Leviticus 24:12 kjv

And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be showed them.

Leviticus 24:12 nkjv

Then they put him in custody, that the mind of the LORD might be shown to them.

Leviticus 24:12 niv

They put him in custody until the will of the LORD should be made clear to them.

Leviticus 24:12 esv

And they put him in custody, till the will of the LORD should be clear to them.

Leviticus 24:12 nlt

They kept the man in custody until the LORD's will in the matter should become clear to them.

Leviticus 24 verses

Leviticus 24 12 Meaning

Leviticus 24:12 describes the interim state of a man who blasphemed the name of the Lord, stating that he was held in custody until a clear, definitive judgment from the Lord was declared concerning his offense. This verse highlights the profound respect for God's Name, the seriousness of the sin, and the principle that divine justice, not human conjecture, would determine the appropriate response.

Leviticus 24 12 Context

Leviticus 24:12 is situated within a chapter that underscores the sanctity of God's dwelling and His Name. The preceding verses (Lev 24:1-9) describe regulations for the sacred oil for the lampstand and the showbread, items related to the Tabernacle's holy function and upkeep, emphasizing purity and devotion in God's presence. Directly before verse 12, a specific incident is narrated: the son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man, living amongst the Israelites, cursed and blasphemed the holy Name of the Lord (Lev 24:10-11). This unprecedented act, particularly heinous due to the direct assault on God's holiness, presented a unique legal challenge. The community did not have a precise pre-existing law to deal with blasphemy of this direct nature in this context. Consequently, they did not execute immediate judgment but detained the offender, acknowledging the necessity of waiting for direct divine instruction on such a serious offense, rather than relying on human judgment alone. This reflects the careful, divinely-guided judicial process central to the Mosaic covenant.

Leviticus 24 12 Word analysis

• And they put him in custody:
  • Hebrew: וַיַּנִּיחוּ אֹתוֹ בַּמִּשְׁמָר (wayyannihu oto bammishmar)
  • וַיַּנִּיחוּ (wayyannihu): A hiphil verb from the root נוּחַ (nuakh), meaning "to set down," "to place," "to cause to rest," or "to put." Here, it means "they placed him" or "they put him."
  • אֹתוֹ (oto): The accusative pronoun "him."
  • בַּמִּשְׁמָר (bammishmar): "In custody" or "in prison." The prefix בְּ (be-) means "in" or "into," and מִשְׁמָר (mishmar) means "guard," "custody," "prison," or "place of confinement." This indicates a temporary holding, not a final prison, emphasizing restraint pending a verdict. The act of placing him in mishmar demonstrates that the Israelites, while recognizing the severity of the act, also knew not to act arbitrarily, showcasing an orderly, not chaotic, response to divine offense. It points to a nascent judicial system seeking divine rather than immediate human justice.
• till the mind:
  • Hebrew: עַד לְפָרֵשׁ לָהֶם (ad lefäresh lahém)
  • עַד (ad): "Until," "up to," denoting a temporal boundary. This shows the provisional nature of his detainment.
  • לְפָרֵשׁ (lefaresh): "To declare," "to explain," "to make plain," or "to make explicit." This infinitival construct (from the root פָּרַשׁ - parash) highlights the specific action required: the divine will needed to be unequivocally communicated. It's not about human speculation or interpretation, but divine clarity.
• of the LORD should be declared to them:
  • Hebrew: עַל פִּי יְהוָה (al pî YHVH)
  • לָהֶם (lahem): "To them," referring to the community or leadership.
  • עַל פִּי (al pî): "According to the mouth of," "by the mouth of," or "by the command of." This is a strong idiom emphasizing direct, authoritative, oral pronouncement from God. It highlights that the final judgment would come from no other source than God Himself, maintaining His ultimate authority in matters of life, death, and holiness. This is a direct appeal to divine oracle for a judgment, a recognition of God's role as the supreme Lawgiver and Judge.
  • יְהוָה (YHVH): The personal covenant Name of God, often rendered "the LORD." The blasphemer profaned this very Name, and now justice must come from the bearer of this holy Name. The use of YHVH here reiterates the source of absolute authority.

Leviticus 24 12 Bonus section

The immediate cultural context for this event in the wilderness setting implies a fresh establishment of law. Unlike settled nations with developed jurisprudence, Israel was receiving laws directly from God. The absence of an existing statute for this specific offense necessitates divine revelation, highlighting God as the supreme lawgiver for His people. This also indirectly counters the practices of some ancient Near Eastern societies that might have permitted arbitrary or immediate punishment without a higher legal review, thereby demonstrating the structured, holy, and just nature of God's governance over His covenant people. The incident further reinforces the absolute holiness of God's Name as a reflection of His very being; an affront to His Name was an affront to Him directly.

Leviticus 24 12 Commentary

Leviticus 24:12 portrays a critical moment in Israel's developing legal system under the Mosaic covenant. Faced with an unprecedented and grievous sin—blasphemy of God’s sacred Name—the community's immediate response was not to react impulsively but to seek God's direct counsel. This act of placing the offender in custody (mishmar) underscores the principle of divine due process; even in apparent clear-cut cases of egregious sin, human judgment must be informed by, and subject to, God's explicit word. The phrase "till the mind of the LORD should be declared to them" emphasizes the Israelites' profound dependence on God for judicial wisdom and their reverence for His holy Name. This incident becomes a testament to the fact that ultimate justice originates with the perfectly holy and righteous God, preventing arbitrary human vengeance or hasty conclusions. It also teaches the importance of patience and careful deliberation, particularly when weighty matters, especially those concerning divine truth and human life, are at stake. This divine consultation ensured the subsequent penalty (stoning, detailed in Lev 24:16) was a holy judgment from God, not merely a societal decree.