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英文原文
The laws which before were made are in this chapter repeated and penalties annexed to them, that those who would not be deterred from sin by the fear of God might be deterred from it by the fear of punishment. If we will not avoid such and such practices because the law has made them sin (and it is most acceptable when we go on that principle of religion), surely we shall avoid them when the law has made them death, from a principle of self-preservation. In this chapter we have, I. Many particular crimes that are made capital. I. Giving their children to Moloch, Le 20:1-5. 2. Consulting witches, Le 20:6,27. 3. Cursing parents, Le 20:9. 4. Adultery, Le 20:10. 5. Incest, Le 20:11,12,14,17,19-21. 6. Unnatural lusts, Le 20:13,15,16,18. II. General commands given to be holy, Le 20:7,8,22-26.
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Moral Laws (1490 BC)
道德的律例（主前1490年）
¹ 耶和華對摩西說：
² 「你還要對以色列人說：凡以色列人，或是在以色列中寄居的外人，把自己的兒女獻給摩洛的，總要治死他；本地人要用石頭打死他。
³ 我也要向那人變臉，把他從民中剪除，因為他把兒女獻給摩洛，玷污我的聖所，褻瀆我的聖名。
⁴ 那人把兒女獻給摩洛的時候，本地人若掩目不顧他，不治死他，
⁵ 我就要向那人和他的家變臉，把他和一切隨從他與摩洛行邪淫的人，都從民中剪除。
⁶ 「人偏向交鬼的和行巫術的，隨他們行邪淫，我要向那人變臉，把他從民中剪除。
⁷ 所以你們要自潔成聖，因為我是耶和華你們的神。
⁸ 你們要謹守遵行我的律例。我是使你們成聖的耶和華。
⁹ 凡咒罵父母的，總要治死他；他咒罵了父母，他的罪要歸到他身上。
摩西在此受吩咐要再次對以色列人說他先前實際上已經說過的話（Le 20:2）。我們確信這不是虛空的重複，而是非常必要的，好叫他們更加鄭重地聽從所聽見的道理，並且相信這些道理極為重要——因為如此屢次叮嚀。神說了一次、兩次，他所吩咐要再說的，我們也當樂意再聽，因為這於我們是安全的（腓3:1）。
I. 在這些經文中，有三樣罪被宣告要處死：
1. 父母虐待兒女——將兒女獻給摩洛為祭（Le 20:2,3）。偶像崇拜的一切儀式中存在着最荒謬的荒唐，都極大地羞辱了人的理性；但沒有一樣像這樣踐踏人性的一切尊嚴——把兒女用火焚燒來尊崇一個糞堆之神。這清楚地證明他們的神是魔鬼——他們渴慕並以人類的痛苦和毀滅為樂——也證明敬拜者比那滅亡的走獸更糟，完全喪失了不僅是理性，更是天然的親情。亞伯拉罕獻以撒不能為這野蠻的做法提供依據，更不能成為其根源，因為那雖是命令，卻立刻被撤回了。然而這世界的神在悖逆之子身上的權勢如此之大，以至這駭人聽聞的慘無人道之舉竟然廣為施行；甚至以色列人也有被引入其中的危險，因此必須制定這嚴厲的律法來對抗它。僅僅告訴他們可以留下兒女（他們身體的果子永不可為他們靈魂的罪而蒙悅納）是不夠的，還必須告訴他們：(1.) 犯罪者本人當作殺人犯被治死：本地人要用石頭打死他（Le 20:2）——在猶太人看來這是最重的死刑。若兒女被獻給魔鬼的惡意，父母就當被獻給神的公義。而且，無論是事實無法證實，還是官長沒有盡責，神都要親自處理：我要把他剪除（Le 20:3）。注意，那些逃避了人的刑罰的人，卻逃不脫神公義的審判；那些在罪中指望逍遙法外的人是何等可悲地欺騙了自己。神向他變臉——就是皺眉相向、以仇敵相迎、與之作戰——這樣的人怎能逃脫呢？這裏陳述了罪行的嚴重性以證明判決的公義：它玷污了聖所，褻瀆了神的聖名——神為這兩者的尊榮而忌邪。注意，罪的惡性被歸於其中特屬以色列人的部分。外邦人獻兒女為祭，犯的是謀殺和拜偶像的罪；但以色列人若這樣做，就招致額外的罪咎——玷污聖所（他們甚至帶着這罪咎仍來朝拜聖所，好像神的殿可以與偶像相安無事），以及褻瀆神所稱的聖名——好像他允許敬拜他的人做這樣的事（羅2:23）。(2.) 一切幫助和教唆他的人也要被神公義的手剪除。若鄰舍隱瞞他，不肯出來作證控告他——若官長姑息他，不肯對他判刑，寧可同情他的愚昧也不恨惡他的不敬虔——神要親自與他們算帳（Le 20:4,5）。包庇偶像崇拜是天上法庭可審的罪，必不逃脫刑罰：我要向那人（那官長，耶5:1）和他的家變臉。注意，[1.] 一家之主的罪惡往往給全家帶來毀滅；那本當看守家庭的，卻成了拆毀家庭的。[2.] 官長若不肯對罪犯伸張公義，神就要對官長伸張公義，因為有危險的是許多人要追隨那些只是以視而不見來縱容罪的人。若領袖的罪是帶頭的罪，他們的刑罰就當成為鑑戒的刑罰。
2. 兒女虐待父母——咒罵父母（Le 20:9）。兒女若說父母的壞話，或咒詛他們，或對他們傲慢惡毒，這是該受審判官懲罰的罪孽——審判官受託維護神的尊榮和社會的治安，而這兩者都受到這種悖逆 insolence 的攻擊。參箴30:17：戲笑父親的眼目，鷙鳥中的雛鳥必把它挖出來——這暗示這樣的惡兒女不僅要被吊死，還要被懸屍示眾。摩西的這條律法被基督引用並加以確認（太15:4），因為它對第五條誡命的直接違背，正如蓄意謀殺對第六條誡命的違背一樣。要求父母體恤兒女的律法，也同樣要求兒女尊敬父母。惡待父母——就是他生命工具的人——就是向神自己——他生命的源頭——反咬一口，神不容許父親的尊嚴和權柄被侮辱和踐踏。
3. 人虐待自己——去求問那些有交鬼的人（Le 20:6）。這樣做，人就是在貶損、貶低、欺騙自己，因而虐待自己。還有甚麼比人到說謊者那裏求信息、到仇敵那裏求建議更瘋狂的呢？那些轉向行邪術的、深諳撒但之奧秘的人所做的就是如此。這如同拜偶像一樣是屬靈的淫亂——將唯獨歸神的榮耀歸給魔鬼；忌邪的神必向這樣從他行邪淫的人發出休書，並要剪除他們——他們已經先將自己從他那裏剪除了。
II. 在這些特別的律法之間，穿插着那個總的吩咐（Le 20:7,8），我們在其中看到：
1. 所要求的本分；共有兩樣：(1.) 我們在原則、情感和目標上要聖潔：你們要自潔成聖。我們當潔淨自己脫離罪的一切污穢，奉獻自己來事奉和榮耀神，在凡事上效法他聖潔的旨意和形像：這就是自潔。(2.) 我們在一切行動上、在整個行事為人中，要順服神的律法：*你們要謹守遵行我的律例。*唯有藉着遵守神的誡命，我們才能證明我們已經自潔成聖；樹乃憑果子認出來。我們若不先自潔成聖，也不能謹守神的律例，盡我們當盡的本分。使樹好，果子也就好了。
2. 強制這些本分的理由。(1.) 我是耶和華你們的神；所以你們要聖潔，好叫你們像你們所屬的那位，並蒙他喜悅。聖潔與他的殿和家中之人相稱。(2.) *我是使你們成聖的耶和華。*神以獨特的特權、律法和恩惠使他們成聖，將他們從萬國中分別出來，並尊崇他們作為歸神的子民。他賜下他的話語和典章作為他們成聖的途徑，又賜下他的聖靈教導他們；所以他們必須聖潔，否則就徒受了神的恩。注意，[1.] 神的子民是、也必須是與眾不同的人。神以他聖潔的約將他們分別出來，所以他們當以聖潔的行事為人將自己分別出來。[2.] 神使我們成聖是我們當自潔的好理由，好叫我們順應他恩典的計劃，而不是與之相悖。若是主使我們成聖，我們就可以盼望這工必成——儘管困難：這表達方式如同林後5:5：*那為我們成就這事的就是神。*他的恩典絕不取代我們的謹慎和努力，反而最有力地推動和鼓勵它們。當恐懼戰兢做成你們得救的工夫，因為是神在你們心裏運行。
¹⁰ 「與鄰舍之妻行淫的，就是與鄰舍的妻子行淫的，姦夫淫婦都必治死。
¹¹ 與繼母行淫的，就是露了他父親的下體，二人必都治死；他們的罪要歸到他們身上。
¹² 與兒婦同寢的，二人必都治死；他們行了逆倫的事，罪要歸到他們身上。
¹³ 人若與男人苟合，像與女人一樣，二人行了可憎的事，總要把他們治死，罪要歸到他們身上。
¹⁴ 人若娶妻，並娶其母，便是大惡；要把這三人用火焚燒，使你們中間免去大惡。
¹⁵ 人若與獸淫合，總要治死他，也要殺那獸。
¹⁶ 女人若挨近獸與它淫合，你要殺那女人和那獸，總要把他們治死，罪要歸到他們身上。
¹⁷ 「人若娶他的姐妹，無論是異父同母的或異母同父的，彼此見了下體，這是可恥的事；他們必在本民的眼前被剪除。他露了姐妹的下體，必擔當自己的罪孽。
¹⁸ 婦人有月經，若與她同寢，露了她的下體，就是露了婦人的血源，婦人也露了血源；二人必從民中被剪除。
¹⁹ 「你姨母和姑母的下體，你不可露；這是露了骨肉之親，二人必擔當自己的罪孽。
²⁰ 人若與伯叔之妻同寢，就露了他伯叔的下體，二人要擔當自己的罪，必無子而死。
²¹ 人若娶弟兄之妻，本是污穢的事，露了弟兄的下體；二人必無子女。
違背第七條誡命的罪在此被判定要嚴厲懲罰。這些罪在一切罪中，愚昧人最易嗤笑；但神要藉着刑罰的嚴厲來教導那些不肯用別的方式學習的人認識罪的嚴重性。
I. 與他人之妻行淫被定為死罪。同犯此罪的姦夫和淫婦都要同樣落在判決之下：他們都必被治死（Le 20:10）。遠在此前，甚至在約伯的時代，這已被視為可憎的罪和當受審判官懲罰的罪孽（伯31:11）。這是對神設立的藐視，是對他盟約的違背（箴2:17）。這是對受害丈夫無可補償的傷害，也最能敗壞兩個犯罪者的心靈和良心。這是一個任性放縱的情慾猛烈驅使人去犯的罪，因此需要如此有力的約束。這罪使全地被玷污並招致神的審判，擾亂家庭，傾向於敗壞一切美德和宗教，因此宜由社會治安的維護者加以追究：但參約8:3-11。
II. 亂倫的關係，無論是否涉及婚姻。1. 其中一些要被處死，如人與繼母同寢（Le 20:11）。流便若當時已有這條律法，就必因他的罪被處死（創35:22）。這是哥林多那亂倫者的罪，他因此要交給撒但（林前5:1,5）。人若與兒婦、岳母或姐妹亂倫，也要被處死（Le 20:12,14,17）。2. 另一些則神要以無後之咒詛來懲罰，如人玷污他的伯叔母或嫂嫂（Le 20:19-21）：二人必無子而死。那些不守神所定的婚姻規矩的人，就喪失了婚姻的福分：他們行淫亂，卻不生養（何4:10）。不但如此，經上說他們要擔當自己的罪孽，這就是說，雖然他們不會立即被神或人的手剪除，但這罪的罪咎要留在他們身上，留到另一日算帳，不能用祭物或供物來贖。
III. 同性戀和獸淫合這些逆性的情慾（一提就令人戰慄的罪）要被處死，如今我們的律法也是如此（Le 20:13,15,16）。連那被如此濫用的獸也要與罪人一同被殺，使罪人因此更加公開地蒙羞：這罪惡也由此被表明為最為可咒可詛、可憎可惡的，一切引發對它的記念或提及的機會都要被除去。甚至婚姻的不合時使用，若出於擅專和對律法的藐視，也會使犯罪者暴露在神公義的審判之下：他們必被剪除（Le 20:18）。因為神的旨意是各人要存着自己的器皿（妻子被稱為較軟弱的器皿）成為聖潔尊貴，這才與聖徒相稱。
²² 「所以，你們要謹守遵行我一切的律例典章，免得我領你們去住的那地，把你們吐出來。
²³ 你們不可遵行我將你們從面前趕出之民的風俗，因為他們行了這一切的事，所以我厭惡他們。
²⁴ 但我對你們說過：你們要承受他們的地，我要把那地賜給你們為業，就是流奶與蜜之地。我是耶和華你們的神，使你們與萬民有分別的。
²⁵ 所以你們要把潔淨和不潔淨的牲畜分別出來，不潔淨的鳥和潔淨的也要分別，不可因我為你們分為不潔淨的牲畜、飛鳥和地上爬行的活物，使自己成為可憎惡的。
²⁶ 你們要歸我為聖，因為我耶和華是聖的，並叫你們與萬民有分別，使你們作我的民。
²⁷ 「交鬼的或行巫術的，無論男女，總要治死他們；人必用石頭打死他們，罪要歸到他們身上。」
最後一節是一條特別的律法，在總結之後補上，好像在其適當位置被遺漏了：這是關於將那些交鬼的人處死的律法（Le 20:27）。若這樣的人被知道並被容許活在他們中間，去求問他們就是對神和他活潑聖言的冒犯，是全地的醜聞，也是對無知的惡人的試探。那些與魔鬼結盟的人實際上已經與死亡立約、與陰間結盟，他們的結局也必如此。
其餘的經文重複並強調先前已說過的話；因為對那不假思索、容易遺忘的百姓，有必耍反覆強調，也有必要常常堅持總則及其理由，以加強特別的律法，使之更有效力。我們在此被提醒三件事：
I. 他們的尊嚴。1. 他們以耶和華為他們的神（Le 20:24）。他們是他的——他的眷顧、他的揀選、他的珍寶、他的珠寶、他的祭司國度（Le 20:26）：*使你們作我的民。*那處於這種光景的百姓是有福的，也是真正偉大的。2. 他們的神是聖潔的神（Le 20:26），無限地超越一切。他的聖潔是他的榮耀，而與他有關係是他們的尊榮，因為他們的鄰舍是那些不潔之靈的可恥敬拜者。3. 偉大的神使他們與萬民有別（Le 20:24），又在Le 20:26重申。別國是公共的；他們是圈定的，以獨特的特權加以美化和豐富，並為獨特的尊榮而設計；所以他們當以此自重，保守自己的尊嚴，不可因效法外邦人的道路而將它踐踏於塵土。
II. 他們的本分；這是從他們的尊嚴中推論出來的。神為他們做的比為別人做的多，因此對他們的期望也比對別人的多。那麼，他們的神——考慮到已經成就和計劃的大事——所要求的是甚麼呢？1. 你們要謹守我一切的律例（Le 20:22）；他們理所當然應當如此，因為這些律例是他們的尊榮，順服這些律例將成為他們持久的安慰。2. 你們不可效法列國的風俗（Le 20:23）。既與他們分別，就不可與他們結交，也不可學習他們的道。列國的風俗在他們自己身上已經夠壞了，在神的百姓身上就更糟了。3. 你們當將潔淨和不潔淨的牲畜分別出來（Le 20:25）。這就是聖潔——能分辨不同的事，不是放任自流，好像我們可以隨意說甚麼做甚麼，而是謹慎地說話行事。4. 你們不可使自己成為可憎惡的（Le 20:25）。我們當常常謹慎保守自己靈魂的純潔，以維護其尊嚴，絕不做任何使自己在神和自己良心面前成為可憎之事。
III. 他們的危險。1. 他們正進入一個受感染的地方（Le 20:24）：你們要承受他們的地——流奶與蜜之地；他們若持守忠貞，就必因之得安慰；但同時這地也充滿了偶像、偶像崇拜和迷信風俗，他們容易愛上這些，因為他們從埃及帶來了一種容易受感染的奇怪傾向。2. 他們若受了感染，後果將是毀滅性的。迦南人正是因為這些罪被驅逐：他們行了這一切的事，所以我厭惡他們（Le 20:23）。請看罪是何等邪惡；它激動神厭惡自己的受造物——若非如此，他以自己手中的工作為樂。以色列人若追隨他們不敬虔的腳步，就當預料那地必將他們吐出（Le 20:22），正如他先前告訴他們的（Le 18:28）。神若不愛惜原來的枝子而把它們折下來，也不會愛惜那些被接上的——若他們敗壞的話。照樣，猶太人的被棄成了對一切基督教會的警告，叫他們當心免得神的國被奪去。那些像別人一樣犯罪的，必像別人一樣受苦；而他們自稱與神的關係也不能保障他們。
英文原文
Moral Laws (1490 BC)
¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
² 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.
³ And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.
⁴ And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not:
⁵ Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people.
⁶ And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.
⁷ Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
⁸ And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.
⁹ For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
Moses is here directed to say that again to the children of Israel which he had in effect said before, Le 20:2. We are sure it was no vain repetition, but very necessary, that they might give the more earnest heed to the things that were spoken, and might believe them to be of great consequence, being so often inculcated. God speaketh once, yea, twice, and what he orders to be said again we must be willing to hear again, because for us it is safe, Php 3:1.
I. Three sins are in these verses threatened with death:—
1. Parents abusing their children, by sacrificing them to Moloch, Le 20:2,3. There is the grossest absurdity that can be in all the rites of idolatry, and they are all a great reproach to men's reason; but none trampled upon all the honours of human nature as this did, the burning of children in the fire to the honour of a dunghill-god. It was a plain evidence that their gods were devils, who desired and delighted in the misery and ruin of mankind, and that the worshippers were worse than the beasts that perish, perfectly stripped, not only of reason, but of natural affection. Abraham's offering Isaac could not give countenance, much less could it give rise to this barbarous practice, since, though that was commanded, it was immediately countermanded. Yet such was the power of the god of this world over the children of disobedience that this monstrous piece of inhumanity was generally practised; and even the Israelites were in danger of being drawn into it, which made it necessary that this severe law should be made against it. It was not enough to tell them they might spare their children (the fruit of their body should never be accepted for the sin of their soul), but they must be told, (1.) That the criminal himself should be put to death as a murderer: The people of the land shall stone him with stones (Le 20:2), which was looked upon as the worst of capital punishments among the Jews. If the children were sacrificed to the malice of the devil, the parents must be sacrificed to the justice of God. And, if either the fact could not be proved or the magistrates did not do their duty, God would take the work into his own hands: I will cut him off, Le 20:3. Note, Those that escape punishment from men, yet shall not escape the righteous judgments of God; so wretchedly do those deceive themselves that promise themselves impunity in sin. How can those escape against whom God sets his face, that is, whom he frowns upon, meets as an enemy, and fights against? The heinousness of the crime is here set forth to justify the doom: it defiles the sanctuary, and profanes the holy name of God, for the honour of both which he is jealous. Observe, The malignity of the sin is laid upon that in it which was peculiar to Israel. When the Gentiles sacrificed their children they were guilty of murder and idolatry; but, if the Israelites did it, they incurred the additional guilt of defiling the sanctuary (which they attended upon even when they lay under this guilt, as if there might be an agreement between the temple of God and idols), and of profaning the holy name of God, by which they were called, as if he allowed his worshippers to do such things, Ro 2:23. (2.) That all his aiders and abetters should be cut off likewise by the righteous hand of God. If his neighbours concealed him, and would not come in as witnesses against him,—if the magistrates connived at him, and would not pass sentence upon him, rather pitying his folly than hating his impiety,—God himself would reckon with them, Le 20:4,5. Misprision of idolatry is a crime cognizable in the court of heaven, and which shall not go unpunished: I will set my face against that man (that magistrate, Jer 5:1) and against his family. Note, [1.] The wickedness of the master of a family often brings ruin upon a family; and he that should be the house-keeper proves the house-breaker. [2.] If magistrates will not do justice upon offenders, God will do justice upon them, because there is danger that many will go a whoring after those who do but countenance sin by winking at it. And, if the sins of leaders be leading sins, it is fit that their punishments should be exemplary punishments.
2. Children's abusing their parents, by cursing them, Le 20:9. If children should speak ill of their parents, or wish ill to them, or carry it scornfully or spitefully towards them, it was an iniquity to be punished by the judges, who were employed as conservators both of God's honour and of the public peace, which were both attacked by this unnatural insolence. See Pr 30:17, The eye that mocks at his father the ravens of the valley shall pick out, which intimates that such wicked children were in a fair way to be not only hanged, but hanged in chains. This law of Moses Christ quotes and confirms (Mt 15:4), for it is as direct a breach of the fifth commandment as wilful murder is of the sixth. The same law which requires parents to be tender of their children requires children to be respectful to their parents. He that despitefully uses his parents, the instruments of his being, flies in the face of God himself, the author of his being, who will not see the paternal dignity and authority insulted and trampled upon.
3. Persons abusing themselves by consulting such as have familiar spirits, Le 20:6. By this, as much as any thing, a man diminishes, disparages, and deceives himself, and so abuses himself. What greater madness can there be than for a man to go to a liar for information, and to an enemy for advice? Those do so who turn after those that deal in the black art, and know the depths of Satan. This is spiritual adultery as much as idolatry is, giving that honour to the devil which is due to God only; and the jealous God will give a bill of divorce to those that thus go a whoring from him, and will cut them off, they having first cut themselves off from him.
II. In the midst of these particular laws comes in that general charge, Le 20:7,8, where we have,
1. The duties required; and they are two:— (1.) That in our principles, affections, and aims, we be holy: Sanctify yourselves and be you holy. We must cleanse ourselves from all the pollutions of sin, consecrate ourselves to the service and honour of God, and conform ourselves in every thing to his holy will and image: this is to sanctify ourselves. (2.) That in all our actions, and in the whole course of our conversation, we be obedient to the laws of God: You shall keep my statutes. By this only can we make it to appear that we have sanctified ourselves and are holy, even by our keeping God's commandments; the tree is known by its fruit. Nor can we keep God's statutes, as we ought, unless we first sanctify ourselves, and be holy. Make the tree good, and the fruit will be good.
2. The reasons to enforce these duties. (1.) "I am the Lord your God; therefore be holy, that you may resemble him whose people you are, and may be pleasing to him. Holiness becomes his house and household." (2.) I am the Lord who sanctifieth you. God sanctified them by peculiar privileges, laws, and favours, which distinguished them from all other nations, and dignified them as a people set apart for God. He gave them his word and ordinances to be means of their sanctification, and his good Spirit to instruct them; therefore they must be holy, else they received the grace of God herein in vain. Note, [1.] God's people are, and must be, persons of distinction. God has distinguished them by his holy covenant, and therefore they ought to distinguish themselves by their holy conversation. [2.] God's sanctifying us is a good reason why we should sanctify ourselves, that we may comply with the designs of his grace, and not walk contrary to them. If it be the Lord that sanctifies us, we may hope the work shall be done, though it be difficult: the manner of expression is like that, 2Co 5:5, He that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God. And his grace is so far from superseding our care and endeavour that it most strongly engages and encourages them. Work out your salvation, for it is God that worketh in you.
¹⁰ And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
¹¹ And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
¹² And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them.
¹³ If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
¹⁴ And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.
¹⁵ And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.
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.
¹⁷ And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister's nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.
¹⁸ And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.
¹⁹ And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister, nor of thy father's sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity.
²⁰ And if a man shall lie with his uncle's wife, he hath uncovered his uncle's nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.
²¹ And if a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless.
Sins against the seventh commandment are here ordered to be severely punished. These are sins which, of all others, fools are most apt to make a mock at; but God would teach those the heinousness of the guilt by the extremity of the punishment that would not otherwise be taught it.
I. Lying with another man's wife was made a capital crime. The adulterer and the adulteress that had joined in the sin must fall alike under the sentence: they shall both be put to death, Le 20:10. Long before this, even in Job's time, this was reputed a heinous crime and an iniquity to be punished by the judges, Job 31:11. It is a presumptuous contempt of an ordinance of God, and a violation of his covenant, Pr 2:17. It is an irreparable wrong to the injured husband, and debauches the mind and conscience of both the offenders as much as any thing. It is a sin which headstrong and unbridled lusts hurry men violently to, and therefore it needs such a powerful restraint as this. It is a sin which defiles a land and brings down God's judgments upon it, which disquiets families, and tends to the ruin of all virtue and religion, and therefore is fit to be animadverted upon by the conservators of the public peace: but see Joh 8:3-11.
II. Incestuous connections, whether by marriage or not. 1. Some of them were to be punished with death, as a man's lying with his father's wife, Le 20:11. Reuben would have been put to death for his crime (Ge 35:22) if this law had been then made. It was the sin of the incestuous Corinthian, for which he was to be delivered unto Satan, 1Co 5:1,5. A man's debauching his daughter-in-law, or his mother-in-law, or his sister, was likewise to be punished with death, Le 20:12,14,17. 2. Others of them God would punish with the curse of barrenness, as a man's defiling his aunt, or his brother's wife (Le 20:19-21): They shall die childless. Those that keep not within the divine rules of marriage forfeit the blessings of marriage: They shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase, Ho 4:10. Nay it is said, They shall bear their iniquity, that is, though they be not immediately cut off by the hand either of God or man for this sin, yet the guilt of it shall lie upon them, to be reckoned for another day, and not be purged with sacrifice or offering.
III. The unnatural lusts of sodomy and bestiality (sins not to be mentioned without horror) were to be punished with death, as they are at this day by our law, Le 20:13,15,16. Even the beast that was thus abused was to be killed with the sinner, who was thereby openly put to the greater shame: and the villany was thus represented as in the highest degree execrable and abominable, all occasions of the remembrance or mention of it being to be taken away. Even the unseasonable use of the marriage, if presumptuous, and in contempt of the law, would expose the offenders to the just judgment of God: they shall be cut off, Le 20:18. For this is the will of God, that every man should possess his vessel (and the wife is called the weaker vessel) in sanctification and honour, as becomes saints.
²² Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.
²³ And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
²⁴ But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.
²⁵ Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.
²⁶ And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.
²⁷ 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.
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, Le 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, Le 20:24. They were his, his care, his choice, his treasure, his jewels, his kingdom of priests (Le 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 (Le 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 (Le 20:24), and again, Le 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 (Le 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, Le 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, Le 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, Le 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 (Le 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, Le 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 (Le 20:22), as he had told them before, Le 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.
先前所制定的律法在本章中重申，並附上了刑罰，好使那些因不敬畏神而不肯遠離罪惡的人，能因懼怕刑罰而被攔阻。我們若不肯因律法將某些行為定為罪而加以避免（當人本著這宗教的原則而行時，是神最喜悅的），那麼當律法將這些行為定為死罪時，出於自保的原則，我們總該避免了吧。本章內容如下：一、多項被判死罪的具體罪行：1. 將兒女獻給摩洛，Le 20:1-5。2. 求問交鬼的，Le 20:6,27。3. 咒罵父母的，Le 20:9。4. 淫亂，Le 20:10。5. 亂倫，Le 20:11,12,14,17,19-21。6. 逆性的情慾，Le 20:13,15,16,18。二、關於聖潔的一般性吩咐，Le 20:7,8,22-26。