Open English Translation LEV Chapter 20

20 Then Yahweh told Mosheh:

2 Tell the Israeli people that if any of them, or any foreigner staying in Yisrael, gives any of their children to Molek, then that person must definitely be executed—the people must do it by throwing rocks at them. 3 Yes, I myself will personally punish that person and cut them off from the people for giving their child to Molek and so making my sanctuary ‘unclean’ and profaning my sacred name. 4 If the people of the land just hides their eyes from seeing anyone offering their child to Molek so they don’t have to execute that person, 5 then I’ll also remove that other person and their clan. I’ll cut them off from their people, along with anyone else who practises prostitution by prostituting themselves to Molek.

6 I’ll take action against any person who turns to mediums or diviners to prostitute themselves to them, and I’ll cut them off from their people. 7 You must keep yourselves separate from those kinds of things to be holy, because I, Yahweh, am your god. 8 You all must follow my instructions and implement them. I am Yahweh who makes you different from other people groups.

9 Any person who curses their father or mother must be executed—their blood will be on their own head for cursing their parents.[ref]

10 Any man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, maybe even his neighbours wife, must be executed—both the man and the woman.[ref] 11 Any man who sleeps with any of his father’s wives, has exposed his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be executed—their blood is on their own heads.[ref] 12 If a man sleeps with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be executed. That’s perversion and so their blood is on their own heads.[ref] 13 If a man has a sexual relationship with another man, both of them have done something detestable and both of them must be executed—their blood is on their own heads.[ref] 14 If a man takes both a mother and her daughter as wives, then that’s wicked. They must all be burnt to death so that depravity won’t take root among you.

15 If a man tries to have sex with an animal, that man must be executed and the animal must also be killed.[ref] 16 If a woman presents herself sexually to any animal, you must execute the woman and kill the animal—their blood is on their own heads.

17 If a man sleeps with his sister (whether on his father’s or mother’s side) and they see each other’s nakedness, it’s a disgrace and they must be cut off from their people—he’s exposed her nakedness and he must bear his wickedness.[ref] 18 If a man sleeps with a woman who’s menstruating, he’s exposed her nakedness and uncovered the source of her blood, so they must both be cut off from among their people.[ref]

19 You mustn’t expose the nakedness of your sister (whether on your father’s side or mother’s side) because that’s like exposing your own body. They must bear their wickedness.[ref] 20 A man who sleeps with his aunt, he’s exposed his uncle’s nakedness. They’ll bear their wickedness by dying childless. 21 If a man marries his brother’s wife, it’s indecent. He’s exposed his nakedness and they’ll be childless.[ref]

22 You all must obey my instructions and decisions and stick to them, and then the land that I’m about to take you into, won’t vomit you all out. 23 Don’t follow the customs of the peoples that I’ll drive out ahead of you all, because they do all of the above things, and I detest them 24 and I’ve told you all that you yourselves will inherit their land—I’ll give it to you to take possession of. It’s a land flowing with milk and honey. I am your god Yahweh who separates you all from the other people groups. 25 You all must distinguish between ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’ animals and birds. Don’t make yourselves detestable to me with any animal or bird or crawling creature which I’ve distinguished for you all as ‘unclean’. 26 You all must be ‘holy’ to me, because I Yahweh am holy, and I’ve set you all apart from the other people groups to be mine.

27 Any man or woman who’s a medium or diviner must be executed—the people must do it by throwing rocks at them.