Leviticus 24:21

21 He that kills an animal shall restore it, but he that kills a man 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 causes a blemish in his neighbour; as he has done, so shall it be done to him;
20 breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he has caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.
21 He that kills an animal shall restore it, but he that kills a man shall be put to death.
22 Ye shall have one manner of law: as for the stranger, so shall it be for the natural; for I am the LORD your God.
23 And Moses spoke to the sons of Israel that they should bring forth the one that had blasphemed out of the camp and stone him with stones. And the sons of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010