1-6,27

Calvin's Commentaries, Vol. 4: Harmony of the Law, Part II, tr. by John King, [1847-50], at sacred-texts.com

Leviticus 20

Leviticus 20:1-6, 27

1. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

1. Loquutus est Jehova ad Mosen, dicendo:

2. 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.

2. Filiis Israel dices, Quicunque e filiis Israel, et e peregrinis qui peregrinantur in Israel, dederit e semine suo Moloch, moriendo morietur: populus terrae lapidibus lapidabit eum.

3. And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.

3. Ego etiam ponam faciem meam contra virum illum, et exterminabo eum e medio populi sui, eo quod de-derit e semine suo Moloch, ut contaminaret sanctuarium meum, et profanaret nomen sanctitatis meae.

4. 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:

4. Quod si abscondendo absconderit populus terrae oculos suos a viro illo quando dabit ex semine suo Moloch, non interficiendo illum;

5. Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people.

5. Tunc ponam ego faciem meam in virum illum, et in familiam ejus, et succidam eum et omnes qui scor-tantur post ipsum, ut scortentur post Moloch, e medio populi sui.

6. And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

6. Anima quae respexerit ad Pythones et ariolos, ad fornicandum post eos, ponam faciem meam contra animam illam, et exterminabo e medio populi sui.

27. A man also or woman that hath a familar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.

27. Vir sive muleir in quibus fuerit Python, vel aruspicum spiritus, moriendo morietur: lapidando lapidabunt eos: sanguis eorum super eos.

1. And the Lord spake. The prohibition of this superstition was previously expounded in its proper place. God here commands the punishment to be inflicted, if any one should have polluted himself with it. And surely it was a detestable sacrilege to enslave to idols that offspring, which was begotten to God, and which He had adopted in the loins of Abraham, since in this way they not only despoiled God of His right, but, so far as they could, blotted out the grace of adoption. What He had then generally pronounced, He now specially applies, viz., that they should be stoned who offered their seed to Molech; for otherwise they would have tried to escape on the pretense that they had no intention of revolting to other gods. Just as now-a-days, under the Papacy, whatever is alleged from Scripture against their impious and corrupt worship, is coldly and contemptuously received; because they varnish over their idolatries, and so indulge themselves in them in security. But after God has commanded His judges to punish this crime severely, He at the same time declares that, if perchance they should connive at it, and encourage it by their lenity, He Himself will avenge it, so as to punish much more heavily those who may have escaped from the hands of men; and not only so, but that He would implicate all those who might have been aware of it in the same con-detonation.