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20 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Moreover, you shall tell the children of Israel, ‘Anyone of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners in Israel, who gives any of his offspring[a] to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone that person with stones. I also will set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given of his offspring to Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name. If the people of the land all hide their eyes from that person when he gives of his offspring to Molech, and don’t put him to death, then I will set my face against that man and against his family, and will cut him off, and all who play the prostitute after him to play the prostitute with Molech, from among their people.

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Footnotes

  1. 20:2 or, seed

Prohibiting Child Sacrifice

20 The Lord spoke to Moses, “Tell the Israelis that when an Israeli or a resident alien[a] who lives in Israel offers[b] his child to Molech, he is certainly to be put to death.[c] The people who live in the land are to stone him with stones. As for me, I’ll oppose that man. I’ll eliminate him from contact with his people[d] for sacrificing his children to Molech, thereby defiling my sanctuary and profaning my holy name. If the people avoid dealing[e] with that man when he offers his child to Molech—that is, if they fail to execute him— then I’ll oppose that man and his family and eliminate him from contact with his people,[f] along with all the prostitutes who accompany him and who have committed prostitution with Molech.”

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 20:2 Or foreigner who lives with you
  2. Leviticus 20:2 Or gives
  3. Leviticus 20:2 Lit. to die, he’ll die
  4. Leviticus 20:3 The Heb. lacks from contact with his people
  5. Leviticus 20:4 Lit. people conceal their face from
  6. Leviticus 20:5 The Heb. lacks from contact with his people