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Leviticus 20:15

20:14 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.
And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.

KJV

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“‘If a man lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; and you shall kill the animal.

And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.

And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and you shall slay the beast.

20:16 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.

What does Leviticus 20:15 mean?

Leviticus 20:15 is a verse in the book of Leviticus, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include אִישׁ (ʼîysh), נָתַן (nâthan), בְּהֵמָה (bᵉhêmâh). It connects to 29 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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And
if
a
manאִישׁʼîysh/eesh/H376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
lieנָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/H5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
with
a
beast,בְּהֵמָהbᵉhêmâh/be-hay-maw'/H929properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective)
he
shall
surelyמוּתmûwth/mooth/H4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
be
put
to
death:מוּתmûwth/mooth/H4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
and
ye
shall
slayהָרַגhârag/haw-rag'/H2026to smite with deadly intent
the
beast.בְּהֵמָהbᵉhêmâh/be-hay-maw'/H929properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective)

Commentary on Leviticus 20:15

HENRY_FULL · Leviticus 20:15
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, ver. 1-5 . 2. Consulting witches, ver. 6 , 27 . 3. Cursing parents, ver. 9 . 4. Adultery, ver. 10 . 5. Incest, ver. 11, 12, 14, 17, 19-21 . 6. Unnatural lusts, ver. 13 , 15 , 16, , 18 . II. General commands given to be holy, ver. 7, 8 , 22-26 .

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Leviticus 17:8

And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice,

Leviticus 17:13

And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust. which: Heb. that hunteth any hunting

Leviticus 17:15

And every soul that eateth that which died of itself, or that which was torn with beasts, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he be clean. that which died: Heb. a carcase

Leviticus 18:21

And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. Molech: Gr. Moloch

Leviticus 20:27

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.

Leviticus 24:14

Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.

Leviticus 24:23

And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.

Numbers 15:35

And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

Numbers 15:36

And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.

Deuteronomy 12:31

Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. to the: Heb. of the

Deuteronomy 13:10

And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. bondage: Heb. bondmen

Deuteronomy 13:11

And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you.

Deuteronomy 17:5

Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.

Deuteronomy 18:10

There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,

Deuteronomy 21:21

And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

2 Kings 17:17

And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

2 Kings 23:10

And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.

2 Chronicles 28:3

Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. burnt: or, offered sacrifice

2 Chronicles 33:6

And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

Isaiah 57:5Isaiah 57:6Jeremiah 7:31Jeremiah 32:35Ezekiel 16:20Ezekiel 16:21Ezekiel 20:26Ezekiel 20:31Ezekiel 23:37Ezekiel 23:39

Topics

SanitationSodomy

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Leviticus 20:15.

Leviticus 19:20

And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free. betrothed: or, abused by any: Heb. reproached by (or, for) man she shall: or, they, etc: Heb. there shall be a scourging

1 Chronicles 19:18

But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host.

2 Samuel 21:9

And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.

Deuteronomy 16:17

Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee. as: Heb. according to the gift of his hand

Exodus 13:15

And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.

Exodus 21:29

But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.

Genesis 34:14

And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:

Genesis 7:2

Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. by sevens: Heb. seven seven

Frequently asked questions

What does Leviticus 20:15 say?

Leviticus 20:15 (King James Version) reads: "And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast."

Is Leviticus 20:15 in the Old or New Testament?

Leviticus 20:15 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Leviticus.

Reflect

As you read Leviticus 20:15, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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