Articles
Cut Off From the People: The Punishment of God
Amidst the teachings of the Torah, there is a phrase that appears multiple times that is worth deeper consideration: “cut off from his people.” The phrase appears multiple times in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, and even makes an appearance in Genesis 17:14 as the consequence to breaking the covenant of circumcision. It is given as a consequence to a wide variety of violations: not adhering to the Passover (Ex. 12:15-19), profaning the Sabbath (Ex. 31:14), improperly eating of fellowship offerings (Lev. 7:20-21, 25; 19:5-8), sexual immorality (Lev. 18:29; 20:18), offering sacrifices to pagan idols or engaging in pagan worship (Lev. 17:4, 8-9; 20:3-6), and a number of other covenant violations. In particular, this punishment seems to be for what Moses calls “high-handed sins” in Numbers 15:30-31. While there were numerous examples of “unintentional” sins that were pardoned through sacrifices, or a period of ritual uncleanness, there were some sins that were done in flagrant disregard of the Law. It is these violations that the punishment of “cut off from his people” shows up. So, what exactly is this punishment? Why is it reserved for these worse types of intentional sin?
One of the more common interpretations of this phrase has been the idea of excommunication or banishment; if you violated the covenant laws, you were removed from the nation and made an outcast. While this is a popular idea, it would seem unlikely given the context of the phrase. In Leviticus 17:10, where Israel is prohibited from consuming blood, God Himself is the one who says “I…will cut him off from among his people.” A similar condemnation comes in 20:2-3 for the Israelite who sacrifices his offspring to Molech, and again it is God who performs the cutting off. Given the nature of many of the crimes associated with this punishment (sexual immorality, eating fellowship offerings outside of allowed times, etc.), it would be difficult for the Israelite legal system to have meted out justice for these events; particularly, given the nature of Israelite justice requiring witnesses, that these crimes would often be done in private where no one would see the crime. It would seem, then, that this “cutting off” punishment was not a physical banishment, but a spiritual punishment handed down by God himself. This is supported by the fact that there are multiple occasions (such as an offering to Molech) where an Israelite is both executed for their crime and “cut off from [their] people.” If someone is executed, banishing them from the Israelite nation would seem like an unnecessary step!
Richard C. Steiner, a scholar of Semitic languages, argues that the phrase “to be cut off from one’s people” can be read as an antonym of the phrase “to be gathered to one’s people.” The latter phrase is used in passages such as Genesis 25:8 when a notable character dies; the meaning of this description has also been disputed in scholarly circles. While some have argued that “gathered to one’s people” simply means being buried in a grave with relatives and ancestors, this would seem to be argued against by the cases of the word in Genesis. Abraham is pointedly not buried with his people in Mesopotamia, but in a cave in Canaan where only Sarah resides. Jacob is “gathered to his people” in Egypt before they undertake the weeks-long journey to take Jacob’s body to Canaan and bury him. In fact, several scholars have noted that the burial of a patriarch and the event of being “gathered to his people” are consistently noted as separate terms and events in Genesis. What, then, does “gathered to his people” mean? It seems likely that this is a reference to the afterlife, and the concept of reunification with the ancestors and relatives that have died before someone. We don’t read many references to the afterlife in the Hebrew scriptures (indeed, they are so few that the Sadducees’ lack of belief in an afterlife is not considered crazy in the 1st century), but there are several passages that seem to indicate the concept of a life after death. Job mentions the idea of “rest with kings and with counselors of the earth” in his mourning (Job 3:13-14), Samuel is shockingly brought back to speak to Saul through a medium (1 Samuel 28:8-20), and even Jesus himself uses Exodus 3:6’s identification of God as “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” as evidence of God being for those living in the afterlife rather than the dead (Mark 12:24-27). While the Old Testament’s idea of the afterlife isn’t nearly as developed as the New Testament, it does seem likely that there was at least some faith and hope of a life to follow this one.
If we apply this concept of “gathered to one’s people” to the antonymic phrase “to be cut off from one’s people,” then it perhaps sheds light on the punishment being meted out from God; rather than it being a physical punishment of banishment or exile, the “cutting off” is a spiritual punishment of being denied an afterlife reunion with your ancestors and descendants! This would mean that even if a sin such as sexual immorality or eating improperly would go unnoticed by the Israelite nation, it would not go unnoticed by God; while a person might escape earthly punishment for their deeds, they would not escape the dishonor they were showing God through their intentional sins. It also shows the severity of a crime such as child sacrifice or violating the Sabbath; not only would a person lose their physical life, but they would lose the life to come as well! These punishments in the Law would serve as a reminder to the Israelites that these were not just civil law codes for a nation. The Law was the divine ordinances and commandments of the Most High God, and intentionally violating them would always come with severe consequences!
So, what should we take away from this idea of being cut off from one’s people? First, it reminds us that we still serve a God of justice today. While we may escape retribution for our sins in this present life, God will always deliver His perfect justice in His own time; we should not be deceived and think that God can be mocked! “By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored,” (Lev. 10:3). Second, however, it also reminds us of the love and mercy God has for His people. Faithful men like Abraham and Jacob were not just blessed in this life, but they would be blessed in the life to come. They would be “gathered to their people,” and be able to witness the fulfilment of God’s promises. Think of how many faithful sons and daughters Abraham will get to meet in the blessed life to come! God holds the same promises to us today; not only will we be gathered to live with God Himself, but we will be blessed to be reunited with all our faithful ancestors and descendants in that glorious day. What an amazing dawn that will be when all of God’s children reunite in our blessed home!
