Lev 20:9 | NETfull | STEP | “‘If anyone curses his father and mother he must be put to death. He has cursed his father and mother; his blood guilt is on himself.

Leviticus 20:9

Family Life and Sexual Prohibitions

^{▼▼ Compare the regulations in Lev 18:6–23.} 9 “‘If anyone ^{▼▼ Heb “If a man a man who.”} curses his father and mother ^{▼▼ Heb “makes light of his father and his mother.” Almost all English versions render this as some variation of “curses his father or mother.”} he must be put to death. He has cursed his father and mother; his blood guilt is on himself. ^{▼▼ Heb “his blood [plural] is in him.” Cf. NAB “he has forfeited his life”; TEV “is responsible for his own death.”} ^{▼▼ The rendering “blood guilt” refers to the fact that the shedding of blood brings guilt on those who shed it illegitimately (even the blood of animals shed illegitimately, Lev 17:4; cf. the background of Gen 4:10–11). If the community performs a legitimate execution, however, the blood guilt rests on the person who has been legitimately executed (see the remarks and literature cited in J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 328).}