Vayikra 24

1 4 And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying,

2 Command the Bnei Yisroel, that they bring unto thee pure shemen zayit beaten for the light, to kindle the Ner Tamid (Perpetual Lamp).

3 Outside the Parochet (Curtain) of the Edut, in the Ohel Mo’ed shall Aharon set it in order from erev unto boker before Hashem tamid (continually); it shall be a chukkat olam in your dorot.

4 He shall set in order the nerot (lamps) upon the Menorah Hatehorah before Hashem tamid (continually).

5 And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake Sheteym Esreh Challot thereof; two tenths of an ephah shall be in Challah HaEchad.

6 And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the Shulchan HaTahor before Hashem.

7 And thou shalt put levonah zakkah (pure incense) upon each row, that it may be on the lechem for a memorial portion, even an offering made by eish unto Hashem.

8 Shabbos after Shabbos he shall set it in order before Hashem tamid, from the Bnei Yisroel as a Brit Olam.

9 And it shall be for Aharon and for his Banim; and they shall eat it in the Makom Kadosh; for it is kodesh kodashim unto Him of the offerings of Hashem made by eish, a chok olam.

10 And the ben isha Yisroelit, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the Bnei Yisroel; and this ben isha Yisroeli and a man of Yisroel fought together in the machaneh;

11 And the ben haisha Yisroelit pronounced HaShem and blasphemed in a curse. And they brought him unto Moshe; (and shem immo was Shlomit bat Divri, of the tribe of Dan;)

12 And they put him in custody, that the mind of Hashem might be showed them.

13 And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying,

14 Bring forth him that hath blasphemed outside the machaneh; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let kol HaEdah stone him.

15 And thou shalt speak unto the Bnei Yisroel, saying, Whosoever curseth Elohav shall bear his chet.

16 And he that blasphemeth the Shem of Hashem, he shall surely be put to death, and kol HaEdah shall certainly stone him; as well the ger, as the ezrach, when he blasphemeth the Shem of Hashem, shall be put to death.

17 And he that taketh the nefesh of any man shall surely be put to death.

18 And he that taketh the nefesh of a beast shall make it good; nefesh tachat nefesh.

19 And if a man cause a mum in his neighbor; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;

20 Fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he hath caused a mum in an adam, so shall it be done to him.

21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restitute it; and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.

22 Ye shall have mishpat echad, as well for the ger, as for the ezrach: for I am Hashem Eloheichem.

23 And Moshe spoke to the Bnei Yisroel, that they should bring forth him that had blasphemed out of the machaneh, and stone him with stones. And the Bnei Yisroel did as Hashem commanded Moshe.

Vayikra 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.