Leviticus 24:19 kjv
And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbor; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;
Leviticus 24:19 nkjv
'If a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor, as he has done, so shall it be done to him?
Leviticus 24:19 niv
Anyone who injures their neighbor is to be injured in the same manner:
Leviticus 24:19 esv
If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him,
Leviticus 24:19 nlt
"Anyone who injures another person must be dealt with according to the injury inflicted ?
Leviticus 24 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 21:23-25 | "...life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe." | Primary statement of lex talionis. |
| Deut 19:21 | "And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." | Reaffirms the principle, applies to false witness. |
| Lev 24:20 | "fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again." | Direct continuation of the principle. |
| Lev 19:18 | "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD." | Prohibits personal vengeance, sets neighborly love. |
| Num 35:33 | "So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it." | Justice required for sin, especially bloodshed. |
| Rom 12:19 | "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." | God's prerogative to avenge, not man's. |
| Heb 10:30 | "For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people." | God's ultimate authority in judgment. |
| Deut 1:17 | "Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's..." | Emphasizes impartial justice. |
| Prov 20:10 | "Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD." | Fairness and equity in judgment. |
| Isa 30:18 | "...therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment..." | God's justice is linked with mercy. |
| Jer 21:12 | "O house of David, thus saith the LORD; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire..." | Command to leaders for just rule. |
| Zech 7:9 | "Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother..." | True judgment involves mercy and compassion. |
| Mt 5:38 | "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:" | Jesus cites lex talionis. |
| Mt 5:39 | "But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." | Jesus reinterprets the application personally. |
| Lk 6:27-29 | "But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you... to him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other..." | Call to grace and love, not retaliation. |
| Mt 6:14-15 | "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." | Forgiveness as a condition for receiving it. |
| Eph 4:32 | "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." | Practical application of forgiveness. |
| Col 3:13 | "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." | Forbearance and forgiveness among believers. |
| Rom 13:4 | "For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, fear; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." | Government's role in enforcing justice. |
| Gal 6:7 | "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." | Principle of proportional consequence. |
Leviticus 24 verses
Leviticus 24 19 Meaning
Leviticus 24:19 states a foundational principle of ancient Israelite law known as lex talionis, meaning "law of retaliation." It establishes that if one person inflicts a physical injury or disfigurement upon another, the perpetrator shall receive a proportionate injury in return, emphasizing equivalent rather than escalating harm. This divine command served to ensure justice, deter crime, and regulate punishment, preventing unchecked vengeance.
Leviticus 24 19 Context
Leviticus chapter 24 details instructions regarding the Tabernacle lamps and showbread, then transitions abruptly to the account of a man who blasphemed the name of the Lord. This individual, born of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father, cursed God and was subsequently judged by the community. Following Moses' consultation with the Lord, divine instruction was given for blasphemy's punishment by stoning. Verses 17-22 then expand upon broader legal principles, particularly concerning harm to human life and property, applicable to both native-born Israelites and sojourners among them. Verse 19 specifically establishes the rule of equal retribution for personal injury, directly preceding its reiteration in verse 20 for specific injuries (fracture, eye, tooth) and an overall statement about equity of law in verse 22. This segment thus reinforces the sanctity of life and the divine standard of impartial justice for all within the covenant community.
Leviticus 24 19 Word analysis
- And if a man: Emphasizes the individual's direct culpability and the universality of the law, applying to any male member of the community.
- cause a blemish: Hebrew yitten mum (יִתֵּן מוּם). Yitten is from the verb natan (נָתַן), "to give" or "to put." Mum (מוּם) refers to a physical "defect," "blemish," or "injury," implying a lasting disfigurement or permanent impairment. It denotes actual physical damage, not just slight harm.
- in his neighbour: Hebrew bîrēʿô (בִּרֵעֵהוּ). Rēʿa' (רֵעַ) means "friend," "companion," "fellow citizen," or "neighbor." In biblical law, it signifies anyone within the covenant community, reinforcing that these laws apply universally, fostering community responsibility and prohibiting harm among brethren. The later verse 22 confirms it includes "the stranger" or sojourner.
- as he hath done: Hebrew ka'asher 'āśâ (כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה). Ka'asher means "according as," "just as." ʿĀśâ (עָשָׂה) means "to do," "to make," "to perform." This phrase signifies the principle of exact equivalence in action, setting the precedent for proportional punishment. It highlights that the perpetrator's own action serves as the measure for the judgment.
- so shall it be done to him: Hebrew kēn yē'āśeh lô (כֵּן יֵעָשֶׂה לּוֹ). Kēn means "so" or "thus." Yē'āśeh is the passive form of ʿāśâ, "it shall be done." Lô means "to him." The passive voice is crucial: it indicates that the punishment is administered by an impartial, authorized legal body, not by private retaliation. This prevents cycles of revenge and maintains public order.
- "as he hath done, so shall it be done to him": This phrase encapsulates the principle of lex talionis—proportionate justice. It established a standard of judicial fairness, limiting punishment to what was justly deserved and preventing excessive revenge. It ensured that the severity of the retribution matched the severity of the crime, safeguarding against disproportionate retaliation in a system without modern courts and extensive prisons. This principle applied to both accidental and intentional injuries, aiming to restore a measure of equilibrium.
Leviticus 24 19 Bonus section
The lex talionis serves as a crucial theological concept illustrating God's justice and impartiality. It reflects the truth that there are consequences for actions, and that injustice demands retribution. While its New Testament reinterpretation by Christ emphasizes a higher standard of love and forgiveness in personal interactions, it does not nullify the state's God-given role in administering justice (Rom 13:4) for societal order. The specific case of the blasphemer's son being stoned, directly preceding this declaration of lex talionis, shows that God's law applied universally and equitably to all serious offenses, whether spiritual (blasphemy) or physical (bodily injury), to both Israelites and non-Israelites (Lev 24:22). It demonstrated God's standard of holiness and demanded commensurate penalties for offenses against the divine order and human welfare.
Leviticus 24 19 Commentary
Leviticus 24:19 sets forth a core tenet of Old Testament justice, the lex talionis, ensuring a proportional response to bodily harm. Its primary purpose was not to demand literal eye-for-an-eye mutilation, but to establish a limitation on vengeance. It prevented endless cycles of escalating retribution (e.g., a family exacting an entire family for one lost member). The application was through legal adjudication, not personal revenge, underscoring the shift from private vendetta to communal, divinely sanctioned justice. This rule was groundbreaking because it ensured impartial justice, where the socio-economic status of the offender or victim did not alter the punishment, unlike some contemporary ancient Near Eastern legal codes. While Jesus reinterpreted this principle for personal forgiveness and non-retaliation (Matt 5:38-39), the underlying truth of divine justice and God's right to repay wrongdoing (Rom 12:19) remains a foundational biblical theme. In the Old Testament context, it established moral equilibrium in society.Examples: A legal court would enforce a fair equivalent for an injury rather than allowing the victim's family to inflict a greater or equal injury privately. If a person broke another's arm, the punishment would correspond to the harm caused, often interpreted later in Jewish tradition as monetary compensation equivalent to the value of the damage, reflecting mercy while maintaining justice.