Leviticus 24:21

21 He who kills an animal is to make restitution, but he who kills another person is to 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 If someone injures his neighbor, what he did is to be done to him -
20 break for break, eye for eye, tooth for tooth -whatever injury he has caused the other person is to be rendered to him in return.
21 He who kills an animal is to make restitution, but he who kills another person is to be put to death.
22 You are to apply the same standard of judgment to the foreigner as to the citizen, because I am ADONAI your God."
23 So Moshe spoke to the people of Isra'el, and they took the man who had cursed outside the camp and stoned him to death. Thus the people of Isra'el did as ADONAI had ordered Moshe. see readings for Parashah 41]
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.