Leviticus 20:2

“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.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — The LORD instructs Moses to tell the Israelites that any Israelite or foreigner giving children to Molech must be put to death by the people of the land. This command follows the LORD's initial speech to Moses in Leviticus 20:1.

The words — The Hebrew terms בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (benei Yisra'el) literally mean "the people of Israel," identifying the covenant community addressed. The verb תּוֹמַר (tomar) translates as "you will say," marking the passage as a direct transmission of divine instruction.

The thread — The text explicitly forbids giving offspring to Molech, which aligns with Leviticus 18:21's prohibition against profaning God's name through the same practice. The mandated stoning penalty mirrors the execution method prescribed for mediums and spiritists in Leviticus 20:27.

Why it lands — The passage states that transferring children to Molech triggers a community-executed death penalty and defiles God's sanctuary and holy name. It requires readers to recognize the act as a direct violation of covenant loyalty that demands immediate, collective enforcement.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

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.

Cross-references

Leviticus 18:21 You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
Leviticus 20:27 A man or a woman who is a medium or spiritist must surely be put to death. They shall be stoned; their blood is upon them.’”
Leviticus 24:14 “Take the blasphemer outside the camp, and have all who heard him lay their hands on his head; then have the whole assembly stone him.
Leviticus 24:23 Then Moses spoke to the Israelites, and they took the blasphemer outside the camp and stoned him. So the Israelites did as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Deuteronomy 21:21 Then all the men of his city will stone him to death. So you must purge the evil from among you, and all Israel will hear and be afraid.
Leviticus 17:8 Tell them that if anyone from the house of Israel or any foreigner living among them offers a burnt offering or a sacrifice
Leviticus 17:13 And if any Israelite or foreigner living among them hunts down a wild animal or bird that may be eaten, he must drain its blood and cover it with dirt.
Leviticus 17:15 And any person, whether native or foreigner, who eats anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening; then he will be clean.
Numbers 15:35 And the LORD said to Moses, “The man must surely be put to death. The whole congregation is to stone him outside the camp.”
Deuteronomy 12:31 You must not worship the LORD your God in this way, because they practice for their gods every abomination which the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.