Leviticus 20 6

Leviticus 20:6 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.

Leviticus 20:6 nkjv

'And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.

Leviticus 20:6 niv

"?'I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.

Leviticus 20:6 esv

"If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.

Leviticus 20:6 nlt

"I will also turn against those who commit spiritual prostitution by putting their trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead. I will cut them off from the community.

Leviticus 20 verses

Leviticus 20 6 Meaning

Leviticus 20:6 declares a divine judgment against any person who turns to mediums (familiar spirits) or spiritists (wizards) for guidance, interpreting such acts as spiritual adultery against God. Yahweh himself, in a display of fierce indignation and unwavering resolve, promises to personally oppose and sever that individual from the community of Israel, indicating a removal from covenant blessings, social standing, and potentially life itself. This pronouncement emphasizes the absolute demand for exclusive devotion to God and the severe consequences of seeking power or knowledge from illicit, pagan sources.

Leviticus 20 6 Context

Leviticus Chapter 20 specifically details various offenses that bring severe judgment, often the death penalty or "cutting off," to underscore the sacredness of the covenant between God and Israel. It follows Chapter 19, which outlines a broad spectrum of laws demanding holiness in daily life. Chapter 20 emphasizes offenses that defile the land and the people, thus necessitating their removal to maintain the nation's ritual purity and spiritual integrity. The prohibition against familiar spirits and wizards in verse 6, nestled amongst prohibitions against child sacrifice (v. 2-5) and incest (v. 10-21), highlights the gravity of seeking occult practices. These acts were widespread among the surrounding Canaanite nations and represented a profound turning away from exclusive reliance on Yahweh, God's self-revelation, and his providential care. This law aimed to set Israel apart as a holy nation, completely devoted to their unique God, by eliminating all pagan influences that would corrupt their relationship with Him and pollute their promised land.

Leviticus 20 6 Word analysis

• And if a soul (וְנֶפֶשׁ, ve'nephesh): "Soul" refers to a person, an individual being. Nephesh in Hebrew signifies not just the spiritual component but the whole living entity, the person. This emphasizes that it is any individual from the Israelite community, irrespective of their status, who commits this grave transgression.
• turn after (פָּנָה אַחֲרֵי, panah acharei): This phrase literally means "to turn the face after," implying a deliberate inclination, pursuit, or devotion. It signifies redirecting one's allegiance, attention, or worship from God towards something else. It's a fundamental change of direction in one's life or heart.
• such as have familiar spirits (הָאֹבֹת, ha'oboth): From the root אוֹב ('ob), often translated as a necromancer, or a spirit summoned through necromancy. Literally, it can mean "a leather bottle" or "a medium speaking from the abdomen." These were individuals believed to consult the dead, evoking spirits for divination or guidance. This practice directly bypasses God's prescribed means of communication (prophets, dreams, Urim and Thummim) and instead seeks illicit, often demonic, intervention.
• and after wizards (וְאֶל־הַיִּדְעֹנִים, ve'el ha'yidd'onim): From the root יָדַע (yada), "to know." Yidd'onim refers to those who claim to have secret or mystical knowledge, often through sorcery, magic, or hidden arts. They are diviners who gain information or influence through non-divine and forbidden methods, distinct from the oboth but equally condemned for their illicit source of power/knowledge.
• to go a whoring after them (לִזְנוֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶם, liznot achareihem): "Go a whoring" (from זָנָה, zanah) is used here figuratively for spiritual unfaithfulness, or idolatry. It's not physical prostitution but the act of treating familiar spirits and wizards as one's true source of power, guidance, or devotion, thereby committing spiritual adultery against the exclusive covenant relationship with God. This underscores that seeking these occult practices is an act of idolatry, a betrayal of one's covenant vows.
• I will even set my face against that soul (וְנָתַתִּי אֶת־פָּנַי בַּנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא, venatati et-panay bannefesh hahi): This is a strong anthropomorphism, depicting God's direct, resolute, and active opposition. "Setting one's face against" denotes unwavering determination to act in judgment and antagonism. It signifies God's personal and judicial wrath against the individual, promising no mercy or turning back.
• and will cut him off from among his people (וְהִכְרַתִּי אֹתוֹ מִקֶּרֶב עַמּוֹ, vehikh'ratti oto miqerev ammo): The "cutting off" (kareth) penalty. This often means removal from the covenant community through divine action, leading to exclusion from fellowship, civic rights, access to sanctuary blessings, and often premature death without heirs (or no remembrance in Israel). It represents complete severance from God's special people and His covenant protection, essentially spiritual and social excommunication with grave temporal consequences.

• "And if a soul turn after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards": This phrase establishes the forbidden act: a conscious decision to seek after prohibited spiritual sources. It highlights the agency of the individual in actively seeking counsel or power from channels other than the One True God. It reveals the seductive nature of the occult that draws people away.
• "to go a whoring after them": This intensifies the nature of the transgression. It is not merely seeking information but transferring allegiance, offering devotion, and indulging in a forbidden relationship. It makes the act an abomination and an act of spiritual adultery, directly violating the First Commandment's call for exclusive loyalty to Yahweh. It highlights the deeply personal and religious aspect of such an offense.
• "I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people": This two-fold divine judgment emphasizes God's personal indignation and the ultimate consequence. "Setting His face" against them shows divine initiative and resolute wrath. "Cutting off" demonstrates removal from the blessings, protection, and identity of the covenant people, reinforcing that participation in occult practices leads to severance from the holy community and its divine protector. This punishment emphasizes God's zealous defense of His unique relationship with His people and His intolerance for any spiritual competition.

Leviticus 20 6 Bonus section

The strong prohibition in Leviticus 20:6 implicitly teaches several core theological principles. Firstly, it affirms God's absolute sovereignty and exclusive right to be the sole source of knowledge, power, and guidance for His people. Any attempt to derive these from other realms is a denial of His supreme authority and a rejection of His benevolence. Secondly, it highlights the protective nature of God's commands. By forbidding these practices, God shields His people from dangerous spiritual deception and potentially harmful demonic influence. Engaging with "familiar spirits" (often demonic entities) or "wizards" (those trafficking with evil spiritual forces) inevitably leads to spiritual defilement and bondage. Thirdly, the concept of "going a whoring" emphasizes that the relationship between God and His people is personal and intimate, likened to a marriage covenant, where unfaithfulness is profoundly offensive. This personal betrayal, rather than a mere violation of law, evokes God's personal wrath, signified by "setting His face" against the offender. Finally, this verse underscores the holiness of the Israelite community, a collective entity distinct from pagan nations. The "cutting off" punishment serves to excise spiritual cancers that threaten the health and integrity of the entire body of believers, reinforcing the concept of corporate responsibility for maintaining covenant purity before a holy God. This law ultimately pushes for radical dependence on Yahweh and total rejection of anything that undermines that divine-human bond.

Leviticus 20 6 Commentary

Leviticus 20:6 unequivocally declares the severe divine response to engaging in occult practices, namely, consulting familiar spirits or wizards. This command underscores God's absolute demand for exclusive loyalty and trust from His covenant people. Seeking guidance or power from these illicit sources was not merely a ceremonial offense but an act of spiritual treason, equivalent to "going a whoring" after other deities, which fundamentally violated the marriage covenant between God and Israel. God's declaration, "I will even set my face against that soul," reveals His personal and zealous indignation. Unlike human justice, this is a direct, active, and inescapable divine judgment. The ensuing consequence, "and will cut him off from among his people," signifies removal from the benefits and identity of the covenant community, potentially encompassing social ostracism, premature death, or an end to one's lineage within Israel. This ultimate penalty served as a severe deterrent, aimed at preserving the purity, holiness, and singular devotion of the Israelite nation to Yahweh alone, ensuring no rival claim to their worship or trust could stand. The severity of this law serves as a timeless warning against any attempt to bypass God's ordained paths or to seek spiritual insights from sources not sanctioned by His divine revelation. In practical usage, it cautions against any fascination with new-age spiritualities, channeling, fortune-telling, or similar practices that promise knowledge or power outside of a genuine relationship with God and His revealed Word. It calls believers to seek divine wisdom exclusively through prayer, the Scriptures, and reliance on the Holy Spirit.