Leviticus 20:3-6
Context20:3 I myself will set my face 1 against that man and cut him off from the midst of his people, 2 because he has given some of his children to Molech and thereby defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. 3 20:4 If, however, the people of the land shut their eyes 4 to that man 5 when he gives some of his children to Molech so that they do not put him to death, 20:5 I myself will set my face against that man and his clan. I will cut off from the midst of their people both him and all who follow after him in spiritual prostitution, 6 to commit prostitution by worshiping Molech. 7
20:6 “‘The person who turns to the spirits of the dead and familiar spirits 9 to commit prostitution by going after them, I will set my face 10 against that person and cut him off from the midst of his people.
[20:3] 1 tn Heb “And I, I shall give my faces.”
[20:3] 2 sn On the “cut off” penalty see the notes on Lev 7:20 and 17:4.
[20:3] 3 tn Heb “for the sake of defiling my sanctuary and to profane my holy name.”
[20:4] 4 tn Heb “And if shutting [infinitive absolute] they shut [finite verb].” For the infinitive absolute used to highlight contrast rather than emphasis see GKC 343 §113.p.
[20:4] 5 tn Heb “from that man” (so ASV); NASB “disregard that man.”
[20:5] 6 tn The adjective “spiritual” has been supplied in the translation to clarify that this is not a reference to literal prostitution, but figuratively compares idolatry to prostitution.
[20:5] 7 tn Heb “to commit harlotry after Molech.” The translation employs “worshiping” here for clarity (cf. NAB, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT). On the “cut off” penalty see the note on Lev 7:20.
[20:6] 8 sn For structure and coherence in Lev 20:6-27 see the note on v. 27 below.
[20:6] 9 tn See the note on the phrase “familiar spirits” in Lev 19:31 above.