Leviticus 24:21

21 He that smiteth a beast [mortally] shall make it good; and he that smiteth a man [mortally] shall 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 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour, as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;
20 breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him.
21 He that smiteth a beast [mortally] shall make it good; and he that smiteth a man [mortally] shall be put to death.
22 Ye shall have one law: as the stranger, so the home-born; for I am Jehovah your God.
23 And Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and they led the reviler outside the camp and stoned him with stones. And the children of Israel did as Jehovah had commanded Moses.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.