Leviticus 24:17 kjv
And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.
Leviticus 24:17 nkjv
'Whoever kills any man shall surely be put to death.
Leviticus 24:17 niv
"?'Anyone who takes the life of a human being is to be put to death.
Leviticus 24:17 esv
"Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death.
Leviticus 24:17 nlt
"Anyone who takes another person's life must be put to death.
Leviticus 24 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 9:6 | "Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed..." | Foundation for capital punishment. |
| Exod 21:12 | "Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death." | Direct commandment on murder penalty. |
| Exod 21:23 | "But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life..." | Principle of lex talionis. |
| Num 35:16 | "‘If anyone strikes someone with an iron object so that they die, that person is a murderer..." | Defines murder with specific tools. |
| Num 35:30 | "Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of two or three witnesses..." | Requirement for multiple witnesses. |
| Num 35:33 | "Do not pollute the land where you live, for blood pollutes the land..." | Murder defiles the land. |
| Deut 19:11 | "But if anyone hates their neighbor and lies in wait for them, attacks and kills them and then flees..." | Premeditated murder contrasted with accidental. |
| Deut 19:13 | "Show no pity. Take away from Israel the guilt of innocent blood..." | No compassion for murderers. |
| Deut 19:21 | "Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." | Reiteration of proportional justice. |
| Rom 13:4 | "For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason..." | Government's authority for capital justice. |
| 1 John 3:15 | "Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him." | Expands "murder" to the heart condition. |
| Matt 5:21 | "‘You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “You shall not murder...”" | Jesus affirms the command. |
| Matt 5:22 | "But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister without cause will be subject to judgment." | Jesus expands internal guilt beyond physical act. |
| Rev 13:10 | "If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed..." | Divine justice in the end times. |
| Gen 1:27 | "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them..." | Basis for the sanctity of human life. |
| Psa 139:13 | "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb." | God's sovereignty over life's creation. |
| Eccl 3:3 | "...a time to kill and a time to heal..." | Recognizes divine permission for certain killing. |
| Jas 2:10 | "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." | Breaching murder law is breaking entire law. |
| Jas 4:2 | "You desire and do not have, so you murder..." | Connects unfulfilled desires to deadly actions. |
| Prov 28:17 | "A person tormented by the guilt of murder will flee to the grave; let no one hold them back." | Consequence of murder for the guilty. |
Leviticus 24 verses
Leviticus 24 17 Meaning
Leviticus 24:17 sets forth a fundamental law in the ancient Israelite judicial system: anyone who intentionally causes the death of another human being must forfeit their own life in return. This declaration underscores the profound sanctity of human life, affirming that it belongs to God and thus its unlawful taking requires the most severe form of restitution and justice, known as capital punishment.
Leviticus 24 17 Context
Leviticus 24:17 is embedded within a broader set of laws given to Israel, particularly concerning justice and sanctity within the community. The chapter begins with regulations for the sacred lamp and Bread of the Presence in the Tabernacle. It then shifts dramatically to the public execution of a blasphemer (Lev 24:10-16), whose actions demonstrate disrespect for God's holy name. Immediately following this case, Moses establishes universal laws of justice for all within the community, applying the principle of "life for life, eye for eye" to various offenses (Lev 24:17-21). This context highlights that violations against human life and divine law both demand severe, equitable restitution, reinforcing the moral order established by God for His covenant people and emphasizing the high value He places on human life and the sanctity of His name.
Leviticus 24 17 Word analysis
- If anyone: Hebrew: אִישׁ ('ish). This term signifies "man," "individual," or "person." Its use here makes the law universal, applying to any human being, whether Israelite or sojourner, within the community. It underscores impartiality in justice.
- takes the life: Hebrew: יַכֶּה נֶפֶשׁ (yakkeh nephesh).
- yakkeh: A form of the verb נָכָה (nakah), meaning "to strike," "to hit," "to smite." In this context, it clearly denotes a fatal blow or action. It implies a direct, causative act.
- nephesh: Hebrew for "soul," "life," "person," or "living being." It refers to the entire essence of a person, emphasizing the spiritual and physical totality of what is destroyed in murder. The act is not just against the body, but against the very "soul" or "life principle" granted by God.
- of a human being: Hebrew: אָדָם (adam). This word specifies "human being," distinguishing the victim from an animal, whose loss would incur a different, lesser penalty (Lev 24:18). It reinforces the elevated status and value of human life created in God's image (Gen 1:27, 9:6).
- he must be put to death: Hebrew: מוֹת יוּמָת (mot yumath). This is a very strong Hebrew grammatical construction, known as the "infinitive absolute" combined with the imperfect tense of the verb. It literally translates to "dying, he shall be made to die," or "he shall surely die." This idiom signifies:
- Certainty: There is no escape, no alternative penalty, no possibility of ransom for murder.
- Immutability: The decree is absolute and cannot be altered by human intervention.
- Divine Mandate: It communicates the divine necessity of this punishment as commanded by God.
Leviticus 24 17 Bonus section
- Divine Image Connection: The strong penalty for taking a human life in Lev 24:17 directly relates to the concept of mankind being created in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27). To murder a person is, in essence, to violate or desecrate a reflection of the Creator, making it an offense of profound theological gravity.
- Contrast with Accidental Killing: The law of murder stands in sharp contrast to provisions for accidental killing or manslaughter, which did not warrant the death penalty but rather allowed for seeking refuge in cities of refuge until the death of the high priest (Num 35:9-29). This distinction underscores the importance of intent in ancient Israelite jurisprudence.
- Societal Cleansing: The execution of a murderer was viewed as an act of cleansing the community from blood-guilt. Unpunished murder was believed to pollute the land (Num 35:33-34) and jeopardize God's presence among His people, making just execution a necessity for national purity and reconciliation with God.
Leviticus 24 17 Commentary
Leviticus 24:17 articulates a foundational principle of Old Covenant law concerning the ultimate consequence for taking a human life. By decreeing capital punishment for murder, God established the supreme value and sanctity of human life, which is uniquely created in His image. This law served as a cornerstone of justice in Israel, designed not only to punish heinous acts but also to uphold the moral order, deter future offenses, and prevent the defilement of the land. It distinguished premeditated murder from other forms of killing and signaled God's direct involvement in vindicating innocent blood. The emphasis on an unavoidable "life for life" payment demonstrated that only the life of the offender could justly atone for the life they unlawfully took, thereby reflecting God's righteous character and His absolute claim over all life.