Leviticus 20:1
New International Version
The LORD said to Moses,

New Living Translation
The LORD said to Moses,

English Standard Version
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Berean Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses,

King James Bible
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

New King James Version
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

New American Standard Bible
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

NASB 1995
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

NASB 1977
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Amplified Bible
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses: “

American Standard Version
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

Contemporary English Version
The LORD told Moses

English Revised Version
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD spoke to Moses,

Good News Translation
The LORD told Moses

International Standard Version
The LORD spoke to Moses,

Majority Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses,

NET Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses:

New Heart English Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

World English Bible
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And YHWH speaks to Moses, saying,

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

New American Bible
The LORD said to Moses:

New Revised Standard Version
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
AND the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And LORD JEHOVAH spoke with Moshe and said to him:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Punishments for Disobedience
1Then the LORD said to Moses, 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.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 18:10-12
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery, / casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead. / For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.

2 Kings 23:10
He also desecrated Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom so that no one could sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire to Molech.

Jeremiah 32:35
They have built the high places of Baal in the Valley of Ben-hinnom to make their sons and daughters pass through the fire to Molech—something I never commanded them, nor had it ever entered My mind, that they should commit such an abomination and cause Judah to sin.

Ezekiel 16:20-21
You even took the sons and daughters you bore to Me and sacrificed them as food to idols. Was your prostitution not enough? / You slaughtered My children and delivered them up through the fire to idols.

Ezekiel 20:31
When you offer your gifts, sacrificing your sons in the fire, you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. So should I be consulted by you, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be consulted by you!

Ezekiel 23:37
For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols. They have even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to Me, in the fire as food for their idols.

2 Chronicles 28:3
Moreover, Ahaz burned incense in the Valley of Ben-hinnom and sacrificed his sons in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

2 Chronicles 33:6
He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben-hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.

Psalm 106:37-38
They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. / They shed innocent blood—the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.

Isaiah 57:5
who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

Acts 7:43
You have taken along the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’

Romans 1:24-25
Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another. / They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.

1 Corinthians 10:20-21
No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons. / You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too.

Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; / idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, / and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 5:5-6
For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. / Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.


Treasury of Scripture

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

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Moses Speaketh
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Moses Speaketh
Leviticus 20
1. Of him who gives his seed to Moloch
4. Of him who favors such an one
6. Of going to wizards
7. Of sanctification
9. Of him who curses his parents
11. Of incest
13. Of sodomy
15. Of bestiality
18. Of uncleanness
22. Obedience is required with holiness
27. Wizards must be put to death














Then the LORD said to Moses,
This phrase introduces a direct communication from God to Moses, emphasizing the divine authority behind the instructions that follow. In the context of Leviticus, God is providing laws and guidelines for the Israelites to live by, ensuring they remain holy and set apart from other nations. Moses, as the leader and prophet, serves as the intermediary between God and the people. This pattern of God speaking to Moses is consistent throughout the Pentateuch, highlighting Moses' unique role in receiving and conveying God's law. The phrase underscores the importance of divine revelation in guiding the moral and spiritual life of the Israelite community. This communication is part of the covenant relationship established at Sinai, where God promised to be their God and they would be His people, contingent upon their obedience to His laws.
Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who is holy and righteous, giving laws to His people to set them apart from other nations.

2. Moses
The prophet and leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to deliver His laws and commandments to the people.

3. Israelites
The chosen people of God, who are receiving the laws and commandments to live by as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.
Teaching Points
God's Holiness and Authority
God is the ultimate authority and His commands are to be obeyed. His holiness demands that His people live according to His standards.

The Role of Leadership
Moses, as a leader, is responsible for communicating God's laws. Spiritual leaders today have a similar responsibility to teach and uphold God's Word.

The Call to Holiness
Just as the Israelites were called to be distinct from other nations, Christians are called to live lives that reflect God's holiness and righteousness.

The Seriousness of Sin
The laws in Leviticus 20 highlight the seriousness of sin and the need for repentance and obedience to God’s commands.

Community Responsibility
The community of believers is responsible for upholding God's standards and encouraging one another in faithfulness and obedience.XX.

(1) And the Lord spake unto Moses.--It is difficult to account for the position of this chapter. Naturally we should expect it to follow Leviticus 18. If Leviticus 20 contains the penalties attached to the sins enumerated in Leviticus 18, we should expect it immediately to follow that chapter. It may, however, be that before enacting these severe punishments, the Lawgiver wanted to appeal to the high calling of the nation, to qualify them by the sublime precepts laid down in Leviticus 19 for obedience to the laws in Leviticus 18, and that in the chapter before us the civil punishments are set forth as an alternative for those who will not be guided by the spiritual sentiments enunciated in Leviticus 19.

The subject of chapter 18, is resumed in this chapter; but that which was before considered as sin only is now regarded as crime, and penalties are attached according to the heinousness of the offense. For example, the sin of "giving of his seed to Molech," or which is the same thing, "letting any of his seed pass through the fire to Molech," had been forbidden as a sin in chapter Leviticus 18:21; now it is condemned as a crime. The various penalties assigned in this chapter are

(1) burning with fire (verse 14);

(2) stoning with stones (verses 2, 27);

(3) being put to death in a manner not specified (verses 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16); . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

said
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר (way·ḏab·bêr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Moses,
מֹשֶׁ֥ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver


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OT Law: Leviticus 20:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses saying (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 19:37
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