Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth ,.... Which is not to be taken strictly or literally, but for the price or value of those, which is to be given in a pecuniary way; See Gill on Exodus 21:24 , Exodus 21:25 , as he hath caused a blemish in a man, shall it be done to him ; unless he gives satisfaction, and pays a valuable consideration for it. read more
Breach for breach - This is a repetition of the lex talionis , which See explained Exodus 21:24 ; (note). 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
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
The holy Law of God. These enactments, occasioned by the sin of the son of Shelomith, contain certain principles on which God founded his Law, and which he would have us introduce into our dealings and regulations now. These are— I. THE SACREDNESS OF HUMAN LIFE . "He that killeth any man shall surely be put to death" ( Leviticus 24:17 ). This is significantly repeated ( Leviticus 24:21 ) We can hardly be said to have learnt this lesson yet, after eighteen centuries of... read more
A summary of the law respecting minor injuries is added to that respecting murder. He that killeth a man, he shall be put to death, but he that killeth a beast shall make it good; and this lex talionis shall apply to all damage done to another, breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth (see Matthew 5:38 ). 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