Leviticus 20:5

20:1-9 Are we shocked at the unnatural cruelty of the ancient idolaters in sacrificing their children? We may justly be so. But are there not very many parents, who, by bad teaching and wicked examples, and by the mysteries of iniquity which they show their children, devote them to the service of Satan, and forward their everlasting ruin, in a manner even more to be lamented? What an account must such parents render to God, and what a meeting will they have with their children at the day of judgment! On the other hand, let children remember that he who cursed father or mother was surely put to death. This law Christ confirmed. Laws which were made before are repeated, and penalties annexed to them. If men will not avoid evil practices, because the law has made these practices sin, and it is right that we go on that principle, surely they should avoid them when the law has made them death, from a principle of self-preservation. In the midst of these laws comes in a general charge, Sanctify yourselves, and be ye holy. It is the Lord that sanctifies, and his work will be done, though it be difficult. Yet his grace is so far from doing away our endeavours, that it strongly encourages them. Work out your salvation, for it is God that worketh in you.

Then I will set my face against that man,.... That man that sees him do the fact, and winks at it, or the judge that connives at him, and will not condemn him, as well as the man that has committed the iniquity: and against his family; either the family of the witness, who could and should have testified against him, or of the judge negligent of his office, or of the man himself, whose family must be privy to so shocking an action, and were abettors of it, and aiders and assisters in it; and so Onkelos renders it, "and his helpers": and will cut him off: the head of the family, whether judge, witness, or the criminal himself: and all that go a whoring after him: that commit the like idolatry after his example, and encouraged to it by the connivance of others at it: to commit whoredom with Molech; that is, idolatry, which is spiritual whoredom, and often so called in Scripture, and with great propriety; for since God had espoused these people to himself, and was their husband, as he was from the time of his bringing them out of Egypt, and making a covenant with them, Jeremiah 31:32; and their sacrificing to and serving other gods being a breach of their matrimonial covenant with him, it was no other than whoredom in a spiritual sense, for which he threatens to cut them off: from among their people; by an immature death, even all that were guilty of such abominable actions, or made themselves accessory to them, by any ways conniving at them, either as judges or witnesses.

Against his family, i.e. either, 1. His posterity, whom God threatened to punish for their father’s idolatry, Exo 20 . Or, 2. His people, as that word is used, Jeremiah 8:3 Micah 2:3 , to wit, the people of that land, who by their connivance make themselves guilty of his sin, Leviticus 20:4 . Or, 3. His disciples and followers, who are oft called the sons or children of their masters. And so it may seem to be explained in the following words, all that go a whoring after him, as the first clause, which concerns the head or chief person himself, I will set my face against that man, is explained by these words, I will cut him off.

4. If the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, &c.—that is, connive at their countrymen practising the horrid rites of Molech. Awful was it that any Hebrew parents could so violate their national covenant, and no wonder that God denounced the severest penalties against them and their families.

(5) Then I will set my face. —In that case God himself will show His anger. (See Leviticus 20:3 , and Leviticus 17:10 .) He will interpose to execute just judgment. And against his family.—Because they would naturally be privy to it, and aid and abet the father in this crime, they, as well as all those who joined in this idolatrous worship, will be cut off by God himself.

If the people, however (the people of the land), should hide their eyes from him (on the dagesh in חעלּם and יעלּימוּ see the note on Leviticus 4:13-21 ), from an unscrupulous indifference or a secret approval of his sin, the Lord would direct His face against him and his family, and cut him off with all that went a whoring after him.

(7) Set thy face is a common Scriptural expression for any steadfast purpose. (See Leviticus 17:10 ; Leviticus 20:3 ; Leviticus 20:5-6 ; Leviticus 26:17 ; 2Chronicles 20:3 , marg., &c.) It is a particularly favourite phrase with Ezekiel ( Ezekiel 15:7 ; Ezekiel 20:46 , &c.). Here this steadfastness of purpose was to be exercised “toward the siege of Jerusalem;” there would be no relenting in this matter—God’s purpose of judgment should surely be fulfilled. Further symbolism to the same effect is added, “Thine arm shall be uncovered,” withdrawn from the loose sleeve of the Oriental robe, and made ready for battle. (Comp. Isaiah 52:10 .) Withal he is to “prophesy against it,” doubtless by words suited to his actions.

Rom . 109 ‘Now leaven is itself the offspring of corruption, and corrupts the lump ( φύραμα ) with which it is mixed’); and so in the NT. it becomes a figure of corrupt teaching or practice, Matthew 16:6 (= Mark 8:15 = Luke 12:1 ), 11: St Paul twice quotes the saying, ‘A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump’ ( 1 Corinthians 5:6 , Galatians 5:9 ), with reference to moral corruption: and in 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 , with evident reference to the injunction here, bids Christians ‘clear away the old leaven,’ and ‘keep the feast’ of their Passover, Christ (i.e. live the Christian life), with the ‘unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.’ that soul shall be cut off from Israel ] a formula, with slight variations (as he or that man for that soul ; and from his father’s kin or from the congregation for from Israel ), very common in P: v. 19, Genesis 17:14 , Exodus 30:37-38 ; Exodus 31:14 , Leviticus 7:20-21 ; Leviticus 7:25 ; Leviticus 7:27 ; Leviticus 17:4 ; Leviticus 17:9 ; Leviticus 18:29 ; Leviticus 19:8 ; Leviticus 20:17-18 ; Leviticus 22:3 ; Leviticus 23:29 , Numbers 9:13 ; Numbers 15:30-31 ; Numbers 19:13 ; Numbers 19:20 † (cf. with the first person, I will cut off …, Leviticus 17:10 ; Leviticus 20:3 ; Leviticus 20:5-6 †; I will destroy …, Leviticus 23:30 †). The offence for which this is the penalty is usually neglect of some ceremonial observance, and only occasionally a moral offence, or idolatry.

Bear the iniquity of the holy things - The Hebrew expression "to bear iniquity" is applied either to one who suffers the penalty of sin ( Exodus 28:43 ; Leviticus 5:1 , Leviticus 5:17 ; Leviticus 17:16 ; Leviticus 26:41 , etc.), or to one who takes away the sin of others ( Genesis 50:17 ; Leviticus 10:17 ; Leviticus 16:22 ; Numbers 30:15 ; 1 Samuel 15:25 , etc.). In several of these passages, the verb is rightly rendered to forgive. The iniquity which is spoken of in this place does not mean particular sins actually committed, but that condition of alienation from God in every earthly thing which makes reconciliation and consecration needful. Compare Numbers 18:1 . It belonged to the high priest, as the chief atoning mediator between Yahweh and His people (see the note at Exodus 28:36 ), to atone for the holy things that they might be "accepted before the Lord" (compare Leviticus 8:15 , note; Leviticus 16:20 , Leviticus 16:33 , note): but the common priests also, in their proper functions, had to take their part in making atonement ( Leviticus 4:20 ; Leviticus 5:10 ; Leviticus 10:17 ; Leviticus 22:16 ; Numbers 18:23 , etc.).

And this is in accordance with the particular NT doctrine of Christ’s death as a propitiation , which has a distinct and unmistakable place in Paul’s Epistles, though not in his only ( Romans 3:23 ; 1 John 2:2 ; 1 John 4:10 ), and a reconciliation ( Romans 5:11 ; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 ), as well as with the OT view of sacrifice offered in order to effect forgiveness and removal of guilt ( Leviticus 4:20 ; Leviticus 4:26 ; Leviticus 4:35 ; Leviticus 5:10 ; Leviticus 5:13 ; Leviticus 5:16 , etc.).— εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας : for a savour of sweet smell . So Ell.; “for an odour of a sweet smell” (RV); “for a sweet smelling savour” (AV, Gen., Bish.); “in to the odour of sweetness” (Wicl.); “in an odour of sweetness” (Rhem.); “sacrifice of a sweet savour” (Tynd., Cov., Cranm.). Statement of the acceptability of Christ’s sacrifice, taken from the OT רֵיהַ־נִיחו̇חַ , Leviticus 1:9 ; Leviticus 1:13 ; Leviticus 1:17 ; Leviticus 2:12 ; Leviticus 3:5 , etc. ( cf. Genesis 8:21 ; Php 4:18 ), where ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας is defined as θυσίαν δεκτήν , εὐάρεστον τῷ θεῷ . The foundation of the phrase is of course the ancient idea that the smoke of the offerings rose to the nostrils of the god, and that in this way the Deity became partaker of the oblation along with the worshipper (Hom., Il. , xxiv., 69, 70). The phrase was naturally used oftenest of the burnt offering (Lev. 2:9, 13, 17), and some have argued that there is nothing more in view here than the idea of self-dedication contained in that offering