Leviticus 24:23
in Leviticus 24Then Moses spoke to the Israelites, and they took the blasphemer outside the camp and stoned him. So the Israelites did as the LORD had commanded Moses.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Moses spake to the children of Israel; and they brought forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stoned him with stones. And the children of Israel did as Jehovah commanded Moses.
KJV
And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses.
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This verse in Leviticus 24
Commentary
5 notes on this verseAnd stone him with stones - We are not to suppose that the culprit was exposed to the unbridled fury of the thousands of Israel; this would be brutality, not justice, for the very worst of tempers and passions might be produced and fostered by such a procedure.
This site's exposition
Moses spake to the children of Israel
The sentence is carried out and the last line records that the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses. The man is taken outside the camp, which is where the sin offering was burned at Leviticus 16:27, and Hebrews 13:12 says Jesus suffered without the gate. Stephen died under this statute at Acts 6:11 and 7:58, charged with blasphemous words and stoned outside the city. A chapter that opened with a lamp burning continually and bread set fresh every sabbath ends with an execution.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Stone him with stones - This blasphemer was the first that died by the law of Moses. Stephen the first that died for the gospel, died by the abuse of the law.
And Moses spake unto the children of Israel,.... As the Lord had commanded him: that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones; which were the instructions God had given to Moses upon inquiring his mind and will about this matter: and the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses; they took the blasphemer, and led him out of the camp, put their hands on him, and stoned him with stones till he died.
This teaches that death is the wages of sin, and that blasphemy in particular is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. But, if those who thus profane the name of God escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgments. This blasphemer was the first that died by the law of Moses.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר | vaydaber | and he spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| מֹשֶׁה֮ | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וַיּוֹצִ֣יאוּ | vaiyotziu | and they brought out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַֽמְקַלֵּ֗ל | hamkalel | the [one who] had cursed | H7043 → | 82 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מִחוּץ֙ | michutz | from [the] outside | H2351 → | 164 times |
| לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה | lamachaneh | of the camp | H4264 → | 215 times |
| וַיִּרְגְּמ֥וּ | vaiyirgemu | and they stoned | H7275 → | 16 times |
| אֹת֖וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> him | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אָ֑בֶן | ʾaven | stone[s] | H68 → | 273 times |
| וּבְנֵֽי־ | uvenei- | and [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| עָשׂ֔וּ | ʾasu | they did | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוָּ֥ה | tzivah | he had commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מֹשֶֽׁה׃ פ | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
וַיְדַבֵּ֣רand he spoke
vaydaberH1696 →1141 times
מֹשֶׁה֮Moses
moshehH4872 →765 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֒Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וַיּוֹצִ֣יאוּand they brought out
vaiyotziuH3318 →1067 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַֽמְקַלֵּ֗לthe [one who] had cursed
hamkalelH7043 →82 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מִחוּץ֙from [the] outside
michutzH2351 →164 times
לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔הof the camp
lamachanehH4264 →215 times
וַיִּרְגְּמ֥וּand they stoned
vaiyirgemuH7275 →16 times
אֹת֖וֹ<obj.> him
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
אָ֑בֶןstone[s]
ʾavenH68 →273 times
וּבְנֵֽי־and [the] people of
uvenei-H1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֣לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
עָשׂ֔וּthey did
ʾasuH6213 →2628 times
כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
צִוָּ֥הhe had commanded
tzivahH6680 →494 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
מֹשֶֽׁה׃ פMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Leviticus
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Sir Robert Anderson, Types in Hebrews.