Leviticus 24:21

21 He who puts a beast to death will have to make payment for it; he who puts a man to death will himself be put to death.

Leviticus 24:21 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 24:21

And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it
The same as in ( Leviticus 24:18 ) , which is repeated for the confirmation of it, and that it might be observed, though Jarchi takes it to be a different law; before, he says, it speaks of him that kills a beast, here of him that makes any wound or bruise in it, which he must make good; and it must be allowed that the manner of expression is different; there it is, he that smites the soul of a beast so that it dies, here only he that smites a beast, though it dies not, yet having some damage done it, satisfaction must be made:

and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death;
or he that smites a man, though he does not kill him, as Jarchi observes, only makes a wound or bruise in him, because it is not said, the soul of a man, as before; but such damages did not require death, but satisfaction in another way, as in ( Leviticus 24:19 ) .

Leviticus 24:21 In-Context

19 And if a man does damage to his neighbour, as he has done, so let it be done to him;

20 Wound for wound, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever damage he has done, so let it be done to him.

21 He who puts a beast to death will have to make payment for it; he who puts a man to death will himself be put to death.

22 You are to have the same law for a man of another nation living among you as for an Israelite; for I am the Lord your God.

23 And Moses said these words to the children of Israel, and they took the man who had been cursing outside the tent-circle and had him stoned. The children of Israel did as the Lord gave orders to Moses.