Leviticus 24

1 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,

2 `Command the sons of Israel, and they bring unto thee pure olive oil, beaten, for the lamp, to cause a light to go up continually;

3 at the outside of the vail of the testimony in the tent of meeting doth Aaron arrange it from evening till morning before Jehovah continually -- a statute age-during to your generations;

4 by the pure candlestick he doth arrange the lights before Jehovah continually.

5 `And thou hast taken flour, and hast baked twelve cakes with it, two tenth deals are in the one cake,

6 and thou hast set them two ranks (six in the rank) on the pure table before Jehovah,

7 and thou hast put on the rank pure frankincense, and it hath been to the bread for a memorial, a fire-offering to Jehovah.

8 `On each sabbath-day he arrangeth it before Jehovah continually, from the sons of Israel -- a covenant age-during;

9 and it hath been to Aaron, and to his sons, and they have eaten it in the holy place, for it [is] most holy to him, from the fire-offerings of Jehovah -- a statute age-during.'

10 And a son of an Israelitish woman goeth out (and he [is] son of an Egyptian man), in the midst of the sons of Israel, and strive in the camp do the son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel,

11 and the son of the Israelitish woman execrateth the Name, and revileth; and they bring him in unto Moses; and his mother's name [is] Shelomith daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan;

12 and he causeth him to rest in charge -- to explain to them by the mouth of Jehovah.

13 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,

14 `Bring out the reviler unto the outside of the camp; and all those hearing have laid their hands on his head, and all the company have stoned him.

15 `And unto the sons of Israel thou dost speak, saying, When any man revileth his God -- then he hath borne his sin;

16 and he who is execrating the name of Jehovah is certainly put to death; all the company do certainly cast stones at him; as a sojourner so a native, in his execrating the Name, is put to death.

17 `And when a man smiteth any soul of man, he is certainly put to death.

18 `And he who smiteth a beast repayeth it, body for body.

19 `And when a man putteth a blemish in his fellow, as he hath done so it is done to him;

20 breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he putteth a blemish in a man so it is done in him.

21 `And he who smiteth a beast repayeth it, and he who smiteth [the life of] man is put to death;

22 one judgment is to you; as a sojourner so is a native; for I [am] Jehovah your God.'

23 And Moses speaketh unto the sons of Israel, and they bring out the reviler unto the outside of the camp, and stone him with stones; and the sons of Israel have done as Jehovah hath 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.