Exodus 22:19

KJV

Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.

KJV (with Strong's)

Whosoever lieth {H7901} with a beast {H929} shall surely {H4191} be put to death {H4191}.

Complete Jewish Bible

"Whoever has sexual relations with an animal must be put to death.

Berean Standard Bible

Whoever lies with an animal must surely be put to death.

American Standard Version

Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Exodus 22:19 presents an unequivocal divine prohibition against bestiality, mandating the death penalty for anyone who engages in such an act. This statute, embedded within the "Book of the Covenant," serves as a foundational declaration of God's demand for holiness and moral distinction for the nascent nation of Israel. It profoundly underscores the sanctity of human sexuality, the inviolable boundaries God established between humanity and the animal kingdom, and the severe consequences for actions that fundamentally defile the individual, the community, and the land in the eyes of a holy God.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Exodus 22:19 is situated within the "Book of the Covenant" ([Exodus 20:22-23:33](/exodus/20-22-23-33 "The Book of the Covenant - Detailed Laws for Israel")), a comprehensive legal code delivered immediately after the Ten Commandments. This section meticulously expands upon the broad moral principles of the Decalogue, providing specific statutes that govern civil, criminal, and ceremonial life within Israel. The laws in [Exodus 22](/exodus/22 "Exodus 22 - Laws Concerning Property and Social Justice") primarily address offenses against property and persons, including theft, damage, and various sexual transgressions. The inclusion of a law against bestiality within this broader legal framework highlights its extreme gravity, placing it alongside other severe offenses that warranted capital punishment, such as murder or kidnapping. It reflects God's meticulous concern for the moral purity and social order of the nascent Israelite nation, establishing clear boundaries for behavior that would distinguish them from surrounding pagan cultures.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Ancient Near Eastern societies often exhibited a range of sexual practices, some of which were considered abhorrent by Israel's God. Bestiality, while perhaps not universally common, was known in the ancient world and sometimes associated with fertility cults or aberrant sexual practices, as well as general sexual depravity. God's emphatic prohibition in [Exodus 22:19](/exodus/22-19 "Exodus 22:19 - Prohibition Against Bestiality") served to set Israel apart as a holy nation, distinct from the defiling practices of their neighbors. The surrounding Canaanite cultures, for instance, engaged in various forms of sexual immorality, including bestiality, as explicitly condemned in [Leviticus 18:23](/leviticus/18-23 "Leviticus 18:23 - Abominable Sexual Practices"). By instituting such severe penalties, God impressed upon Israel the absolute necessity of moral purity and the profound defilement that such acts brought upon individuals and the land itself, emphasizing their unique covenant relationship with a holy God.
* **Key Themes:** This verse contributes significantly to the overarching biblical themes of **Holiness and Purity**. God's repeated commands for Israel to be holy as He is holy (e.g., [Leviticus 11:44](/leviticus/11-44 "Leviticus 11:44 - Be Holy, For I Am Holy")) are concretized through specific laws like this one. Bestiality is deemed an "abomination" that defiles, underscoring the necessity of maintaining ritual and moral purity within the covenant community. Furthermore, it reinforces the theme of **Distinction and Separation**. By prohibiting practices common among their pagan neighbors, God establishes Israel as a unique people, set apart to reflect His character. This law, alongside others in the Book of the Covenant, serves to create a society fundamentally different from the surrounding nations, one that honors God's created order and His standards of righteousness.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **lieth (Hebrew, _shâkab'_):** This verb (H7901) is a primitive root meaning "to lie down" for various purposes, including rest, sexual connection, or decease. In the context of "with a beast," it functions as a euphemism for sexual intercourse, clearly denoting sexual penetration. The use of this common verb for sexual relations underscores that the act is a perversion of a natural human function, misdirected towards an animal, thus blurring the divinely ordained boundaries between humanity and the animal kingdom.
* **beast (Hebrew, _bᵉhêmâh'_):** This noun (H929) is derived from an unused root likely meaning "to be mute." It properly refers to a dumb beast, especially any large quadruped or animal, often used collectively for cattle or domestic animals. The specificity of "beast" here emphasizes the violation of the natural order within the human sphere of interaction with creation. It highlights a transgression against the established hierarchy and distinction between rational, image-bearing humanity and the non-rational animal kingdom, which God created for human stewardship, not sexual gratification.
* **surely be put to death (Hebrew, _mûwth'_):** This phrase (H4191, repeated for emphasis) is an emphatic Hebrew construction, a verbal infinitive absolute followed by the finite verb. It literally translates to "dying, he shall be put to death," or "he shall surely die." This linguistic intensity leaves no room for ambiguity regarding the prescribed penalty. It signifies an unavoidable, divinely mandated capital punishment, reflecting the extreme gravity of the offense and God's absolute condemnation of such a defiling act.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Whosoever lieth with a beast":** This clause identifies the specific transgression: any individual, regardless of status or gender, who engages in sexual intercourse with an animal. The universality of "whosoever" indicates that this law applies to all members of the Israelite community, emphasizing that such a perversion is unacceptable for anyone within God's covenant people. It highlights the profound violation of natural order and the sanctity of human sexuality, which God designed for procreation and intimacy within specific human relationships.
* **"shall surely be put to death":** This clause prescribes the mandatory and non-negotiable penalty for the transgression. The emphatic Hebrew construction underscores the absolute severity of the crime in God's eyes. This capital punishment serves as a deterrent and a means of purging such defilement from the community, maintaining the moral purity and holiness required of God's chosen nation. It reflects the principle of divine justice where acts that fundamentally corrupt the moral fabric of society are met with the severest consequence, thereby preserving the integrity of the covenant.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs a clear **Legal Formula**, characteristic of the Book of the Covenant, by stating a specific offense immediately followed by a definitive punishment. This direct, declarative style leaves no room for ambiguity regarding the nature of the crime or its consequence. The use of the emphatic Hebrew construction "shall surely be put to death" (מֹות יוּמָת, _mot yumath_) functions as a powerful form of **Intensification**, underscoring the absolute gravity and severity of the offense. It conveys the divine abhorrence for bestiality and the non-negotiable nature of the prescribed capital punishment. This strong language also serves a potent **Deterrent** function, aiming to prevent such an act by clearly communicating the dire consequences and the community's absolute rejection of such behavior.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Exodus 22:19 profoundly speaks to the sanctity of human sexuality and the distinct dignity of humanity as created in God's image. Bestiality blurs the divinely established boundaries between humans and animals, violating the natural order and defiling the individual. This law is a powerful declaration of God's demand for holiness and moral purity within His covenant people, distinguishing them sharply from the defiling practices of surrounding pagan nations. It underscores that certain sexual behaviors are not merely socially unacceptable but are fundamentally contrary to God's design and considered an abomination, warranting the severest divine judgment to preserve the community's integrity and prevent the land itself from being defiled.

* [Leviticus 18:23](/leviticus/18-23 "Prohibition of Bestiality as an Abomination")
* [Leviticus 20:15-16](/leviticus/20-15-16 "Leviticus 20:15-16 - Death Penalty for Bestiality, Including the Animal")
* [Deuteronomy 27:21](/deuteronomy/27-21 "Deuteronomy 27:21 - Curse for Bestiality")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the specific judicial penalties of the Old Covenant are not directly applied in civil law today, the underlying moral principles of Exodus 22:19 remain timeless and profoundly relevant. This verse serves as a stark reminder of the sacredness of human sexuality as a gift from God, intended for specific, holy purposes within the confines of marriage between a man and a woman. It compels us to recognize and uphold the clear distinctions God has established in creation—between humanity and the animal kingdom, and between pure and impure sexual expression. For believers, this passage calls for a commitment to sexual purity, understanding that all forms of sexual immorality are not merely social transgressions but acts that defile the body, which is a temple of the Holy Spirit, and are contrary to God's holy character. It challenges us to cultivate a worldview that reveres God's design for creation and human flourishing, rejecting any practice that distorts or debases His divine order, and to live lives that reflect the holiness of the God who has called us.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the severity of the penalty for bestiality in Exodus 22:19 highlight God's view of human dignity and the sanctity of creation?**
* **In what ways does this ancient law speak to contemporary discussions about sexual ethics and the boundaries of human behavior, particularly concerning the natural order?**
* **How can understanding God's unchanging standard for holiness, as seen in this verse, shape our personal pursuit of purity and our witness to the world regarding God's design for sexuality?**

### FAQ
**Why was the penalty for bestiality so severe, leading to capital punishment?**

Answer: The severity of the penalty, capital punishment, underscores the extreme gravity of bestiality in God's eyes. This act was considered a profound perversion that violated the divinely established order between humanity and the animal kingdom, blurring the unique dignity of humanity created in God's image ([Genesis 1:27](/genesis/1-27 "Genesis 1:27 - Humanity Created in God's Image")). It was also seen as an "abomination" that defiled both the individual and the land ([Leviticus 18:23](/leviticus/18-23 "Leviticus 18:23 - Abominable Sexual Practices")). The death penalty was a means of purging such defilement from the community, maintaining the moral and spiritual purity required of God's covenant people and distinguishing them from the corrupt practices of surrounding pagan cultures. It was a clear statement that such a fundamental distortion of God's design would not be tolerated within a holy nation.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Exodus 22:19 prescribes a specific legal penalty under the Old Covenant, its underlying principles of holiness, purity, and the sanctity of God's created order find their ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in Christ. Jesus, as the perfect embodiment of God's holiness, upholds the moral law, not by literal enforcement of Old Testament judicial penalties, but by transforming the heart and empowering believers to live in true righteousness. The New Testament teaches that sexual immorality, in all its forms, defiles the body, which is now the temple of the Holy Spirit ([1 Corinthians 6:18-19](/1_corinthians/6-18-19 "1 Corinthians 6:18-19 - Flee Sexual Immorality, Your Body is a Temple")). Christ's sacrifice on the cross addresses the root of sin—our fallen nature—and through His Spirit, believers are enabled to walk in purity and holiness, fulfilling the spirit of the law. He calls us to a higher standard of internal purity, where even lustful thoughts are condemned ([Matthew 5:28](/matthew/5-28 "Matthew 5:28 - Lustful Thoughts")). Thus, while the physical death penalty for bestiality is no longer applied, the spiritual death and defilement that such acts represent are overcome by Christ's redemptive work, offering forgiveness and the power to live lives that honor God's design for human sexuality and dignity ([Romans 6:1-14](/romans/6-1-14 "Romans 6 - Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ")). In Christ, we find not just condemnation for sin, but liberation from its power and a new life of holiness that truly reflects God's original intent for humanity and creation.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Leviticus 18:23

Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it [is] confusion.

Deuteronomy 27:21

Cursed [be] he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Leviticus 20:15

And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.

Leviticus 20:16

And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them.

Leviticus 18:25

And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.