Leviticus 20:27

“A man also or a woman that hath a familiar spirit, etc.] Or the spirit of Python or divination, (see <031931>Leviticus 19:31); such as the damsel had in (<441616>Acts 16:16); a woman is here particularly mentioned, though before included in the above law; because, as Aben Ezra says, such sort of practices were more frequently committed by women; to which Maimonides f729 adds another reason, because men have a natural clemency towards the female sex, and are not easily prevailed upon to put them to death; therefore the law says, “thou shall not suffer a witch to live”, (<022218>Exodus 22:18); or that is a wizard; a knowing one, who pretends to a great deal of knowledge of things; as of lost…”

“A man or a woman that hath a familiar spirit, shall surely be put to death - They that are in league with the devil, have in effect made a covenant with death: and so shall their doom be. Next: Leviticus Chapter 21”

“a familiar: Lev 20:6, Lev 19:31; Exo 22:18; Deu 18:10-12; Sa1 28:7-9 their blood: Lev 20:9 Next: Leviticus Chapter 21”

“But because Israel was called to be the holy nation of Jehovah, every one, ether man or woman, in whom there was a heathenish spirit of soothsaying, was to be put to death, viz., stoned (cf. Lev 19:31), to prevent defilement by idolatrous abominations. Next: Leviticus Chapter 21”