Darby Translation
Thou shalt say also to the children of Israel, Every one of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, that giveth of his seed unto Molech, shall certainly be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
Easy-to-Read Version
"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.
English Standard Version
"Say to the people of Israel, Any one of the people of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones.
George Lamsa Translation
Say to the children of Israel, Any man of the children of Israel or of the proselytes who sojourn in Israel who shall cast any of his semen into an alien woman, he shall surely be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
Good News Translation
to say to the people of Israel, "Any of you or any foreigner living among you who gives any children to be used in the worship of the god Molech shall be stoned to death by the whole community.
Christian Standard Bible®
“Say to the Israelites: Any Israelite or alien residing in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death; the people of the country are to stone him.
Literal Translation
And you shall say to the sons of Israel, Any man of the sons of Israel, and of the aliens who are living in Israel, who gives of his seed to Molech dying shall die. The people of the land shall stone him with stones!
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Tell the children of Israel: Who so euer he be amonge the children of Israel, (or eny straunger that dwelleth in Israel) which geueth of his sede vnto Moloch, the same shall dye the death: the people of the lande shal stone him,
American Standard Version
Moreover, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
Bible in Basic English
Again, say to the children of Israel, If any man of the children of Israel, or any other man living in Israel, gives his offspring to Molech, he is certainly to be put to death: he is to be stoned by the people of the land;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
This shalt thou say to the chyldren of Israel: whosoeuer he be of the chyldren of Israel, or of the straungers that dwell in Israel, that geueth of his chyldren vnto Moloch, let hym be slayne: the people of the lande shall ouerwhelme hym with stones.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Moreover, thou shalt say to the children of Israel: Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
King James Version (1611)
Againe, thou shalt say to the children of Israel; whosoeuer he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that soiourne in Israel, that giueth any of his seed vnto Molech, he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Thou shalt also say to the children of Israel, If there shall be any of the children of Israel, or of those who have become proselytes in Israel, who shall give of his seed to Moloch, let him be surely put to death; the nation upon the land shall stone him with stones.
English Revised Version
Moreover, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
Berean Standard Bible
"Tell the Israelites, 'Any Israelite or foreigner living in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death. The people of the land are to stone him.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Speke thou these thingis to the sones of Israel, If eny man of the sones of Israel, and of the comelyngis that dwellen in Israel, yyueth of his seed to the ydol Moloch, die he bi deeth; the puple of the lond schal stone him.
Young's Literal Translation
`And unto the sons of Israel thou dost say, Any man of the sons of Israel, and of the sojourners who is sojourning in Israel, who giveth of his seed to the Molech, is certainly put to death; the people of the land do stone him with stones;
Update Bible Version
Moreover, you shall say to the sons of Israel, Any man of the sons of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that gives of his seed to Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
Webster's Bible Translation
Again thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whoever [he be] of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth [any] of his seed to Molech, he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
World English Bible
Moreover, you shall tell the children of Israel, Whoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, who gives of his seed to Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
New King James Version
"Again, you shall say to the children of Israel: "Whoever of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who gives any of his descendants to Molech, he shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones.
New Living Translation
"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.
New Life Bible
"Say to the people of Israel, ‘Any man of Israel or of the strangers living in Israel, who gives any of his children to the false god Molech, must be put to death. The people of the land will kill him with stones.
New Revised Standard
Say further to the people of Israel: Any of the people of Israel, or of the aliens who reside in Israel, who give any of their offspring to Molech shall be put to death; the people of the land shall stone them to death.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Unto the sons of Israel, therefore shalt thou say, What man soever, there may be of the sons of Israel, or of the sojourners that sojourn in Israel, that giveth of his seed unto Molech, he shall, surely be put to death, - the people of the land shall stone him with stones;
Revised Standard Version
"Say to the people of Israel, Any man of the people of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, who gives any of his children to Molech shall be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"You shall also say to the sons of Israel: 'Any man from the sons of Israel or from the aliens sojourning in Israel who gives any of his offspring to Molech, shall surely be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones.

Contextual Overview

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel: If any man of the children Israel, or of the strangers that dwell in Israel, give of his seed to the idol Moloch, dying let him die. The people of the land shall stone him. 3 And I will set my face against him: and I will cut him off from the midst of his people, because he hath given of his seed to Moloch, and hath defiled my sanctuary, and profaned my holy name. 4 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: 5 I will set my face against that man, and his kindred, and will cut off both him and all that consented with him, to commit fornication with Moloch, out of the midst of their people. 6 The soul that shall go aside after magicians, and soothsayers, and shall commit fornication with them: I will set my face against that soul, and destroy it out of the midst of its people. 7 Sanctify yourselves, and be ye holy: because I am the Lord your God. 8 Keep my precepts, and do them. I am the Lord that sanctify you. 9 He that curseth his father, or mother, dying let him die. He hath cursed his father, and mother: let his blood be upon him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Whosoever: Leviticus 17:8, Leviticus 17:13, Leviticus 17:15

giveth: Leviticus 18:21, Deuteronomy 12:31, Deuteronomy 18:10, 2 Kings 17:17, 2 Kings 23:10, 2 Chronicles 28:3, 2 Chronicles 33:6, Psalms 106:38, Isaiah 57:5, Isaiah 57:6, Jeremiah 7:31, Jeremiah 32:35, Ezekiel 16:20, Ezekiel 16:21, Ezekiel 20:26, Ezekiel 20:31, Ezekiel 23:37, Ezekiel 23:39, Acts 7:43, Moloch.

Molech: The Rabbins describe this idol as made of brass sitting upon a throne of the same metal, in the form of a man, with the head of a calf, adorned with a royal crown, and his arms extended as if to embrace any one. When they offered any children to him, they heated the statue by a great fire kindled within, and the victim was put into his arms, and thus consumed. Others relate, that the idol, which was hollow, was divided into seven compartments within; in one of which they put flour, in the second turtles, in the third a ewe, in the fourth a ram, in the fifth a calf, in the sixth an ox, and the seventh a child; which were all burnt together by heating the statue inside. The account which Diodorus - l. xx. gives of the statue of Saturn, to which the Carthaginians, descendants of the Canaanites, sacrificed their children, is very similar. For they had a brazen stature of Saturn, stretching out his hands towards the ground, in such a manner that the children placed within them tumbled down into a pit full of fire. To this account Milton alludes, in Paradise Lost, B. 1. 392.

the people: Leviticus 20:27, Leviticus 24:14, Leviticus 24:23, Numbers 15:35, Numbers 15:36, Deuteronomy 13:10, Deuteronomy 13:11, Deuteronomy 17:5-7, Deuteronomy 21:21, Acts 7:58, Acts 7:59

Reciprocal: Joshua 7:25 - all Israel 1 Kings 11:5 - Milcom 2 Kings 16:3 - made his son 2 Kings 21:6 - he made Ezekiel 14:7 - of the stranger Amos 5:26 - the tabernacle of your Moloch

Cross-References

Genesis 12:15
And the princes told Pharao, and praised her before him: and the woman was taken into the house of Pharao.
Genesis 20:11
Abraham answered: I thought with myself, saying: Perhaps there is not the fear of God in this place: and they will kill me for the sake of my wife:
Genesis 20:12
Howbeit, otherwise also she is truly my sister, the daughter of my father, and not the daughter of my mother, and I took her to wife.
Genesis 20:13
And after God brought me out of my father’s house, I said to her: Thou shalt do me this kindness: In every place, to which we shall come, thou shalt say that I am thy brother.
Genesis 26:1
And when a famine came in the land, after that barrenness which had happened in the days of Abraham, Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Palestines, to Gerara.
Genesis 26:7
And when he was asked by the men of that place, concerning his wife, he answered: She is my sister: for he was afraid to confess that she was his wife, thinking lest perhaps they would kill him because of her beauty.
Genesis 26:16
Insomuch that Abimelech himself said to Isaac: Depart from us, for thou art become much mightier than we.
2 Chronicles 19:2
And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer met him, and said to him: Thou helpest the ungodly, and thou art joined in friendship with them that hate the Lord, and therefore thou didst deserve indeed the wrath of the Lord:
2 Chronicles 20:37
And Eliezer the son of Dodau of Maresa prophesied to Josaphat, saying: Because thou hast made a league with Ochozias, the Lord hath destroyed thy works, and the ships are broken, and they could not go to Tharsis.
2 Chronicles 32:31
Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 they only, but the strangers and proselytes; and not the proselytes of righteousness only, but the proselytes of the gate, who, as well as the others, were to shun idolatry, and other impieties and immoralities after mentioned:

that giveth [any] of his seed unto Molech; which Aben Ezra interprets of lying with an idolatrous woman, or a worshipper of Molech, the abomination or idol of the Ammonites, 1 Kings 11:7; of which see

Leviticus 18:21; but more than that is here intended, or even than causing their seed or offspring to pass through the fire to Molech, as in the place referred to; more is meant by it than a lustration of them, or a dedicating them to Molech, by delivering them to his priests to lead them between two fires for that purpose, but even the sacrificing of them to him; and so the Targum of Jonathan seems to understand it, which is,

"that makes (or sacrifices) of his seed Molech to be burnt in the fire:''

for that the Phoenicians or Canaanites, whose customs the Israelites were in danger of imitating, and therefore cautioned against, did sacrifice human creatures, and these the dearest to them, even their beloved and only begotten children, to Saturn, is certain, as Porphyry y and Eusebius z affirm, or to Hercules, as Pliny a, and both the same with Molech, or the sun:

he shall surely be put to death; by the hand of the civil magistrate, which death was to be by stoning, as follows:

the people of the land shall stone him with stones: that is, the people of the house of Israel, as both the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; such as lived in that part of the country where the idolater lived, and where he committed the sin, or was condemned for it; of the manner of stoning, Leviticus 18:21- :.

y De Abstinent. l. 2. c. 56. z De laudibus Constantin. c. 13. p. 646. Vid. Suidam in voce

σαρδανιος. a Nat. Hist. l. 36. c. 5.

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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Leviticus 20:2. That giveth any of his seed unto Molech — To what has been said in the note on Leviticus 18:21, we may add, that the rabbins describe this idol, who was probably a representative or emblematical personification of the solar influence, as made of brass, in the form of a man, with the head of an ox; that a fire was kindled in the inside, and the child to be sacrificed to him was put in his arms, and roasted to death. Others say that the idol, which was hollow, was divided into seven compartments within; in one of which they put flour, in the second turtle-doves, in the third a ewe, in the fourth a ram, in the fifth a calf, in the sixth an ox, and in the seventh a child, which, by heating the statue on the outside, were all burnt alive together. I question the whole truth of these statements, whether from Jewish or Christian rabbins. There is no evidence of all this in the sacred writings. And there is but presumptive proof, and that not very strong, that human sacrifices were at all offered to Molech by the Jews. The passing through the fire, so frequently spoken of, might mean no more than a simple rite of consecration to the service of this idol. Probably a kind of ordeal was meant, the persons passing suddenly through the flame of a large fire, by which, though they might be burnt or scorched, yet they were neither killed nor consumed. Or they might have passed between two large fires, as a sort of purification. Leviticus 20:14; and "Leviticus 18:21".

Caesar, in his history of the Gallic war, lib. vi., c. 16, mentions a custom of the Druids similar to this. They made an image of wickerwork, inclosed those in it whom they had adjudged to death, and, setting the whole on fire, all were consumed together.


 
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