Lev 19 starts with some reasonable proscriptions. Some are moral (don’t steal, don’t swear false oaths), and some are logical (don’t eat three day old leftovers, don’t mix wool and linen). But then we run off the rails in Lev 19:20-22. It has detailed explanations about how to punish a man who sleeps with a slave of another man. Is this a problem at happens often?

Lev 20 is much more fun, because now we learn the punishments for all the proscribed actions. Mostly, they will be put to death, and their blood will be on their own heads. So there!

This makes sense for people who sacrifice their own children. But for the rest of the crimes, it seems a little excessive. Adultery? Death. Incest? Death. Bestiality? Death. Gay sex? Death. Insult your parents? Death.

Two interesting points here: first, the same people today who use the Bible to keep gay marriage illegal have no wish to make marrying your brother’s widow illegal. Second, a man is killed for bestiality, but a woman for attempted bestiality.

And as a final reminder at the end of the chapter, anyone who competes with the priests are to be put to death.

Lev 21 is rules for the priests. Basically, they cannot make themselves unclean. They also cannot have any disfigurement. So much for the ADA.

Tomorrow: Leviticus 22-23