Leviticus 24:12-22

12 put him under guard, and waited for the Lord to tell them what to do with him.

13 The Lord said to Moses,

14 "Take that man out of the camp. Everyone who heard him curse shall put his hands on the man's head to testify that he is guilty, and then the whole community shall stone him to death.

15 Then tell the people of Israel that anyone who curses God must suffer the consequences

16 and be put to death. Any Israelite or any foreigner living in Israel who curses the Lord shall be stoned to death by the whole community.

17 "Any who commit murder shall be put to death, ¹

18 and any who kill an animal belonging to someone else must replace it. The principle is a life for a life.

19 "If any of you injure another person, whatever you have done shall be done to you.

20 If you break a bone, one of your bones shall be broken; if you put out an eye, one of your eyes shall be put out; if you knock out a tooth, one of your teeth shall be knocked out. Whatever injury you cause another person shall be done to you in return. ²

21 Whoever kills an animal shall replace it, but whoever kills a human being shall be put to death.

22 This law applies to all of you, to Israelites and to foreigners living among you, because I am the Lord your God." ³

Leviticus 24:12-22 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References

• 1. 24.17Exodus 21.12.
• 2. 24.20Exodus 21.23-25;Deuteronomy 19.21;Matthew 5.38.
• 3. 24.22Numbers 15.16.