What Does Leviticus 20:27 Mean?

(27) **A man also or woman.**—Better, *And a man or a woman. *The departure from the literal translation of the conjunction in the Authorised version is both unnecessary and obscures the meaning of the sentence. It ought rather to be translated “but;” that is, but because the Israelites are God’s holy ones, therefore every man or woman who pretends to disclose future events by means of necromancy, thus usurping the functions of God, is to be stoned to death. The case of these necromancers is here repeated, because in Leviticus 19:31 the consulting them only is forbidden, and in the sixth verse of this chapter the penalty for consulting them is set forth, whilst in the passage before us the penalty is enacted which the persons themselves who are convicted of practising these secret arts are to suffer. The woman is here expressly added, both because this art seems to have been principally followed by women (Exodus 22:28; 1Samuel 28:7; Acts 16:16), and because men would naturally be inclined to treat women more mercifully. **Their blood shall be upon them.**—That is, they have brought it upon themselves to be killed. (See Leviticus 20:9.) **Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission. **Bible Hub