Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 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.
Verse 16. If a woman approach unto any beast] We have the authority of one of the most eminent historians in the world, Herodotus, to say that this was a crime not unknown in Egypt; yea, that a case of this nature actually took place while he was there. ‘ ‘ , . . – Herod. in Euterp., p. 108. Edit. Gale, Lond. 1679.
“In this district, within my own recollection, this portentous business took place: a goat coupled so publicly with a woman that every person knew it,” c. After this, need we wonder that God should have made laws of this nature, when it appears these abominations were not only practised among the Egyptians, but were parts of a superstitious religious system? This one observation will account for many of those strange prohibitions which we find in the Mosaic law others, the reasons of which are not so plain, we should see the propriety of equally, had we ampler historic records of the customs that existed in that country.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto,…. In order that the beast may lie with her, and solicit it to commit such an action with her, see Le 18:23;
thou shall kill the woman and the beast: the woman by stoning, and the beast with clubs, as the Targum of Jonathan; and this for the same reasons as before, as well as to prevent monstrous births:
they shall surely be put to death; both the one and the other, and not spared:
their blood [shall be] upon them; they are guilty of a capital crime, a crime which deserves death; this must be understood of the man that lies with a beast, and of the woman; for as for the beast itself, as it is not capable of sinning, so not of guilt, in a proper sense.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Lev 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.
Ver. 16. And the beast. ] Lest the sight of such a beast should bring that loathsome sin to remembrance.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
And if a woman: We are assured by Herodotus – in Euterp that the abominations here referred to existed among the Egyptians, and even formed part of their superstitious religious system, and we have reason to believe that they were not uncommon among the Canaanites. – See note on Lev 18:24, Lev 18:25. Need we wonder then, that God should have made laws of this nature, and appointed the punishment of death for these crimes? This one observation will account for many of those strange prohibitions which we find in the Mosaic law.
and the beast: Exo 19:13, Exo 21:28, Exo 21:32, Heb 12:20
Reciprocal: Exo 22:19 – General Lev 17:4 – be cut off Lev 18:23 – any beast Lev 20:9 – his blood Lev 24:15 – bear his sin 2Sa 1:16 – Thy blood