Leviticus 24:11 kjv
And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)
Leviticus 24:11 nkjv
And the Israelite woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD and cursed; and so they brought him to Moses. (His mother's name was Shelomith the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.)
Leviticus 24:11 niv
The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name with a curse; so they brought him to Moses. (His mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri the Danite.)
Leviticus 24:11 esv
and the Israelite woman's son blasphemed the Name, and cursed. Then they brought him to Moses. His mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.
Leviticus 24:11 nlt
During the fight, this son of an Israelite woman blasphemed the Name of the LORD with a curse. So the man was brought to Moses for judgment. His mother was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan.
Leviticus 24 11 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
Ex 20:7 | You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain... | Sanctity of God's Name; Commandment against blasphemy. |
Dt 5:11 | You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain... | Reinforcement of the commandment. |
Lev 19:12 | You shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God... | Profaning God's Name through false oaths. |
Num 15:30-31 | But the person who does anything defiantly, whether native or alien... | High-handed sin and its consequences. |
Lev 24:15-16 | And you shall speak to the people of Israel, saying, 'If anyone curses his God... whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death...' | Direct context, prescribed punishment for blasphemy. |
1 Sam 2:25 | If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him; but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him? | Gravity of sin directly against God. |
Ps 8:1 | O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! | Majesty and holiness of God's Name. |
Ps 29:2 | Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness. | Glorifying God's Name. |
Mt 6:9 | Pray then like this: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.' | Hallowing God's Name in the New Testament. |
Phil 2:9-11 | Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name... | Exaltation of Jesus's Name. |
Jas 2:7 | Is it not the rich who oppress you, and are not they the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? | Blasphemy in the New Testament context, possibly referring to Christ's Name. |
Dt 17:8-9 | If any case arises involving blood-shed, litigation... you shall come to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office in those days, and you shall inquire, and they will declare to you the verdict. | Referral of difficult cases to priestly/judicial authority. |
Num 27:2 | They stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the leaders and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting... | Bringing complex cases to Moses and the leadership for judgment. |
Heb 10:26-31 | For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth... It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. | Consequences of deliberate, high-handed sin against God in NT. |
Lev 11:44-45 | For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. | Call to holiness for God's people. |
1 Pet 1:15-16 | But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.' | New Testament exhortation to holiness based on God's character. |
Dt 7:3-4 | You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons... for they would turn away your sons from following Me, to serve other gods. | Warning against mixed marriages due to potential for idolatry and defilement. |
Ex 12:38 | A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock... | The "mixed multitude" among Israel, a source of potential friction and compromise. |
Neh 13:23-27 | In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab... I contended with them and cursed them and beat some of them... | Later consequences of mixed marriages and profaning God's covenant. |
Eph 4:29 | Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up... | New Testament teaching on proper speech. |
Col 3:8 | But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk from your mouth. | Exhortation to put off unholy speech. |
Lev 10:1-3 | Nadab and Abihu... offered unauthorized fire before the LORD... Then fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them... | God's immediate judgment on profaning sacred things or God's holiness. |
Leviticus 24 verses
Leviticus 24 11 Meaning
Leviticus 24:11 describes a significant incident within the Israelite camp where a son, born of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man, openly and intentionally desecrated the name of the LORD and cursed. Following this grave transgression, the people who witnessed it promptly brought him to Moses for judgment, indicating the serious nature of his actions within the holy community.
Leviticus 24 11 Context
Leviticus chapter 24 begins with instructions for maintaining the sanctuary—lighting the lamps daily with pure oil and arranging the showbread perpetually before the LORD. These sections emphasize the continuous reverence and holiness required in the Tabernacle. Abruptly, the narrative shifts to the incident of blasphemy, serving as a stark contrast. This shift underscores that God's holiness and the sanctity of His Name are not confined to the Tabernacle's rituals but must permeate the daily conduct and speech of every Israelite. Historically, Israel had just left Egypt and was being consecrated as God's holy nation. The incident reveals the dangers of foreign influence (implied by the Egyptian father) entering the sacred community, potentially undermining their unique covenant identity centered on Yahweh. The strict legal response establishes a foundational principle for maintaining the purity of the community and honoring God's Name.
Leviticus 24 11 Word analysis
- And the Israelitish woman's son: This detail establishes the individual's unique parentage. His mother was an Israelite, placing him within the covenant community and under its laws, despite his father being an Egyptian (v. 10). This highlights the challenges of integrating non-Israelite elements into a holy society and the potential for compromise or lack of full commitment to Yahweh, leading to such a grave transgression.
- blasphemed (וַיִּקֹּב, vay-yiqqōv): From the root נקב (naqab), meaning "to prick," "pierce," "bore," but also "to curse," "designate," or "blaspheme." In this context, it implies a deliberate, intense act of reviling, as if piercing or cutting through the holiness associated with the Name. It suggests not mere thoughtlessness but an intentional, forceful act of disrespect or defilement.
- the Name (הַשֵּׁם, ha-ššēm): Refers specifically to God's personal, revealed name, Yahweh (YHWH). This term carries immense theological weight. In ancient Near Eastern thought and particularly in Israel, a name represented the character, power, and essence of the individual. To blaspheme "the Name" was therefore a direct assault on God Himself—His very being, authority, and holiness.
- of the LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH): Identifies the specific God whose Name was defiled. This is the covenant God of Israel, the one true God, emphasizing the singular allegiance required from His people.
- and cursed (וַיְקַלֵּל, vay-qallēl): From the root קלל (qalal), meaning "to be light," "to treat lightly," "to make contemptible," "to curse." While "blasphemed the Name" focused on God directly, "cursed" is broader. Based on verse 10, he first cursed "an Israelite man" and then blasphemed "the Name." The two actions are related: a contemptuous heart that disregards the sanctity of the Divine can easily lead to similar abusive speech toward others. It signifies bringing contempt upon.
- And they brought him: This demonstrates the immediate and decisive action of the community. They recognized the extreme gravity of the offense, understanding it to be a sin against the very foundation of their covenant existence. They did not attempt to judge him themselves, indicating the profound theological and legal implications of the act.
- unto Moses: Moses was the divinely appointed mediator, leader, and judge for Israel. Bringing the blasphemer to him signified that this was not a trivial matter but one requiring the highest legal and spiritual authority, necessitating divine direction for appropriate judgment.
- "the Israelitish woman's son... blasphemed the Name... and cursed": This phrase reveals the internal nature of the problem—a sin committed by someone within the community, even with a mixed background. His act combines direct contempt for God's holiness (blasphemy of the Name) with generalized abusive speech (cursing), indicating a profound spiritual irreverence.
- "And they brought him unto Moses": This shows a swift communal response. The people did not tolerate such profanity within their camp. Their action reflects adherence to God's developing law and proper procedure for serious offenses, seeking divine guidance through the designated authority.
Leviticus 24 11 Bonus section
The narrative is concise and omits the blasphemer's personal name, redirecting the focus from individual identity to the universality and severity of the crime itself and its implications for the covenant community. This focus on "the Israelitish woman's son" rather than a specific name makes him a representative figure, highlighting that the incident served as a precedent and object lesson for all generations regarding the sacredness of Yahweh's Name. The specific identification of his parents (Israelite mother, Egyptian father in verse 10) likely emphasizes the potential spiritual vulnerabilities arising from divided allegiances or the challenge of upholding strict covenant fidelity when exposed to unholy external influences.
Leviticus 24 11 Commentary
Leviticus 24:11 is a crucial narrative that demonstrates the paramount importance of God's Name and the severe consequences of its profanation within the Israelite community. The incident, involving an individual with a mixed heritage, highlights that covenant membership—even partial—demanded adherence to Yahweh's sacred laws, irrespective of one's background. Blasphemy was an affront to God's absolute holiness and an act that contaminated the entire camp, which was being trained to live distinctly as His people. The prompt referral to Moses underscored that matters pertaining to God's direct honor and sacred law were beyond ordinary adjudication and required divine counsel. This case, coming immediately after instructions for sanctuary maintenance, powerfully connects reverence for God's physical dwelling with the reverence due to His sacred Name in daily life, establishing that God's holiness permeated every aspect of Israelite existence.