The Meaning of Leviticus 20:3 Explained

Leviticus 20:3

KJV: And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.

YLT: and I -- I set My face against that man, and have cut him off from the midst of his people, for of his seed he hath given to the Molech, so as to defile My sanctuary, and to pollute My holy name.

Darby: And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, so as to make my sanctuary unclean, and to profane my holy name.

ASV: I also will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I will set  my face  against that man,  and will cut him off  from among  his people;  because he hath given  of his seed  unto Molech,  to defile  my sanctuary,  and to profane  my holy  name. 

What does Leviticus 20:3 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 20

1  Of him who gives his seed to Moloch
4  Of him who favors such an one
6  Of going to wizards
7  Of sanctification
9  Of him who curses his parents
11  Of incest
13  Of sodomy
15  Of bestiality
18  Of uncleanness
22  Obedience is required with holiness
27  Wizards must be put to death

What do the individual words in Leviticus 20:3 mean?

And I will set - My face against man that and will cut him off - from his people because [some] of his descendants he has given Molech to defile My sanctuary and to profane name My holy
וַאֲנִ֞י אֶתֵּ֤ן אֶת־ פָּנַי֙ בָּאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י אֹת֖וֹ מִקֶּ֣רֶב עַמּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י מִזַּרְעוֹ֙ נָתַ֣ן לַמֹּ֔לֶךְ לְמַ֗עַן טַמֵּא֙ מִקְדָּשִׁ֔י וּלְחַלֵּ֖ל שֵׁ֥ם קָדְשִֽׁי

וַאֲנִ֞י  And  I 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
אֶתֵּ֤ן  will  set 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
פָּנַי֙  My  face 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
בָּאִ֣ישׁ  against  man 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הַה֔וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י  and  will  cut  him  off 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
אֹת֖וֹ  - 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עַמּ֑וֹ  his  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
כִּ֤י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
מִזַּרְעוֹ֙  [some]  of  his  descendants 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
נָתַ֣ן  he  has  given 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לַמֹּ֔לֶךְ  Molech 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹלֶךְ  
Sense: the god of the Ammonites and Phoenicians to whom some Israelites sacrificed their infants in the valley of Hinnom.
טַמֵּא֙  defile 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: טָמֵא 
Sense: to be unclean, become unclean, become impure.
מִקְדָּשִׁ֔י  My  sanctuary 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מִקְדָּשׁ  
Sense: sacred place, sanctuary, holy place.
וּלְחַלֵּ֖ל  and  to  profane 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: חָלַל 
Sense: to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin.
שֵׁ֥ם  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
קָדְשִֽׁי  My  holy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.