Leviticus 24:17-22

17 "Any who commit murder shall be put to death, ¹

18 and any who kill an animal belonging to someone else must replace it. The principle is a life for a life.

19 "If any of you injure another person, whatever you have done shall be done to you.

20 If you break a bone, one of your bones shall be broken; if you put out an eye, one of your eyes shall be put out; if you knock out a tooth, one of your teeth shall be knocked out. Whatever injury you cause another person shall be done to you in return. ²

21 Whoever kills an animal shall replace it, but whoever kills a human being shall be put to death.

22 This law applies to all of you, to Israelites and to foreigners living among you, because I am the Lord your God." ³

Leviticus 24:17-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 24

This chapter treats of the oil for the lamps, and the ordering of them, Le 24:1-4; of the making of the shewbread cakes, and the setting of them on the table, Le 24:5-9; and an Israelite having blasphemed the name of the Lord, and inquiry being made what should be done to him, he, and so any other person guilty of the same, is ordered to be stoned to death, Le 24:10-16; on occasion of which several laws are repeated concerning killing a man or a beast, or doing injury to any man, Le 24:17-23.

Cross References

• 1. 24.17Exodus 21.12.
• 2. 24.20Exodus 21.23-25;Deuteronomy 19.21;Matthew 5.38.
• 3. 24.22Numbers 15.16.