They Shall Be Cut Off In Sight of Their People

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Coram Deo

Puritan Board Junior
I am trying to make a serious study of the case laws and what penal sanction goes with each moral law...

In Lev. 20:17, refering to incest with a sister the penal code is "They Shall Be Cut Off In Sight of Their People".

Is this the Death Sentence, or is this exiled from the land? I asked because other penal codes for incest tell us "they shall surely be put to death".

Also what about "They shall bear their iniquity" in verse 19, and "they shall die childless" in verse 20? Is verse 20 another death sentence, or is it a forced sterility on the man and womans part?

What is the Consensus on these verses?

Michael
 
When I saw the thread title I was about to suggest it could be either death-sentence of exile. While I do not balk at the death sentence, my "hunch" is that it is exile. But it has been a while since I have really studied case laws.

My reasons, which I am open to correction: if it were the death penalty, then I think it would identify itself as such. Other case laws do, for that matter. I think this is a way of stating "exile,' but I could be wrong.
 
I think I can concur with that, but what about verse 20 "They shall die childless"? Is that forced sterility?

Michael


When I saw the thread title I was about to suggest it could be either death-sentence of exile. While I do not balk at the death sentence, my "hunch" is that it is exile. But it has been a while since I have really studied case laws.

My reasons, which I am open to correction: if it were the death penalty, then I think it would identify itself as such. Other case laws do, for that matter. I think this is a way of stating "exile,' but I could be wrong.
 
I think I can concur with that, but what about verse 20 "They shall die childless"? Is that forced sterility?

Michael

As far as I ever dared to go is to assume that this referred to a supernatural judgment from God. I don't think it was a command for the authorities to do anything at all--and I don't think it still is in effect either.

Similar to the test for adultery by the jealous man or the casting of lots over the scape goat. They involved God's direct intervention and therefore were not directions for how we should set up a civil government.
 
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