Leviticus, Chapter 20, is full of many (but far from all) of the circumstances under which God deems that people should be put to death. Some seem fairly reasonable — like, for example, killing those who have killed their own children in sacrifice to Molech (the Canaanite god of fire to whom children were offered in sacrifice); some far less so (like swearing at your parents). Many (like sleeping with your daughter-in-law; or worse, your mother-in-law) seem, you know, yucky, but hardly something to kill for. Anyway, here’s a tasty morsel or two of these commands, going out to those who think that God doesn’t tell us to stone or kill other people:
(9) For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him. (10) And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. (11) And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. (12) And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them. (13) If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. (14) And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you. (15) And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast. (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… (27) A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
And by the way: I just skipped over the ones that don’t require a death penalty, but merely banishment from your people — like, for example, having sex with your wife during her period.
[…] The excellent God Hates Shrimp was linked here the other day; along with the general attention to things gay these days, it got me to go back and ponder my Leviticus — and you all know how painful that can be. Leviticus 20:13 is, of course, the most central source for biblical condemnation of homosexuality. If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Of course, as I’ve noted before (”Some of the things you should kill people for“), this is the same section of Leviticus that says people should also be put to death for cursing their parents, committing adultery, sleeping with their in-laws, bestiality, and keeping a witch’s familiar. […]