Leviticus 20:22-27

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 20:22-27

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 20:22

Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes ,.... All the ordinances, institutions, and appointments of God, whether observed in this chapter or elsewhere, but particularly those concerning incestuous marriages and unlawful copulations: and all my judgments, and do them ; all the laws and commandments of God, founded injustice and judgment, and according to the rules thereof; or else, as Aben Ezra, the judgments of punishment, or the penalties annexed to the above laws, which were carefully... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 20:23

And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation which I cast out before you ,.... Nation seems to be put for nations, for there were seven nations cast out for them; though the Canaanites may be intended, being a general name for the whole: some think the Amorites are meant, who were a principal nation, and notorious for their wickedness: hence we often meet with this phrase in Jewish writings, "the way of the Amorites", as being exceeding bad, and so to be avoided, and by no means to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 20:24

But I have said unto you, ye shall inherit the land ,.... Promised it unto them, as he had to their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and also to them; or he had said the above things unto them, that they, observing them, might possess the land of Canaan, and continue therein, which is the sense of the Targum of Jonathan: the Jews say, that the right of inheritance belonged to them, from Shem the son of Noah, whose portion it was, and which they gather from Melchizedek being king of Salem,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 20:25

Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean ,.... The ten clean ones, as Aben Ezra observes, and all the rest that are unclean, according to the law before given, Leviticus 11:3 , by using the one for food, and not the other, and so the Targum of Jonathan, ye shall separate between the beast which is fit for food, and that which is not fit for food: and between unclean fowls and clean ; and which the same Targum interprets, what is unfit to eat and what is fit,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 20:26

And ye shall be holy unto me ,.... Separated from all unclean persons and things, and devoted to his service, and obedient to all his commands, and so live holy lives and conversations, according to his will, and to his honour and glory: for I the Lord am holy ; and therefore they, his people, should be like him, and imitate him, and observe those things which are agreeable to his holy nature and will, and yield a cheerful obedience to his holy precepts: and have severed you from ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 20:27

A man also or a woman that hath a familiar spirit ,.... Or the spirit of Python or divination, see Leviticus 19:31 ; such as the damsel had in Acts 16:16 ; a woman is here particularly mentioned, though before included in the above law; because, as Aben Ezra says, such sort of practices were more frequently committed by women; to which Maimonides F12 Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 37. adds another reason, because men have a natural clemency towards the female sex, and are not easily... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 20:22

The land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out - See this energetic prosopopoeia explained in the note on Leviticus 18:25 ; (note). From this we learn that the cup of the iniquities of the Canaanitish nations was full; and that, consistently with Divine justice, they could be no longer spared. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 20:24

A land that floweth with milk and honey - See this explained Exodus 3:8 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 20:25

Between clean beasts and unclean - See the notes on Leviticus 11 (note). read more

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