Leviticus 20:3-6

20:3 I myself will set my face ¹  against that man and cut him off from the midst of his people, ²  because he has given some of his children to Molech and thereby defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. ³  20:4 If, however, the people of the land shut their eyes ⁴  to that man ⁵  when he gives some of his children to Molech so that they do not put him to death, 20:5 I myself will set my face against that man and his clan. I will cut off from the midst of their people both him and all who follow after him in spiritual prostitution, ⁶  to commit prostitution by worshiping Molech. ⁷ 

Prohibition against Spiritists and Mediums ⁸ 

20:6 “‘The person who turns to the spirits of the dead and familiar spirits ⁹  to commit prostitution by going after them, I will set my face ¹⁰  against that person and cut him off from the midst of his people.

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¹ tn Heb “And I, I shall give my faces.”

² sn On the “cut off” penalty see the notes on Lev 7:20 and 17:4.

³ tn Heb “for the sake of defiling my sanctuary and to profane my holy name.”

⁴ tn Heb “And if shutting [infinitive absolute] they shut [finite verb].” For the infinitive absolute used to highlight contrast rather than emphasis see GKC 343 §113.p.

⁵ tn Heb “from that man” (so ASV); NASB “disregard that man.”

⁶ tn The adjective “spiritual” has been supplied in the translation to clarify that this is not a reference to literal prostitution, but figuratively compares idolatry to prostitution.

⁷ tn Heb “to commit harlotry after Molech.” The translation employs “worshiping” here for clarity (cf. NAB, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT). On the “cut off” penalty see the note on Lev 7:20.

⁸ sn For structure and coherence in Lev 20:6-27 see the note on v. 27 below.

⁹ tn See the note on the phrase “familiar spirits” in Lev 19:31 above.

¹⁰ tn Heb “I will give my faces.”