And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death. With the sword, as the Targum of Jonathan adds; which restrains it to any man of the children of Israel, but wrongly; for the original law respects any man whatever, Genesis 9:6 ; and so it does here; See Gill on Exodus 21:12 . read more
He that killeth any man - Blasphemy against God, i. e., speaking injuriously of his name, his attributes, his government, and his revelation, together with murder, is to be punished with death: he that blasphemes God is a curse in society, and he who takes away, wilfully and by malicious intent, the life of any man, should certainly be put to death. In this respect God has absolutely required that life shall go for life. read more
Verse 17 17.And he that killeth any man. We now proceed to the confirmation of the Sixth Commandment afforded by the Judicial Law; and first, the punishment of death is awarded to murderers. To “smite the life” (26) is equivalent to wounding mortally, so that death ensues, as Moses more clearly explains himself in Exodus. But although he speaks briefly, like a legislator, there is no doubt but that he would have those whom he adjudges to die put to death by the sentence of the judges; the... read more
Shelomith's son. Here a narrative is introduced into the midst of a code of laws; but this is done as a preamble to enactments of whose publication the case was the occasion. We notice— I. THE CRIME OF THIS SON OF SHELOMITH . 1 . It was blaspheming the God of Israel. 2 . Strife was its occasion. 3 . Race was the origin of the strife. II. THE IMPEACHMENT OF THE BLASPHEMER . 1 . His witnesses arrested him. 2 . They kept him in ward... read more
A suggestive episode. We have an affecting illustration in these verses of the truth that "The Law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient,… for unholy and profane" ( 1 Timothy 1:9 ). The announcement of the Law is broken by the account of this transgression, and the transgression itself gives occasion for the enactment of other statutes ( Leviticus 24:15-22 ). The story and the statutes suggest— I. WHAT LASTING EVIL MAY ACCRUE FROM AN ... read more
The law of death. Blasphemy, murder, willful injury, whether by Israelite or stranger, judged and punished on the principle of compensation without mercy (cf. Isaiah 12:1-6 ; Romans 11:1-36 ). I. Here is the evil of a fallen nature and an apostate people set forth (see Romans 1:1-32 , Romans 2:1-29 ). "All have sinned." Israel itself is defiled. II. The contrast suggested between the law of death and the law of life (cf. Sermon on the Mount and Romans 7:1-25 , Romans... read more
In close connection with the command to slay the blasphemer is repeated the prohibition of murder, and the injunction that the murderer shall surely be put to death. Thus a distinction is sharply drawn between the judicial sentence carried out by the congregation, and the unsanctioned smiting the life of a man by another , and a warning is given against any man fanatically taking the law into his own hands, even in the case of a blasphemer. read more
Public justice secured by the law of retaliation. cf. Matthew 5:38-48 ; Romans 12:19-21 . There is here presented to us, as a law upon which Israel was to act, the principle of retaliation. And yet we have seen in the moralities of Le 19:17, 18, an express denunciation of revenge. How are we to reconcile this retaliation commanded with the revenge which is forbidden? Evidently the retaliation is to be deliberate, in cool blood, without the fever-heat of vengeance. Now, when we bear... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 24:10-23
Evil manners, we say, beget good laws. We have here an account of the evil manners of a certain nameless mongrel Israelite, and the good laws occasioned thereby. I. The offender was the son of an Egyptian father and an Israelitish mother (Lev. 24:10); his mother was of the tribe of Dan, Lev. 24:11. Neither he nor his father is named, but his mother only, who was an Israelite. This notice is taken of his parentage either, 1. To intimate what occasioned the quarrel he was engaged in. The Jews... read more