Leviticus 24:16 kjv

And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.

Leviticus 24:16 nkjv

And whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him, the stranger as well as him who is born in the land. When he blasphemes the name of the LORD, he shall be put to death.

Leviticus 24:16 niv

anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD is to be put to death. The entire assembly must stone them. Whether foreigner or native-born, when they blaspheme the Name they are to be put to death.

Leviticus 24:16 esv

Whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him. The sojourner as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.

Leviticus 24:16 nlt

Anyone who blasphemes the Name of the LORD must be stoned to death by the whole community of Israel. Any native-born Israelite or foreigner among you who blasphemes the Name of the LORD must be put to death.

Leviticus 24 verses

Leviticus 24 16 Meaning

Leviticus 24:16 outlines the severe and explicit divine decree regarding blasphemy against the holy Name of the LORD. It establishes a capital punishment for anyone, whether native-born or a sojourner, who curses or reviles God's distinct personal Name, YHWH. The offender is to be put to death by communal stoning, signifying the gravity of the sin against God's supreme holiness and the corporate responsibility of the community to uphold it.

Leviticus 24 16 Context

Leviticus 24 details the specific requirements for the lamps of the tabernacle (1-4) and the showbread (5-9), emphasizing the continuous maintenance of the sacred space. Directly preceding verse 16, an incident is narrated (verses 10-14) where a son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man blasphemed the Name of the LORD during an altercation. The Israelites kept him in custody until the divine will regarding his punishment could be revealed. This verse, therefore, records the Lord's direct judicial pronouncement given in response to that specific act of blasphemy, setting a perpetual statute. It serves as a severe example within a book largely dedicated to instructing Israel on holiness, proper worship, and legal judgments, highlighting that even in civil disputes, God's Name and honor must be inviolable. The historical context reflects a nascent nation receiving divine laws foundational to their theocratic identity, emphasizing YHWH's absolute sovereignty and demanding complete reverence from all within its bounds.

Leviticus 24 16 Word analysis

• And he that blasphemeth:
  • Original Hebrew: וְנֹקֵב֮ (ve'noqev) – From the root נק"ב (naqav), meaning "to pierce," "to prick," "to distinguish," or "to blaspheme." It signifies not merely casual cursing but a deliberate, direct, and explicit act of uttering contempt for God's Name, an intentional 'piercing' or designation with an insult. It implies pronouncing the sacred Name in conjunction with an anathema or curse.
• the name of the LORD:
  • Original Hebrew: שֵׁם יְהוָה (shem YHWH) – "Name" (Shem) in ancient Hebrew thought encapsulates one's entire character, authority, reputation, and presence. To blaspheme the "Name" of YHWH (the Tetragrammaton, God's covenant Name, traditionally understood as too sacred to utter directly) is to directly assail His essence, holiness, and supreme being. It is an act of supreme rebellion and defiance against God Himself.
• he shall surely be put to death:
  • Original Hebrew: מוֹת יוּמָת (mot yumāt) – This is a common Hebrew legal idiom using a cognate infinitive before a finite verb, creating an emphatic repetition meaning "dying, he shall die" or "he shall certainly be put to death." It underscores the absolute certainty and severity of the penalty, allowing for no reprieve.
• all the congregation:
  • Original Hebrew: כָּל־הָעֵדָה (kol-ha'edah) – Refers to the entire assembled community of Israel. This signifies that the judgment and execution are not by a single individual or a small judicial committee, but by the corporate body of God's people. This highlights the communal responsibility for maintaining God's holiness within their midst and purifying the land of sin that offends God directly.
• shall certainly stone him:
  • Original Hebrew: רָג֗וֹם יִרְגְּמֻהוּ (ragom yirgemuhu) – Another emphatic cognate construction, "stoning, they shall stone him." Stoning was a prescribed method of execution for specific heinous offenses in Israelite law. It was a communal act, ensuring everyone participated in removing the evil from their society and publicly demonstrated their allegiance to God's law. It also physically marked the offender's complete rejection by the community.
• as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land:
  • Original Hebrew: כַּגֵּר כָּאֶזְרָח (kagger ka'ezrach) – Ger refers to a resident alien, a sojourner, or foreigner who lives among the Israelites. Ezrach refers to a native-born Israelite. This phrase explicitly states the universal application of this law within Israelite society; status or origin did not exempt one from the penalties of violating God's ultimate command concerning His Name. It demonstrates God's consistent standard of holiness for all who dwell within His covenant territory.
• when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall be put to death:
  • This repetition of the core offense and its consequence serves to unequivocally state the legal principle, providing a clear and non-negotiable decree. It establishes an absolute precedent based on the direct command of the LORD, affirming the grave and capital nature of the specific sin.

Leviticus 24 16 Bonus section

The ruling in Leviticus 24:16 stemmed from a real-life incident (24:10-12), transforming an immediate judicial dilemma into an enduring statute for future generations. The fact that the blasphemer's mother was an Israelite and his father an Egyptian lends significant weight to the "stranger" clause, clarifying that mixed parentage did not grant exemption from Israel's divine laws, particularly those safeguarding God's honor. This highlights that citizenship in God's community (physical Israel) was not based solely on natural birth but also on adherence to its fundamental religious and moral precepts. This instance further distinguishes "cursing" (v.15, possibly lesser form of ill-will or anger, yet still punishable) from "blaspheming the Name of the LORD" (v.16), a specific and extreme verbal assault on God's divine essence itself.

Leviticus 24 16 Commentary

Leviticus 24:16 powerfully illustrates the paramount importance of God's Name and, by extension, His very being, in ancient Israelite theology. The sin of blasphemy, explicitly against "the Name of the LORD" (YHWH), was not merely a linguistic transgression but an act of profound spiritual defiance against the ultimate sovereign authority. It directly assaulted God's holiness and honor, thus polluting the covenant community in whose midst He dwelt.

The extreme penalty of communal stoning for this specific offense underlines several key principles. Firstly, it stresses the unique nature of Israel's relationship with YHWH; He was their God, their King, and His character defined their national identity. Blasphemy was treason against this divine King. Secondly, the involvement of "all the congregation" in the execution emphasized corporate responsibility. A sin so grievous against God Himself required the community to actively cleanse itself of the defilement, maintaining their covenant purity and demonstrating their allegiance to God above all. This was not about revenge, but about justice and maintaining God's order. Thirdly, the equal application of the law to both native-born Israelites and "strangers" (sojourners) highlights the universal moral standard within God's land. Once within Israel's boundaries, all residents were expected to revere YHWH; salvation might be by grace for Israel, but dwelling in His land demanded conformity to His standards of holiness, especially concerning His holy Name.

In a practical sense for believers today, while the Mosaic capital punishment laws are part of a past covenant and context (and physical stoning for sin is not applicable under the New Covenant), the underlying principle of the reverence due to God's Name remains eternally true. Disrespect for God's Name, character, and Word still grieves Him deeply and affects our witness. This verse calls believers to sanctify God's Name in their lives, speech, and actions, reflecting His holiness in all things. It also reminds us that sin against God is never truly private; it impacts the body of believers and the testimony of the church to the world.