Leviticus 20:27

Translation
King James Version
A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
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KJV (with Strong's)
A man H376 also or woman H802 that hath H3588 a familiar spirit H178, or that is a wizard H3049, shall surely H4191 be put to death H4191: they shall stone H7275 them with stones H68: their blood H1818 shall be upon them.
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Complete Jewish Bible
"'A man or woman who is a spirit-medium or sorcerer must be put to death; they are to stone them to death; their blood will be on them.'"
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Berean Standard Bible
A man or a woman who is a medium or spiritist must surely be put to death. They shall be stoned; their blood is upon them.’”
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American Standard Version
A man also or a woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon them.
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World English Bible Messianic
“‘A man or a woman that is a medium, or is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones. Their blood shall be upon them.’”
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And if a man or woman haue a spirite of diuination, or soothsaying in them, they shall die the death: they shall stone them to death, their blood shalbe vpon them.
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Young's Literal Translation
`And a man or woman--when there is in them a familiar spirit, or who are wizards--are certainly put to death; with stones they stone them; their blood is on them.'
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See also
Leviticus 19:31Leviticus 20:61 Samuel 28:71 Samuel 28:9Exodus 22:18Deuteronomy 18:10Deuteronomy 18:12
In the KJVVerse 3,346 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Leviticus 20:27 pronounces a severe judgment against any man or woman who possesses a familiar spirit or practices as a wizard, mandating their execution by stoning. This decree underscores God's absolute prohibition of occult practices within Israel, emphasizing His exclusive claim to divine authority and the necessity of His people's complete spiritual purity and reliance on Him alone. The stipulated punishment highlights the profound gravity of such transgressions, which were considered a direct affront to Yahweh's sovereignty and a grave defilement of the covenant community, demanding their removal to maintain holiness.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Leviticus 20:27 concludes a chapter dedicated to a series of capital offenses and prohibitions designed to maintain the holiness of the Israelite community, often referred to as the "Holiness Code" found throughout Leviticus 17-27. This specific verse follows a comprehensive list of laws against child sacrifice (Leviticus 20:2-5), various forms of illicit sexual relations (Leviticus 20:10-21), and a general call to holiness and separation from the nations (Leviticus 20:22-26). The prohibition against familiar spirits and wizards is therefore presented as a final, crucial element in the list of abominations that defile both the individual and the land, demanding strict enforcement to preserve Israel's covenant relationship with God and prevent spiritual apostasy.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Ancient Near Eastern cultures widely practiced various forms of divination, necromancy, and sorcery, viewing them as legitimate means to gain knowledge or influence. The Canaanites, in particular, were known for engaging with "familiar spirits" and seeking guidance from the dead, practices that were deeply ingrained in their religious and social fabric. God's command in Leviticus 20:27 and similar passages like Deuteronomy 18:9-14 served to distinguish Israel sharply from their pagan neighbors. These prohibitions were not merely moral guidelines but essential components of Israel's identity as a holy nation, set apart for Yahweh. Engaging in such practices was seen as a direct act of spiritual idolatry, diverting allegiance from the one true God and opening the community to demonic influence, thereby threatening the very foundation of the covenant and inviting divine judgment.
  • Key Themes: The overarching theme of Leviticus, and particularly this chapter, is holiness—the call for Israel to be set apart for God as His chosen people. The prohibition in Leviticus 20:27 strongly contributes to the theme of exclusive worship and divine sovereignty, emphasizing that Yahweh alone is the source of all true knowledge, power, and revelation. Seeking guidance from familiar spirits or wizards is a direct challenge to God's authority and a form of spiritual rebellion, aligning with the broader theme of spiritual purity and separation from the abominable practices of the surrounding nations. The severe punishment highlights the theme of justice and the consequences of sin, demonstrating that defilement of the covenant community by such practices would not be tolerated, ensuring the integrity of God's holy presence among His people.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Familiar Spirit (Hebrew, ʼôwb', H178): This term refers to a necromancer or a medium who claimed to conjure the spirits of the dead, often speaking through them in a muffled or whispering voice, as if from the grave. The practice implies an illicit attempt to gain knowledge or power from sources other than God, often involving communication with demonic entities masquerading as the deceased. The most famous biblical example is King Saul's desperate encounter with the medium at Endor, who conjured what appeared to be Samuel's spirit (1 Samuel 28:7-19).
  • Wizard (Hebrew, yiddᵉʻônîy', H3049): Derived from a root meaning "to know," a wizard was one who possessed a "knowing spirit" or claimed to have special, secret knowledge, often through divination, sorcery, or magical arts. This term encompasses a broader range of occult practitioners who sought to manipulate spiritual forces or predict the future outside of God's revealed will. Both "familiar spirit" and "wizard" represent forms of spiritual rebellion and a rejection of God's exclusive revelation.
  • Blood (Hebrew, dâm', H1818): In the phrase "their blood [shall be] upon them," "blood" signifies the life of the individual and, by extension, the responsibility for their death. When one's blood is "upon them," it means they are solely accountable for their demise, having brought the judgment upon themselves through their own actions. This legal idiom absolves the community of guilt in carrying out the prescribed capital punishment, underscoring the righteousness and necessity of the execution for maintaining the community's purity.

Verse Breakdown

  • "A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death:": This clause establishes the capital offense, clearly stating that both men and women are equally subject to this prohibition, emphasizing the universality of the law within the covenant community. The phrase "shall surely be put to death" (מוֹת יוּמַת, môt yûmat) is a strong legal idiom in Hebrew, signifying an absolute and unavoidable death penalty. This underscores the extreme severity with which God viewed these practices, deeming them an ultimate affront to His sovereignty and a grave defilement.
  • "they shall stone them with stones:": This specifies the method of execution. Stoning was a communal punishment, requiring the participation of the entire community (or its representatives) in the act. This public and collective act served multiple purposes: it was a powerful deterrent against similar offenses, it symbolically cleansed the community of the defilement caused by the sin, and it underscored the community's collective responsibility to uphold God's holiness and remove evil from their midst, thus preserving the purity of the land and the people.
  • "their blood [shall be] upon them.": This concluding phrase is a solemn legal declaration of guilt. It means that the condemned person is solely responsible for their own death; their blood is not on the hands of the community or the executioners because the punishment is a just and divinely mandated consequence of their egregious sin. It signifies that the individual has brought this fate upon themselves through their rebellion against God's explicit command, and thus, their death is righteous and necessary for the purification of the land and people, ensuring that the community remains undefiled.

Literary Devices

Leviticus 20:27 functions as a Legal Proclamation, a characteristic literary form within the Mosaic Law, distinguished by its direct, declarative, and prescriptive language. The use of the Hebrew phrase môt yûmat, translated as "shall surely be put to death," is an example of Legal Redundancy or Emphatic Repetition. This linguistic device serves to underscore the absolute certainty and severity of the judgment, leaving no doubt about the consequence of the transgression. The concluding phrase, "their blood [shall be] upon them," employs Metonymy, where "blood" stands for the guilt and responsibility for one's death. This powerful device conveys the idea that the individual's demise is a direct, self-inflicted consequence of their sin, thereby absolving the community of culpability in carrying out the execution. The entire verse, through its stark pronouncement and prescribed punishment, employs Contrast to highlight the absolute distinction between God's holy ways and the abominable, defiling practices of paganism, reinforcing Israel's unique identity as a consecrated nation.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Leviticus 20:27 is a powerful testament to God's absolute sovereignty and His demand for exclusive worship. The prohibition against familiar spirits and wizards is rooted in the theological truth that God alone is the source of all true knowledge, wisdom, and power. Seeking guidance or power from any other source, especially through occult means, is not merely a deviation but an act of spiritual treason—a direct affront to God's unique authority and a denial of His sufficiency. This law underscores the seriousness of spiritual idolatry and the necessity of Israel's complete separation from the pagan practices of the surrounding nations, ensuring the purity of their covenant relationship with Yahweh. It emphasizes that true spiritual insight comes only through God's revealed Word and His Spirit, not through manipulation of dark forces or communication with demonic entities.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

While the specific judicial punishment of stoning for occult practices is part of the Old Covenant's legal framework and does not directly apply to believers under the New Covenant, the underlying spiritual principles of Leviticus 20:27 remain profoundly relevant. This verse serves as a timeless warning against all forms of occultism, spiritualism, and seeking guidance from any source other than God and His revealed Word. In a contemporary world saturated with New Age philosophies, astrology, fortune-telling, psychic readings, and various forms of spiritual deception, believers are called to exercise extreme discernment. Our ultimate allegiance and source of truth must be Yahweh alone, revealed fully in Jesus Christ. We are to walk in the light, relying on the Holy Spirit for wisdom and understanding, and diligently studying the Scriptures, which are sufficient for all matters of life and godliness. This passage calls us to a life of unwavering devotion, spiritual purity, and a firm rejection of anything that would compromise our exclusive trust in God. It challenges us to examine our own lives for any subtle forms of seeking control, knowledge, or comfort outside of God's perfect will and provision.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what ways might contemporary society subtly promote or normalize practices that, at their root, seek knowledge or power outside of God's revealed will?
  • How does a commitment to seeking God directly through prayer and Scripture protect us from spiritual deception and the allure of forbidden knowledge?
  • What does this verse teach us about the seriousness of spiritual compromise and the importance of maintaining a clear distinction between divine truth and worldly spiritualities?

FAQ

What is a "familiar spirit" and a "wizard" in the biblical context?

Answer: In the biblical context, a "familiar spirit" (Hebrew, ʼôwb') refers to a medium or necromancer who claimed to communicate with the dead, often acting as a channel for spirits (which the Bible identifies as demonic entities) to speak. This practice is famously illustrated in 1 Samuel 28 when King Saul consults the medium at Endor. A "wizard" (Hebrew, yiddᵉʻônî') refers to someone who practices divination, sorcery, or magic, claiming to possess secret knowledge or the ability to manipulate spiritual forces. Both terms describe individuals involved in forbidden occult practices that God explicitly prohibited to Israel as abominations, as seen in passages like Leviticus 19:31 and Deuteronomy 18:10-12.

Why was the punishment for these practices so severe (death by stoning)?

Answer: The severe punishment of death by stoning for those with familiar spirits or wizards underscores the extreme gravity of these offenses in the Old Covenant. Such practices were considered a direct affront to God's absolute sovereignty and an act of spiritual idolatry. God had called Israel to be a holy nation, set apart from the pagan practices of the surrounding cultures. Seeking guidance from familiar spirits or engaging in sorcery was a rejection of Yahweh as the sole source of truth and power, opening the community to demonic influence and spiritual defilement. The death penalty served to purge this evil from the community, maintaining the purity of the covenant people and upholding God's holiness. It was a clear statement that there was no room for spiritual compromise within the nation consecrated to God, as such acts threatened the very fabric of their relationship with Him.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Leviticus 20:27, with its stern prohibition against occult practices, finds its ultimate fulfillment and spiritual resolution in Jesus Christ. While the Old Covenant law mandated the physical removal of those who sought forbidden spiritual power, Christ offers the complete and perfect revelation of God, rendering all other sources of spiritual insight obsolete and illegitimate. He is the true and final Prophet, through whom God has spoken definitively (Hebrews 1:1-2). Furthermore, Christ, by becoming a curse for us on the cross, has redeemed us from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13), including its judicial penalties. For believers in the New Covenant, the spiritual principle of seeking God alone is upheld, not through physical stoning, but through the indwelling Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth (John 16:13). Jesus disarmed the powers and authorities of darkness (Colossians 2:15), empowering His followers to resist spiritual deception and to live in the freedom of His truth, relying solely on Him as the source of all wisdom and life (Colossians 2:8-10). Thus, the New Covenant fulfillment is not in literal execution, but in Christ's triumph over spiritual darkness and His provision of true spiritual light, ensuring that His redeemed people are truly set apart for God.

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Commentary on Leviticus 20 verses 22–27

The last verse is a particular law, which comes in after the general conclusion, as if omitted in its proper place: it is for the putting of those to death that dealt with familiar spirits, Lev 20:27. It would be an affront to God and to his lively oracles, a scandal to the country, and a temptation to ignorant bad people, to consult them, if such were known and suffered to live among them. Those that are in league with the devil have in effect made a covenant with death and an agreement with hell, and so shall their doom be.

The rest of these verses repeat and inculcate what had been said before; for to that unthinking forgetful people it was requisite that there should be line upon line, and that general rules, with their reasons, should be frequently insisted on, for the enforcement of particular laws, and making them more effectual. Three things we are here reminded of:-

I. Their dignity. 1. They had the Lord for their God, Lev 20:24. They were his, his care, his choice, his treasure, his jewels, his kingdom of priests (Lev 20:26): That you should be mine. Happy the people, and truly great, that are in such a case. 2. Their God was a holy God (Lev 20:26), infinitely advanced above all others. His holiness is his glory, and it was their honour to be related to him, while their neighbours were the infamous worshippers of impure and filthy spirits. 3. The great God had separated them from other people (Lev 20:24), and again, Lev 20:26. Other nations were the common; they were the enclosure, beautified and enriched with peculiar privileges, and designed for peculiar honours; let them therefore value themselves accordingly, preserve their honour, and not lay it in the dust, by walking in the way of the heathen.

II. Their duty; this is inferred from their dignity. God had done more for them than for others, and therefore expected more from them than from others. And what is it that the Lord their God requires, in consideration of the great things done and designed? 1. You shall keep all my statutes (Lev 20:22); and there was all the reason in the world that they should, for the statutes were their honour, and obedience to them would be their lasting comfort. 2. You shall not walk in the manners of nations, Lev 20:23. Being separated from them, they must not associate with them, nor learn their ways. The manners of the nations were bad enough in them, but would be much worse in God's people. 3. You shall put a difference between clean and unclean, Lev 20:25. This is holiness, to discern between things that differ, not to live at large, as if we might say and do any thing, but to speak and act with caution. 4. You shall not make your souls abominable, Lev 20:25. Our constant care must be to preserve the honour, by preserving the purity, of our own souls, and never to do any thing to make them abominable to God and to our own consciences.

III. Their danger. 1. They were going into an infected place (Lev 20:24): You shall inherit their land, a land flowing with milk and honey, which they would have the comfort of if they kept their integrity; but, withal, it was a land full of idols, idolatries, and superstitious usages, which they would be apt to fall in love with, having brought from Egypt with them a strange disposition to take that infection. 2. If they took the infection, it would be of pernicious consequence to them. The Canaanites were to be expelled for these very sins: They committed all these things, therefore I abhorred them, Lev 20:23. See what an evil thing sin is; it provokes God to abhor his own creatures, whereas otherwise he delights in the work of his hands. And, if the Israelites trod in the steps of their impiety, they must expect that the land would spue them out (Lev 20:22), as he had told them before, Lev 18:28. If God spared not the natural branches, but broke them off, neither would he spare those who were grafted in, if they degenerated. Thus the rejection of the Jews stands for a warning to all Christian churches to take heed lest the kingdom of God be taken from them. Those that sin like others must expect to smart like them; and their profession of relation to God will be no security to them.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 22–27. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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