Leviticus 24

1 The Lord said to Moses,

2 "Command the peo- ple of Israel to bring you pure oil from crushed olives. That oil is for the lamps so that these lamps may never go out.

3 Aaron will keep the lamps burning in the Meeting Tent from evening until morning before the Lord; this is in front of the curtain of the Ark of the Agreement. This law will continue from now on.

4 Aaron must always keep the lamps burning on the lampstands of pure gold before the Lord.

5 "Take fine flour and bake twelve loaves of bread with it, using four quarts of flour for each loaf.

6 Put them in two rows on the golden table before the Lord, six loaves in each row.

7 Put pure incense on each row as the memorial portion to take the place of the bread. It is an offering made by fire to the Lord.

8 Every Sabbath day Aaron will put the bread in order before the Lord, as an agreement with the people of Israel that will continue forever.

9 That bread will belong to Aaron and his sons. They will eat it in a holy place, because it is a most holy part of the offerings made by fire to the Lord. That bread is their share forever."

10 Now there was a son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian father who was walking among the Israelites. A fight broke out in the camp between him and an Israelite.

11 The son of the Israelite woman began cursing and speaking against the Lord, so the people took him to Moses. (The mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri from the family of Dan.)

12 The people held him as a prisoner while they waited for the Lord's command to be made clear to them.

13 Then the Lord said to Moses,

14 "Take the one who spoke against me outside the camp. Then all the people who heard him must put their hands on his head, and all the people must throw stones at him and kill him.

15 Tell the people of Israel this: 'If anyone curses his God, he is guilty of sin.

16 Anyone who speaks against the Lord must be put to death; all the people must kill him by throwing stones at him. Foreign- ers must be punished just like the people born in Israel; if they speak against the Lord, they must be put to death.

17 "'Whoever kills another person must be put to death.

18 Whoever kills an animal that belongs to another person must give that person another animal to take its place.

19 And whoever causes an injury to a neighbor must receive the same kind of injury in return:

20 Broken bone for broken bone, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Anyone who injures another person must be injured in the same way in return.

21 Whoever kills another person's animal must give that person another animal to take its place. But whoever kills another person must be put to death.

22 "'The law will be the same for the foreigner as for those from your own country. I am the Lord your God.'"

23 Then Moses spoke to the people of Israel, and they took the person who had cursed outside the camp and killed him by throwing stones at him. So the people of Israel did as the Lord had commanded Moses.

PREVIOUS Leviticus 23 NEXT Leviticus 25

Leviticus 24 Commentary

Chapter 24

Oil for the lamps, The shew-bread. (1-9) The law of blasphemy, blasphemer is stoned. (10-23)

Verses 1-9 The loaves of bread typify Christ as the Bread of life, and the food of the souls of his people. He is the Light of his church, the Light of the world; in and through his word this light shines. By this light we discern the food prepared for our souls; and we should daily, but especially from sabbath to sabbath, feed thereon in our hearts with thanksgiving. And as the loaves were left in the sanctuary, so should we abide with God till he dismiss us.

Verses 10-23 This offender was the son of an Egyptian father, and an Israelitish mother. The notice of his parents shows the common ill effect of mixed marriages. A standing law for the stoning of blasphemers was made upon this occasion. Great stress is laid upon this law. It extends to the strangers among them, as well as to those born in the land. Strangers, as well as native Israelites, should be entitled to the benefit of the law, so as not to suffer wrong; and should be liable to the penalty of this law, in case they did wrong. If those who profane the name of God escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgments. What enmity against God must be in the heart of man, when blasphemies against God proceed out of his mouth. If he that despised Moses' law, died without mercy, of what punishment will they be worthy, who despise and abuse the gospel of the Son of God! Let us watch against anger, do no evil, avoid all connexions with wicked people, and reverence that holy name which sinners blaspheme.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 24

This chapter treats of the oil for the lamps, and the ordering of them, Le 24:1-4; of the making of the shewbread cakes, and the setting of them on the table, Le 24:5-9; and an Israelite having blasphemed the name of the Lord, and inquiry being made what should be done to him, he, and so any other person guilty of the same, is ordered to be stoned to death, Le 24:10-16; on occasion of which several laws are repeated concerning killing a man or a beast, or doing injury to any man, Le 24:17-23.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible