Leviticus 24:21 kjv

And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.

Leviticus 24:21 nkjv

And whoever kills an animal shall restore it; but whoever kills a man shall be put to death.

Leviticus 24:21 niv

Whoever kills an animal must make restitution, but whoever kills a human being is to be put to death.

Leviticus 24:21 esv

Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, and whoever kills a person shall be put to death.

Leviticus 24:21 nlt

"Whoever kills an animal must pay for it in full, but whoever kills another person must be put to death.

Leviticus 24 verses

Leviticus 24 21 Meaning

Leviticus 24:21 states a clear distinction in legal repercussions for taking a life: an individual who kills an animal must offer restitution, while one who intentionally kills another human being must forfeit their own life. This verse underscores the immeasurable sanctity of human life as distinct from animal life or property, establishing it as invaluable and protected by capital punishment within the community of faith.

Leviticus 24 21 Context

Leviticus chapter 24 is framed by distinct themes: the holy oil for the lamps and the showbread within the Tabernacle, followed immediately by an account of a specific legal incident, and then general judicial statutes. Verses 1-9 detail the priests' responsibilities concerning the lamp and the bread, emphasizing order and ritual holiness. The chapter then shifts abruptly in verses 10-14 to the blasphemy incident involving a son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man, who cursed the Lord's Name. God then reveals the specific law for blasphemy: death by stoning. Following this specific case, verses 17-22 generalize principles of justice previously established for Israelites to include any "sojourner" or "stranger" residing among them. Leviticus 24:21 thus applies the principle of equal justice for injury and death within this broader judicial context, highlighting the absolute distinction in value between human and animal life before the Law and before God. This structure demonstrates that the Lord's holiness is upheld not only through ritual and worship but also through a rigorous system of civil justice that protects the lives of all residents, reflecting the sacredness of human life.

Leviticus 24 21 Word analysis

• And he that kills: Hebrew: W'nakheh (וְנֹכֵ֥ה). From the root nakah (נָכָה), meaning "to strike," "to smite," or "to wound," often leading to death. The form here is an active participle, indicating one who performs the action. It describes the direct action of causing death.
• a beast: Hebrew: behemah (בְּהֵמָה). This term specifically refers to domesticated, four-footed animals, commonly cattle, sheep, or goats. The law acknowledges their economic and sustenance value to the community, classifying them as property rather than sentient beings with a divine spark.
• shall make it good: Hebrew: y’shalmenah (יְשַׁלְּמֶֽנָּה). From the root shalam (שָׁלַם), meaning "to make whole," "to restore," "to repay," or "to complete." This denotes a principle of restitution, where the damage caused is rectified by financial or in-kind compensation to the owner, restoring the lost value.
• but he that kills: Hebrew: w'makkêh (וּמַכֵּ֥ה). Again, from nakah (נָכָה), appearing as an active participle, emphasizing the doer of the action. The repetition highlights the direct responsibility.
• a man: Hebrew: adam (אָדָם). This refers specifically to a human being, distinguishing the sanctity and value of human life from that of animals. Human beings are created in the image of God (Gen 1:27, Gen 9:6), which gives their life immeasurable value and distinguishes their killing as a far greater offense than harming property.
• shall be put to death: Hebrew: mot yumat (מוֹת יוּמָת). This is a strong Hebrew idiom, a grammatical construction that uses the infinitive absolute before the finite verb from the same root (mut - "to die"). It translates literally to "dying he shall die" or "he shall surely die." This emphatic expression leaves no doubt about the severity and certainty of the prescribed punishment, which is capital execution without any alternative, such as ransom (Num 35:31).

Words-group analysis:

• "And he that kills a beast shall make it good; but he that kills a man shall be put to death." This entire verse is structured as a clear contrastive parallelism. It sets forth two distinct scenarios involving the taking of life, with two vastly different consequences. The immediate contrast between "beast" and "man" underlines the infinite difference in the value assigned to these lives within God's law. Killing an animal results in financial restitution (shalam), signifying its worth as property, whereas killing a human demands capital punishment (mot yumat), demonstrating that human life, being divinely created, has a non-negotiable value that cannot be compensated or restored, but requires an equivalent life for its unjust taking. The Hebrew legal principle is absolute for murder.

Leviticus 24 21 Bonus section

This verse highlights that while restitution addresses financial or material loss, it is wholly insufficient for the loss of a human life. The Hebrew legal system understood that while an owner might be "made good" for a dead animal, the Creator cannot be "made good" for a life created in His image, except by a direct payment of the offending life. The concept of no ransom for a murderer (Num 35:31) further solidifies this divine valuation. This severe justice underscores the depravity of murder in God's sight and acts as a deterrent, emphasizing that taking innocent human life defiles the land and diminishes the divine image within society.

Leviticus 24 21 Commentary

Leviticus 24:21 delivers a foundational principle of Old Testament justice, drawing a stark moral and legal distinction between taking animal life and human life. While the former mandates financial or material restitution, the latter, murder, necessitates the forfeiture of the murderer's own life. This distinction stems directly from the biblical teaching of humanity's unique creation in the image of God (Genesis 1:27, 9:6). The sacredness of human life is paramount, rendering it non-compensable by material means. The phrase "shall be put to death" (literally "dying he shall die") emphatically underlines the severity, certainty, and irrevocability of the punishment, leaving no room for leniency or substitution. This principle, sometimes seen as the core of lex talionis ("an eye for an eye"), functions primarily not as a justification for private revenge, but as a limit on retribution within a community, ensuring proportionality and upholding divine justice by requiring exact recompense. Furthermore, this law's inclusion immediately after the incident of the blasphemer, and preceding the explicit command that "you shall have the same rule for the sojourner and for the native" (Lev 24:22), emphasizes that God's standards of justice, particularly regarding the sanctity of life, apply equally to all within the Israelite community, regardless of social status or origin. This equal application serves as a significant contrast to many contemporary Ancient Near Eastern legal codes, which often differentiated penalties based on social standing.