6 "'The person that turns to those who are mediums, and to the wizards, to play the prostitute after them, I will even set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Familiar spirits - See the notes on Leviticus 19:31; and Exodus 22:18 (note).
And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a (d) whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.
(d) To esteem sorcerers or conjurers is spiritual whoredom, or idolatry.
The soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits,.... The man or woman that has respect unto them, seeks after them, and inquires of them, in order to get knowledge of things:
and after wizards who pretend to tell fortunes, and discover lost and stolen goods; see Gill on Leviticus 19:31,
to go a whoring after them; for to consult them is to forsake the Lord, and have recourse to Satan and his instruments; to relinquish their trust in God, and put confidence in them, and attribute such things to them as only belong to God, even the knowledge of things future; and this is to commit idolatry, which is spiritual adultery:
I will even set my face against that soul; show like resentment and indignation as at him that gives his seed to Molech:
and will cut him off from among his people; in case his people do not bear witness against him, but hide their eyes, and wink at his crimes, or the civil magistrate does not condemn and punish him; the Targum of Jonathan is,"I will destroy him by the pestilence.''
He would also do the same to every soul that turned to familiar spirits and necromantists (Leviticus 19:31, cf. Exodus 22:17), "to go a whoring after them," i.e., to make himself guilty of idolatry by so doing, such practices being always closely connected with idolatry.
To go a whoring - To seek counsel or help from them.
*More commentary available at chapter level.