Leviticus 24

1 God spoke to Moses:

2 "Order the People of Israel to bring you virgin olive oil for light so that the lamps may be kept burning continually.

3 Aaron is in charge of keeping these lamps burning in front of the curtain that screens The Testimony in the Tent of Meeting from evening to morning continually before God. This is a perpetual decree down through the generations.

4 Aaron is responsible for keeping the lamps burning continually on the Lampstand of pure gold before God.

5 "Take fine flour and bake twelve loaves of bread, using about four quarts of flour to a loaf.

6 Arrange them in two rows of six each on the Table of pure gold before God.

7 Along each row spread pure incense, marking the bread as a memorial; it is a gift to God.

8 Regularly, every Sabbath, this bread is to be set before God, a perpetual covenantal response from Israel.

9 The bread then goes to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in a Holy Place. It is their most holy share from the gifts to God. This is a perpetual decree."

10 One day the son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father went out among the Israelites. A fight broke out in the camp between him and an Israelite.

11 The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name of God and cursed. They brought him to Moses. His mother's name was Shelomith, daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan.

12 They put him in custody waiting for God's will to be revealed to them.

13 Then God spoke to Moses:

14 "Take the blasphemer outside the camp. Have all those who heard him place their hands on his head; then have the entire congregation stone him.

15 Then tell the Israelites, Anyone who curses God will be held accountable;

16 anyone who blasphemes the Name of God must be put to death. The entire congregation must stone him. It makes no difference whether he is a foreigner or a native, if he blasphemes the Name, he will be put to death.

17 "Anyone who hits and kills a fellow human must be put to death.

18 Anyone who kills someone's animal must make it good - a life for a life.

19 Anyone who injures his neighbor will get back the same as he gave:

20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. What he did to hurt that person will be done to him.

21 Anyone who hits and kills an animal must make it good, but whoever hits and kills a fellow human will be put to death.

22 And no double standards: the same rule goes for foreigners and natives. I am God, your God."

23 Moses then spoke to the People of Israel. They brought the blasphemer outside the camp and stoned him. The People of Israel followed the orders God had given 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.