Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 20:4
And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not:
4. hide their eyes ] i.e. disregard. For the expression in this sense cp. Pro 28:27; Isa 1:15.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
i.e. Wink at his fault, and forbear to accuse and punish him. Compare Act 17:30.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. If the people of the land do anyways hide their eyes from the man, &c.that is, connive attheir countrymen practising the horrid rites of Molech. Awful was itthat any Hebrew parents could so violate their national covenant, andno wonder that God denounced the severest penalties against them andtheir families.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man,…. That is, the people of the house of Israel, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; if the friends, relations, and neighbours of such a man, though they know what he is about to do, or has done, yet they shut their eyes wilfully, or look another way; or, however, wink and connive at his wickedness, and will not discover him, and bear witness against him; or if a court of judicature, before whom he comes, does not take the evidence of his crime, nor condemn for it, or are negligent in punishing him as the law directs, a gift having blinded their eyes, or they careless and remiss in their duty:
when he giveth his seed unto Molech; a crime so heinous and abominable:
and kill him not; do not bring witness against him, so as that he may be put to death, or do not upon the evidence given condemn him to death, or do not take care to have sentence executed, by stoning him to death.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
If the people, however (the people of the land), should hide their eyes from him (on the dagesh in and see the note on Lev 4:13-21), from an unscrupulous indifference or a secret approval of his sin, the Lord would direct His face against him and his family, and cut him off with all that went a whoring after him.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(4) And if the people of the land . . . In the former verse the Legislator treated of cases where there was insufficient evidence. Here he declares what God would do if the community itself, whose duty it is to execute the sentence, either from culpable indifference or criminal sympathy with the sin, connive at it.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4, 5. Hide their eyes The Lawgiver foresees and provides for an amazing moral degeneracy and hardness of heart, when the people’s conscience will be so stupified that they will let this great crime go unpunished.
Against his family This does not necessarily imply the guilt of the family, for ancient law viewed the family as a part of the man’s personality, and inflicted suffering upon them all as if guilty. See Exo 20:5; and Jos 7:24, notes.
Whoredom This term is here used figuratively for idolatry. See chap. Lev 17:7, note.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Observe how jealous the LORD is of his honour. If the people of the land connive at this wickedness, and instead of punishing the offender, wink at him; GOD himself will avenge it, and also on the persons neglecting to punish it. Psa 94:1 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lev 20:4 And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not:
Ver. 4:. Hide their eyes,] i.e., Be negligent or ignorant.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the = that.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
hide: Act 17:30
and kill: Deu 13:8, Deu 17:2-5, Jos 7:12, 1Sa 3:13, 1Sa 3:14, 1Ki 20:42, Rev 2:14
Reciprocal: Deu 22:1 – hide thyself
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lev 20:4. Hide their eyes Wink at his fault, and forbear to accuse and punish him.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
20:4 And if the {c} people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not:
(c) Though the people be negligent to do their duty, and defend God’s right, yet he will not allow wickedness to go unpunished.