Leviticus 24:12

12 Then they put him in custody {so that} [the matter] might be made clear to them in accordance with the mouth of Yahweh.

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 And an Israelite woman's son, and he [was] an Egyptian man's son, went out in the midst of the {Israelites}; and the Israelite woman's son and an Israelite man fought in the camp.

11 Then the Israelite woman's son blasphemed the name, and he cursed, so they brought him to Moses--and the name of his mother [was] Shelomith the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.

12 Then they put him in custody {so that} [the matter] might be made clear to them in accordance with the mouth of Yahweh.

13 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

14 "Bring the curser {outside the camp}, and all the hearers shall place their hands on his head, and the whole community shall stone him.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "And"
• [b]. Literally "to"