Exodus 21:17
in Exodus 21Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he that curseth his father or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
KJV
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
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This verse in Exodus 21
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Anyone who curses his father or mother
Cursing a parent carries the same penalty as striking one. Jesus quotes it at Mark 7:10 and Matthew 15:4, against a practice that let a man declare his goods corban and leave his parents unsupported.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
One who speaks ill of his mother or father will die the death. One who speaks well of them will have full enjoyment of the rewards of life. If our parents in the flesh should enjoy such good will from us, so much the more would this hold true for our parents in the spirit.
One who speaks ill of his mother or father will die the death. One who speaks well of them will have full enjoyment of the rewards of life. If our parents in the flesh should enjoy such good will from us, so much the more would this hold true for our parents in the spirit.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
What yoke will those bear that have shaken off this? Let children take heed of entertaining in their minds any such thought or passions towards their parents as savour of undutifulness and contempt; for the righteous God searches the heart. Here is a law against man-stealing (
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And he that curseth his father, or his mother,....
The words behind it
5 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּמְקַלֵּ֥ל | umekalel | and [one who] will curse | H7043 → | 82 times |
| אָבִ֛יו | ʾaviv | father his | H1 → | 1212 times |
| וְאִמּ֖וֹ | veimo | and mother his | H517 → | 220 times |
| מ֥וֹת | mot | certainly <to die> | H4191 → | 839 times |
| יוּמָֽת׃ ס | yumat | he will be put to death | H4191 → | 839 times |
וּמְקַלֵּ֥לand [one who] will curse
umekalelH7043 →82 times
אָבִ֛יוfather his
ʾavivH1 →1212 times
וְאִמּ֖וֹand mother his
veimoH517 →220 times
מ֥וֹתcertainly <to die>
motH4191 →839 times
יוּמָֽת׃ סhe will be put to death
yumatH4191 →839 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 20:20Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.
it leads to
- Leviticus 20:9
If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his blood shall be upon him.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 30:17
As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 30:11
There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
- Proverbs 24:20
For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
- Matthew 15:4
For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’
- Leviticus 20:9
Through
Deuteronomy 27:16‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
it leads to
- Leviticus 19:3
Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must keep My Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.
- Leviticus 19:3
Through
Proverbs 30:11There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
it leads to
- Proverbs 20:20
Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.
- Proverbs 30:12–14
There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
- Proverbs 20:20
Where this verse is studied
About Exodus
This page draws on John Chrysostom, HOMILY 6.1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.