Leviticus 24:12

12 and they sent him into prison, till they knew what the Lord commanded.

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 Lo! forsooth the son of a woman of Israel, whom she childed of an Egyptian, went out among the sons of Israel, and he chided in the tents with a man of Israel, (Lo! the son of an Israelite woman, whom she bare by an Egyptian man, went out among the Israelites, and he quarreled in the tents, or in the camp, with an Israelite,)

11 and when he had blasphemed the name of the Lord, and had cursed the Lord, he was brought to Moses; soothly his mother was called Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the lineage of Dan (of the tribe of Dan);

12 and they sent him into prison, till they knew what the Lord commanded.

13 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said,

14 Lead out the blasphemer without the tents, and all men that heard him, set they their hands upon his head, and all the people stone him. (Lead out the blasphemer away from the tents, and all those who heard him, put they their hands upon his head, and let all the people stone him.)