Leviticus 24:12

12 They put him under guard until ADONAI would tell them what to do.

Leviticus 24:12 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 24:12

And they put him in ward
In some prison, a place known in the camp, as Aben Ezra observes: that the mind of the Lord might be shewed them;
for, though this was a breach of the third command, in which God declares he would not hold such an one guiltless, ( Exodus 20:7 ) ; yet no particular punishment being expressed, it was not a clear case whether the Lord would punish for it himself, by an immediate stroke of his hand, or whether by the civil magistrate; and if by the latter, in what manner; for though it might be concluded, without any hesitation, that he was worthy of death, since cursing father or mother was death, ( Exodus 21:17 ) ( Leviticus 20:9 ) ; and much more blaspheming God, yet what death to put him to they might be at a loss about; or if that was understood of stoning, they might think this deserved a sorer punishment, and therefore consulted God about it.

Leviticus 24:12 In-Context

10 There was a man who was the son of a woman of Isra'el and an Egyptian father. He went out among the people of Isra'el, and this son of a woman of Isra'el had a fight in the camp with a man of Isra'el,

11 in the course of which the son of the woman of Isra'el uttered the Name [Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh] in a curse. So they brought him to Moshe. (His mother's name was Shlomit the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.)

12 They put him under guard until ADONAI would tell them what to do.

13 ADONAI said to Moshe,

14 "Take the man who cursed outside the camp, have everyone who heard him lay their hands on his head, and have the entire community stone him.