Leviticus 24 Study Notes

24:13-16 The punishment for blasphemy was the death penalty by stoning, a punishment used also for those who worshiped Molech (20:2).

24:17-22 The eye for eye, tooth for tooth (v. 20) principle was a figurative way of pointing to God’s justice and showed that the punishment should fit the crime. The principle of punishing an offender with the same injury that he had inflicted is called (Lat) lex talionis. Quoting this verse, Jesus raised the bar in his teaching on turning the other cheek (Mt 5:38-42)—that is, offering of forgiveness instead of retribution.

24:23 This is the last of twelve places in Leviticus where some form of the phrase “as the Lord had commanded” is used. It is found twenty-three times in Numbers.