Leviticus 24

The sanctuary’s lamp and bread

1 The LORD said to Moses:

2 Command the Israelites to bring pure, pressed olive oil to you for the lamp, to keep a light burning constantly.

3 Aaron will tend the lamp, which will be inside the meeting tent but outside the inner curtain of the covenant document, from evening until morning before the LORD. This is a permanent rule throughout your future generations.

4 Aaron must continually tend the lights on the pure lampstand before the LORD.

5 You will take choice flour and bake twelve loaves of flatbread, two-tenths of an ephah for each loaf.

6 You must place them in two stacks, six in a stack, on the pure table before the LORD.

7 Put pure frankincense on each stack, as a token portion for the bread; it is a food gift for the LORD.

8 Aaron will always set it out before the LORD, Sabbath after Sabbath, on behalf of the Israelites, as a permanent covenant.

9 It will belong to Aaron and his sons. They must eat it in a holy place because it is the most holy part of their share of the LORD's food gifts, a permanent portion.

Assault and blasphemy

10 The son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father came out among the Israelites. A fight broke out between this half-Israelite and another Israelite man in the camp,

11 during which the half-Israelite blasphemed the Lord's name and cursed. So he was brought to Moses. (His mother's name was Shelomith, Dibri's daughter from the tribe of Dan.)

12 He was put under guard until they could determine the LORD's verdict.

13 Then the LORD said to Moses:

14 Take the one who cursed outside the camp. All who heard him will press their hands on his head. Then the whole community will stone him.

15 Tell the Israelites: Anyone who curses his God will be liable to punishment.

16 And anyone who blasphemes the LORD's name must be executed. The whole community will stone him. Immigrant and citizen alike: whenever someone blasphemes the Lord's name, they will be executed.

17 If anyone kills another person, they must be executed.

18 Someone who kills an animal may make amends for it: a life for a life.

19 If someone injures a fellow citizen, they will suffer the same injury they inflicted:

20 broken bone for broken bone, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. The same injury the person inflicted on the other will be inflicted on them.

21 Someone who kills an animal must make amends for it, but whoever kills a human being must be executed.

22 There is but one law on this matter for you, immigrant or citizen alike, because I am the LORD your God.

23 Moses told this to the Israelites. So they took the one who had cursed outside the camp and stoned him. The Israelites did just as the LORD commanded Moses.

Leviticus 24 Commentary

Chapter 24

Oil for the lamps, The shew-bread. (1-9) The law of blasphemy, blasphemer is stoned. (10-23)

Verses 1-9 The loaves of bread typify Christ as the Bread of life, and the food of the souls of his people. He is the Light of his church, the Light of the world; in and through his word this light shines. By this light we discern the food prepared for our souls; and we should daily, but especially from sabbath to sabbath, feed thereon in our hearts with thanksgiving. And as the loaves were left in the sanctuary, so should we abide with God till he dismiss us.

Verses 10-23 This offender was the son of an Egyptian father, and an Israelitish mother. The notice of his parents shows the common ill effect of mixed marriages. A standing law for the stoning of blasphemers was made upon this occasion. Great stress is laid upon this law. It extends to the strangers among them, as well as to those born in the land. Strangers, as well as native Israelites, should be entitled to the benefit of the law, so as not to suffer wrong; and should be liable to the penalty of this law, in case they did wrong. If those who profane the name of God escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgments. What enmity against God must be in the heart of man, when blasphemies against God proceed out of his mouth. If he that despised Moses' law, died without mercy, of what punishment will they be worthy, who despise and abuse the gospel of the Son of God! Let us watch against anger, do no evil, avoid all connexions with wicked people, and reverence that holy name which sinners blaspheme.

Footnotes

• [a]. Perhaps pure gold lampstand
• [b]. Approximately four quarts dry
• [c]. Perhaps pure gold table
• [d]. Or from or as a gift of; Heb uncertain
• [e]. Or Israelite woman’s son; also in 24:11

Chapter Summary

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.