Leviticus 24

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

2 Charge the children of Israel, and let them take for thee pure olive oil beaten for the light, to burn a lamp continually,

3 outside the veil in the tabernacle of witness; and Aaron and his sons shall burn it from evening until morning before the Lord continually, a perpetual statute throughout your generations.

4 Ye shall burn the lamps on the pure lamp-stand before the Lord till the morrow.

5 And ye shall take fine flour, and make of it twelve loaves; each loaf shall be of two tenth parts.

6 And ye shall put them two rows, each row six loaves, on the pure table before the Lord.

7 And ye shall put on row pure frankincense and salt; and shall be for loaves for a memorial, set forth before the Lord.

8 On the sabbath-day they shall be set forth before the Lord continually before the children of Israel, for an everlasting covenant.

9 And they shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat them in the holy place: for this is their most holy portion of the offerings made to the Lord, a perpetual statute.

10 And there went forth a son of an Israelitish woman, and he was son of an Egyptian man among the sons of Israel; and they fought in the camp, the son of the Israelitish woman, and a man who was an Israelite.

11 And the son of the Israelitish woman named THE NAME and curse; and they brought him to Moses: and his mother's name was Salomith, daughter of Dabri of the tribe of Dan.

12 And they put him in ward, to judge him by the command of the Lord.

13 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

14 Bring forth him that cursed outside the camp, and all who heard shall lay their hands upon his head, and all the congregation shall stone him.

15 And speak to the sons of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Whosoever shall curse God shall bear his sin.

16 And he that names the name of the Lord, let him die the death: let all the congregation of Israel stone him with stones; whether he be a stranger or a native, let him die for naming the name of the Lord.

17 And whosoever shall smite a man and he die, let him die the death.

18 And whosoever shall smite a beast, and it shall die, let him render life for life.

19 And whosoever shall inflict a blemish on his neighbour, as he has done to him, so shall it be done to himself in return;

20 bruise for bruise, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as any one may inflict a blemish on a man, so shall it be rendered to him.

21 Whosoever shall smite a man, and he shall die, let him die the death.

22 There shall be one judgment for the stranger and the native, for I the Lord your God.

23 And Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and they brought him that had cursed out of the camp, and stoned him with stones: and the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses.

Leviticus 24 Commentary

Chapter 24

Oil for the lamps, The shew-bread. (1-9) The law of blasphemy, blasphemer is stoned. (10-23)

Verses 1-9 The loaves of bread typify Christ as the Bread of life, and the food of the souls of his people. He is the Light of his church, the Light of the world; in and through his word this light shines. By this light we discern the food prepared for our souls; and we should daily, but especially from sabbath to sabbath, feed thereon in our hearts with thanksgiving. And as the loaves were left in the sanctuary, so should we abide with God till he dismiss us.

Verses 10-23 This offender was the son of an Egyptian father, and an Israelitish mother. The notice of his parents shows the common ill effect of mixed marriages. A standing law for the stoning of blasphemers was made upon this occasion. Great stress is laid upon this law. It extends to the strangers among them, as well as to those born in the land. Strangers, as well as native Israelites, should be entitled to the benefit of the law, so as not to suffer wrong; and should be liable to the penalty of this law, in case they did wrong. If those who profane the name of God escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgments. What enmity against God must be in the heart of man, when blasphemies against God proceed out of his mouth. If he that despised Moses' law, died without mercy, of what punishment will they be worthy, who despise and abuse the gospel of the Son of God! Let us watch against anger, do no evil, avoid all connexions with wicked people, and reverence that holy name which sinners blaspheme.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 24

This chapter treats of the oil for the lamps, and the ordering of them, Le 24:1-4; of the making of the shewbread cakes, and the setting of them on the table, Le 24:5-9; and an Israelite having blasphemed the name of the Lord, and inquiry being made what should be done to him, he, and so any other person guilty of the same, is ordered to be stoned to death, Le 24:10-16; on occasion of which several laws are repeated concerning killing a man or a beast, or doing injury to any man, Le 24:17-23.