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Leviticus 20:2

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Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever [he be] of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth [any] of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.

Again, thou shalt say {H559} to the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478}, Whosoever {H376} he be of the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478}, or of the strangers {H1616} that sojourn {H1481} in Israel {H3478}, that giveth {H5414} any of his seed {H2233} unto Molech {H4432}; he shall surely {H4191} be put to death {H4191}: the people {H5971} of the land {H776} shall stone {H7275} him with stones {H68}.

"Say to the people of Isra'el, 'If someone from the people of Isra'el or one of the foreigners living in Isra'el sacrifices one of his children to Molekh, he must be put to death; the people of the land are to stone him to death.

“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.

Moreover, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.

Commentary

Leviticus 20:2 is a stark and severe prohibition against the practice of child sacrifice, specifically to the deity Molech.

Context

This verse is part of a chapter in Leviticus outlining various laws and penalties concerning holiness and moral purity within the Israelite community. Chapter 20 follows chapters detailing forbidden sexual relations and other defiling practices. The inclusion of the prohibition against sacrificing children to Molech highlights the extreme abomination this act was in God's eyes and its stark contrast to the holy behavior expected of His covenant people. These laws were given as Israel prepared to enter Canaan, a land where such pagan practices, including the worship of Molech, were prevalent.

Key Themes

  • Abomination of Child Sacrifice: The verse unequivocally condemns the horrific practice of offering one's children as sacrifices to pagan deities.
  • Idolatry: Giving one's seed (children) to Molech is a clear act of idolatry, placing a false god above the true God of Israel. This directly violates the first commandment.
  • Holiness and Purity: The law emphasizes the need for Israel to remain holy, set apart from the defiling practices of the surrounding nations. Child sacrifice was seen as polluting the land and the sanctuary (Leviticus 20:3).
  • Severity of Punishment: The prescribed penalty is death by stoning, indicating the extreme seriousness with which God viewed this sin. The community's participation in the stoning underscores their collective responsibility to uphold God's holiness and remove evil from their midst.

Linguistic Insights

The name Molech (or Moloch) refers to a Canaanite deity often associated with fire. The phrase "giveth any of his seed unto Molech" describes the act of ritual sacrifice, often involving passing children through fire or burning them alive, as mentioned in other scriptural condemnations of this practice (Jeremiah 32:35).

Reflection and Application

While literal child sacrifice to Molech is not a common modern practice, this verse serves as a powerful reminder of God's absolute condemnation of anything that devalues human life, especially the lives of the innocent and vulnerable. It also speaks against any form of idolatry where we sacrifice our children's well-being, innocence, or spiritual lives on the altar of career, wealth, status, or other worldly pursuits. The call to holiness in Leviticus remains relevant, urging believers to live lives set apart for God, rejecting practices that are abhorrent to His nature and valuing human life as created in His image.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Leviticus 20:27 (3 votes)

    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.

  • Leviticus 24:14 (3 votes)

    Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard [him] lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.

  • Leviticus 18:21 (3 votes)

    And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through [the fire] to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I [am] the LORD.

  • Deuteronomy 21:21 (3 votes)

    And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

  • Leviticus 24:23 (3 votes)

    And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.

  • 2 Kings 17:17 (2 votes)

    And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

  • Jeremiah 7:31 (2 votes)

    And they have built the high places of Tophet, which [is] in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded [them] not, neither came it into my heart.