Leviticus 20:6
in Leviticus 20Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists to prostitute himself with them, I will also set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the soul that turneth unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto the wizards, to play the harlot after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Leviticus 20
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThose 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.
This site's exposition
Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists
on Leviticus 20:6-8
Turning to mediums is called going "to prostitute himself with them", the words verse 5 uses of Molech. The practice is treated as unfaithfulness.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Familiar spirits - See the notes on Lev 19:31; and Exo 22:18 (note).
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהַנֶּ֗פֶשׁ | vehanefesh | and the person | H5315 → | 754 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| תִּפְנֶ֤ה | tifneh | it will turn | H6437 → | 135 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָֽאֹבֹת֙ | haovot | the necromancers | H178 → | 17 times |
| וְאֶל־ | veel- | and to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔ים | haiyideonim | the soothsayers | H3049 → | 11 times |
| לִזְנ֖וֹת | liznot | to act as a prostitute | H2181 → | 94 times |
| אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם | ʾachareihem | after them | H310 → | 715 times |
| וְנָתַתִּ֤י | venatati | and I will set | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| פָּנַי֙ | panai | face my | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| בַּנֶּ֣פֶשׁ | banefesh | on the person | H5315 → | 754 times |
| הַהִ֔וא | hahiv' | <the> that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י | vehikhrati | and I will cut off | H3772 → | 288 times |
| אֹת֖וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> him | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מִקֶּ֥רֶב | mikerev | from among | H7130 → | 227 times |
| עַמּֽוֹ׃ | amo | people his | H5971 → | 1873 times |
וְהַנֶּ֗פֶשׁand the person
vehanefeshH5315 →754 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
תִּפְנֶ֤הit will turn
tifnehH6437 →135 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הָֽאֹבֹת֙the necromancers
haovotH178 →17 times
וְאֶל־and to
veel-H413 →5510 times
הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔יםthe soothsayers
haiyideonimH3049 →11 times
לִזְנ֖וֹתto act as a prostitute
liznotH2181 →94 times
אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑םafter them
ʾachareihemH310 →715 times
וְנָתַתִּ֤יand I will set
venatatiH5414 →2011 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
פָּנַי֙face my
panaiH6440 →2123 times
בַּנֶּ֣פֶשׁon the person
banefeshH5315 →754 times
הַהִ֔וא<the> that
hahiv'H1931 →1879 times
וְהִכְרַתִּ֥יand I will cut off
vehikhratiH3772 →288 times
אֹת֖וֹ<obj.> him
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
מִקֶּ֥רֶבfrom among
mikerevH7130 →227 times
עַמּֽוֹ׃people his
amoH5971 →1873 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 8:19When men tell you to consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 33:6
He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Leviticus 19:31
You must not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Chronicles 10:13
So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance,
- Psalms 106:28
They yoked themselves to Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.
- 1 Samuel 28:8
So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring…
- 2 Chronicles 33:6
Through
Leviticus 19:31You must not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
it leads to
- Isaiah 8:19
When men tell you to consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
- Leviticus 20:27
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.’”
- Leviticus 20:6–7
Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists to prostitute himself with them, I will also set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.
- Isaiah 8:19
Where this verse is studied
About Leviticus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.