Praise the Lord Jesus Christ, please study this chapter and then answer all 58 questions at the end of this chapter.

Leviticus Chapter 24

Verses 1-23: The material in the chapter centers on two points:

(1)  Laws of the Holy Place in relation to the lampstand (verses 2-4), and the bread of the presence (verses 5-9); and

(2)  Laws concerning blasphemy, including the offense (verses 10-12), the judgment of God (verses 13-22), and the execution by the people (verse 23).

Verses 1-9: These are additional instructions for the tabernacle relating to the lamps (verses 1-4), and the bread (verses 5-9; see Exodus 25:31-40; 27:20-21; 37:17-24; and Exodus 25:23-30; 39:36; 40:23 respectively.

Verses 1-4: The “pure candlestick” provided light in the tabernacle, which had no openings for natural light. Hammered out of pure gold and made in one piece, this piece had a central shaft and six branches (Exodus 25:31-39; 30:7-8; 37:17-24; 40:24-25). The seven “lamps” were fueled by “pure oil olive”(Exodus 27:20-21), and were to burn “continually”.

Leviticus 24:1 “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”

After he had delivered to him the laws concerning the purity of the priests, and the perfection of the sacrifices they were to offer, and concerning the feasts the people were to keep, he spoke to Moses of some other things which concerned both people and priests.

“Saying”: As follows.

Leviticus 24:2 “Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually.”

Moses was the chief magistrate under God, and being clothed with authority from him, had power to command the children of Israel to do what the Lord required of them.

“That they bring unto thee pure oil olive, beaten, for the light”: This was to be at the public expense, and it belonged to the community to supply the priests with oil for the light of the candlestick in the temple (Exodus 25:6). And this oil was not to be any sort of oil, as train oil, or oil of nuts, almonds, etc., but oil of olives. And not any sort of that, but the purest, which was the first that was taken from them. It seems there were three sorts, the first of which was pure, and this beaten in a mortar, and not ground in a mill (see notes on Exodus 27:20).

“To cause the lamps to burn continually”: The lamps in the golden candlestick, which were seven (Exodus 25:37). Or “the lamp”, in the singular number, as it is in the original text. The western lamp, which is said to be always kept lighted, from which the rest were lighted when out. Though the oil was undoubtedly for the supply of the lamps, that they might burn always, night and day. Or from night to night, as Jarchi. And both on Sabbath days and working days, as the Targum of Jonathan.

Olive oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit of God. This olive oil, could not be contaminated in any way, and thus was beaten instead of being pressed in the olive press. I have mentioned it before, but the olive press was called a gethsemane. This olive oil in the lamp was very important. Jesus is the Light of the world, and it would be very important for this to be pure oil. John the Baptist, baptized with water, but the baptism of Jesus was with the Holy Ghost and fire. This oil (Holy Spirit), was never to run low, because it was to fuel the light continuously. This light, which was symbolic of Jesus’ Light, was never to go out. The candlestick in the temple was fueled by this pure olive oil and was to never go out. We know that the candlestick, and the light it produces, symbolize the Light of Jesus. When a person receives this Light of Jesus, it is very important to keep fueled with the Holy Spirit of God (pure olive oil). One of the most vivid descriptions in the Bible about letting the oil go out of your lamp, is the parable of the ten virgins.

2 Corinthians 11:2 “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ.”

Ephesians 5:18 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”

Leviticus 24:3 “Without the veil of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: [it shall be] a statute for ever in your generations.”

That is, on the outside of the vail which divided between the Holy Place and Holy of Holies. And which was before the ark in which the testimony or law was.

“In the tabernacle of the congregation”: Which the apostle calls the first, namely, the Holy Place in which the candlestick, with its lamps, stood (Heb. 9:2).

“Shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning, before the Lord continually”: That is, the lamp or lamps, or candlestick, in which they were, or the light of them. His business was, and so every priest’s that succeeded him, to supply the lamps with oil. To dress and snuff them, that they might burn clear, and burn always. And that before the Lord, in the presence of the Lord.

“It shall be a statute for ever in your generations”: Until the Messiah should come. The true light, which would put out all such typical ones, and by his Gospel spread light in all his churches throughout the world (see notes on Exodus 27:20-21).

This candlestick, which was just outside the veil leading to the holy of holies, was made of pure Gold and had seven flutes on it. The candlestick and the light were both symbolic of the Light of Jesus. The olive oil, which fueled the light was symbolic of the Holy Spirit. To keep the Light of God burning in our churches, the Holy Spirit must reveal the Truth to the church. The Holy Spirit is Teacher and Guide. Without the Spirit of God in the church, it would be a dead church. It could not even be a church that knew the truth without the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit is our Teacher. Knowing the Truth comes through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit makes the Word more understandable.

Psalms 119:105 “Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

We can easily see that it is almost impossible to separate the Word, the Truth, and the Spirit. They are all three involved in the life of a real believer in Jesus Christ. The Word brings Life. The Truth brings Life. The Spirit brings Life. You can easily see the connection.

Leviticus 24:4 “He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually.”

“Pure candlestick”: Actually, it was a “lampstand” (Exodus 27:20-21), that was put in the Holy Place, which otherwise would have been completely dark. Some have seen the lampstand as typical of Israel, which, in God’s purpose, was meant to be a light to the ancient Near Eastern nations. But the true light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to His people Israel, is Jesus Christ (Luke 2:32; compare Matt. 5:16; Eph. 5:8; Phil. 2:15).

The word (order), in the Scripture above means to arrange. There were seven flutes on this candlestick, remember. It was the high priest’s job to see that all of this was done properly, and was not forgotten. The fueling with pure olive oil must be done once in the morning and once in the evening. The Light was never to go out. Notice the word (pure), in the verse above. It was pure gold, which showed the Godhead of Jesus.

Verses 5-9: Display of the showbread (bread of the Presence), was a perpetual sign of worship, along with the fire on the altar (6:12), and the incense the priest burned morning and night in the Most Holy Place (Exodus 30:8). The “bread”, signifying Jesus as the Bread of Life, was replaced on each Sabbath. “Pure frankincense”, one of the gifts given to young Jesus by the wise men from the East (Isa. 60:6; Matt. 2:11), was poured over the loaves as a “memorial”.

Leviticus 24:5 “And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.”

“Twelve cakes”: These represented the 12 tribes of Israel, in the same way as the two onyx stones, each engraved with six names, served as “stones of memorial for the sons of Israel” (Exodus 28:9-12). Like circumcision (Gen. 17:13, 19), and the Sabbath (Exodus 31:16), the bread of the presence symbolized the “everlasting covenant” (verse 8), between God and Israel (Psalm 105:10); Rom. 11:26-29).

Each loaf was made with 4 quarts of flour.

Each of these loaves of bread had at least 6 pounds of flour in them. This would make the twelve loaves weigh over 70 pounds. This must be fine flour, because these loaves of bread symbolized the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ. Jesus is not only the eternal Light, but is the eternal Bread as well. We must feed upon the Word, which is our Bread.

John 6:35 “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

There were twelve loaves, indicating there was Bread for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Leviticus 24:6 “And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD.”

The twelve cakes.

“Six on a row”: Not by the side of each other, but six upon one another.

“Upon the pure table”: The showbread table, so called because overlaid with pure gold, and kept clean and bright (Exodus 25:24).

“Before the Lord”: For this stood in the holy place, in the same place as the candlestick did, which has the same position (Lev. 24:4). Of the mystical and typical sense of these cakes (see notes on Exodus 25:30).

Notice that with God, not only is it important to bake twelve cakes, but the order that they were set on the Table was important as well. Notice the word (pure), again here. This Table symbolizes Jesus, as well as the Bread did. It is a golden table, which indicates God, in this case God the Word. This Table and the Bread on it both symbolize Jesus. He is before God in heaven always representing you and me.

Leviticus 24:7 “And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon [each] row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, [even] an offering made by fire unto the LORD.”

Two cups of frankincense, in each of which was a handful of it, and which were set by each row of the cakes, as Jarchi observes.

“That it may be on the bread for a memorial”: Or “for the bread”, instead of it, for a memorial of it. That being to be eaten by the priests, and this to be burned on the altar to the Lord, as follows.

“Even an offering made by fire unto the Lord”: Not the bread that was after a time taken away, and eaten by the priests, but the frankincense.

Frankincense always accompanied the meat offering. This is why one of the gifts that was brought to Jesus at His birth was frankincense. The frankincense recognized Jesus as the meat offering. This Bread, as we have said so many times, represents the flesh of Jesus.

John 6:51 “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

The memorial spoken of here, is the remembrance of Jesus’ great sacrifice for all of us. The communion we take in church is the remembrance. Jesus explains it clearly in:

1 Corinthians 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.”

Some of the bread covered in frankincense was burned unto the LORD, the other part of the bread was eaten in the temple by the priest and his sons. The fact that this bread was offered each week, shows us clearly that we should be consistent in our giving as well. We should not give just now and then, but regularly. May I also state, that it is no good at all to give, unless it is given freely from the heart. God would be very pleased with this offering made by fire. This type offering was for Him alone. Since it was burned up, no one except God would benefit by it. The other bread, eaten by the priests, shows that ministers’ needs must be taken from the offerings.

Leviticus 24:8 “Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, [being taken] from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.”

That is, the priest or priests then ministering, who should bring new cakes and place them in the above order. Having removed the old ones, which was done in this manner. Four priests went in, two had in their hands the two rows (of bread), and two had in their hands two cups (of frankincense). Four went before these, two to take away the two rows (of the old bread), and two to take away the two cups (of frankincense). And they that carried in stood in the north, and their faces to the south and they that brought out stood in the south, and their faces to the north. These drew away (the old bread) and they put them (the new). And the hand of the one was over against the hand of the other, as it is said, “before me continually” (Exodus 25:30). That is, at the same time the hands of the one were employed in taking away, the hands of the other were employed in setting on. So that there was always bread upon the table.

“Being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant”: God requiring it of them, and they agreeing to give it, as they did, either in meal or in money. For this was at the expense of the community.

We can see that the giving of their share of the offering, was not an option with them. They must bring their share of the offering to God, to remain in covenant relationship with God. If they broke their side of the covenant, God was no longer in covenant with them.

Leviticus 24:9 “And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it [is] most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute.”

“They shall eat it in the holy place”: Normally only the priests in actual service at the time could eat of the twelve loaves of bread from the table of showbread in the ancient Tabernacle. Jesus, citing how David and his men, hungry and weary, ate the sacred bread on the Sabbath (Luke 6:1-4), answered His Pharisaical critics. They had questioned His disciples’ plucking “ears of corn” on the Sabbath to satisfy their hunger, thus “working”. Jesus enunciated a higher law when He announced, “the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath (Luke 6:5).

We went into great detail about exactly how this meat offering was to be handled in an earlier lesson. We will not go into that in detail here, but will just remind ourselves of a few important aspects. Aaron’s and his sons’; just means that whoever is high priest at the time of the offering and his sons are to eat their part of the bread. This bread being presented before the LORD made it holy. It was not to be taken out of the Holy Place. This bread is for the minister (High Priest), and all believers in Christ (the sons of the High Priest). The world has rejected their opportunity to eat of this bread, when they rejected Jesus as Savior. Not only is the bread holy, but those who eat of it are made righteous in the sight of God. Have you eaten this Bread (accepted Jesus as your Savior)? If not, I recommend that you not delay.

Verses 10-23: The law regarding the penalty for blasphemy (cursing God), is unique because it was demonstrated with a story. The penalty of “death” fit the crime because blasphemy insults a holy and perfect God (Exodus 22:28).

Verses 10-14, 23: “And the son”: Here is another historical example of blasphemy along similar lines as the Nadab and Abihu account (10:1-2). The blasphemer was one of the many other people. The people transferred the guilt of them all to him.

Leviticus 24:10 “And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father [was] an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish [woman] and a man of Israel strove together in the camp;”

Whose name, and the name of his mother, are afterwards given.

“Whose father was an Egyptian”: This circumstance seems noted, partly to show the danger of marriages with persons of wicked principles. And partly by this severity against him who was a stranger by the father, and an Israelite by the mother. To show that God would not have this sin go unpunished among his people, whatsoever he was that committed it.

“Went out among the children of Israel”: Went out of Egypt with them, according to the Targum of Jonathan. And so was one of the mixed multitude, which came from thence with them, which is not improbable. Some say he went out of Moses’s court of judicature; but it is more likely that the meaning is, he went out of his tent, so Aben Ezra, Into the midst of the camp, to claim his rank and place among the people of Israel. Though the Jewish writers, as Jarchi and Aben Ezra, take this phrase, “among the children of Israel”, to signify that he was a proselyte, and became a Jew, or had embraced the Jewish religion in all respects.

“And this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp”: Which man of Israel, according to the Targum of Jonathan, was of the tribe of Dan, as was the mother of the man he disagreed with. What they fought about is not easy to say.

Leviticus 24:11 “And the Israelitish woman’s son blasphemed the name [of the LORD], and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother’s name [was] Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)”

“Blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed”: The verb translated “blasphemed” actually means “to pierce” with the intent of debilitating a person. The word cursed means to declare someone to the “contentless” or without significance, and thus to deny that he has any power. The guilty person here did not pronounce a curse in our sense of the word, but rather attacked the Lord’s holy nature and declared Him to be without content or significance. He was apparently one of the “mixed multitude” (Exodus 12:38; Num. 11:4).

God warned His people over and over, not to marry those who were not Israelites. This man was not allowed to be one of the congregation, because his father was not an Israelite. The regulation was in effect until the third generation. This set this young man aside as an outcast from the beginning. You could easily see how he would get into an argument with this man of Israel. There is however, no excuse for him blaspheming the name of the LORD and cursing. We possibly can see here that he did not believe in the God of Israel. It is good to notice that blaspheming and cursing were two different things. To blaspheme God, is possibly the worst sin a person could commit. At the time that this happened, the law had not been given concerning this, and Moses did not know exactly what the punishment for this crime should be. Just because his mother was of the tribe of Dan, would not save him. The Scripture does not say whether this man was taught in the ways of God or not. If he were not taught in the ways of God, part of the blame for this sin would be his mother’s. We do know that she displeased God, when she married a man from Egypt. God did not want His people mixing and marrying with worldly people.

Leviticus 24:12 “And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be showed them.”

“And they put him in ward”: There were no jails in Israel since incarceration was not a penalty for crime. They had merely restrained him, probably in a pit of some sort, until they could establish his punishment. Punishments were corporal, banishment, or, in severe cases, death. Those who lived through the punishment worked to secure restitution for those they had violated.

Moses knew that this was a terrible sin, but he did not know just how God wanted him punished. He had them to hold him under arrest, until he could hear from God. Moses never presumed things pertaining to God. He waited, so that the punishment of this man would be pleasing unto God.

Leviticus 24:13 “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”

From off the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies, where he had promised to meet him and commune with him about anything he should inquire of him, as he did at this time.

“Saying”: As follows.

Leviticus 24:14 “Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard [him] lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.”

“Lay their hands upon his head”: By this act, the people transferred to him whatever guilt might have accrued to the community. His subsequent death then atoned for his own and his hearers’ sin. The sinner bears full personal responsibility (verse 15).

These that heard him curse and blaspheme God are eye witnesses. The reason they are to lay their hands on his head, is to place the blame upon him. This stoning by the entire congregation shows their utter disapproval of what he has done. The punishment for this crime was not set by Moses, or the witnesses, or the congregation, but by God Himself.

Leviticus 24:15 “And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.”

On this occasion, and gave them some laws and rules concerning the above affair, and other things.

“Saying, whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin”: Which some understand of anyone of another nation, that cursed the God he used to serve in his own country. But it can hardly be thought that a law should be made by the one only living and true God, to preserve the honor and credit of false gods, when he is so jealous of his own glory. And those are spoken of in Scripture with the greatest contempt, as dunghill deities, and are actually cursed (Jer. 10:11). But they are rather to be interpreted of judges and all civil magistrates, who, as Aben Ezra observes, are sometimes called Elohim or gods (Psalm 82:1). And the rather, as it is probable this man had cursed his judges, and so this is a distinct sin from what follows. And not only the manner of expressing it, but the punishment of it, seem to be different. For the phrase, “to bear his sin”, is used where the punishment is not expressly declared. And is by Jarchi and others interpreted of cutting off from his people, but in what way is not certain. Whereas the punishment of a blasphemer of God is before and after clearly expressed (see Lev. 20:19).

Since there had not been a law given concerning this, the law was given right here to clarify the punishment for this offence. Notice (whosoever), which covers strangers as well as Israelites. Notice that verse 15 is separate in that the sin there was cursing God. In the next verse, we see the penalty for blaspheming god.

Leviticus 24:16 “And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, [and] all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name [of the LORD], shall be put to death.”

Or, “but he that blasphemeth”, etc., from whence the Jews gather, that the name Jehovah must be expressed, or it is no blasphemy; so Jarchi. But it is not using or expressing the word Jehovah that is blasphemy, but speaking ill and contemptuously of God. With respect to any of his names, titles, and epithets, or of any of his perfections, ways, and works.

“He shall surely be put to death”: No mercy shall be shown him, no reprieve or pardon granted him. Hence it is said, there is no atonement for it, by repentance, or chastisements, or the day of atonement. So blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is not forgiven, neither in this world nor in that which is to come (Matt. 12:31).

“And all the congregation shall certainly stone him”: Shall have no pity on him, nor spare him, but stone him till he dies.

“As well the stranger as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death”: Even a proselyte of the gate, a Gentile that sojourned among them, uncircumcised, and did not profess the Jewish religion, as well as a proselyte of righteousness, and an Israelite born. Yet, if he blasphemed the God of Israel, was to lose his life without any mercy shown him.

For someone not to stone the person committing this terrible sin, would be as if they were condoning the sin. God leaves no doubt at all that this is to cover everyone, even those who were not Hebrews among them. This was done to remove those who would cause a falling away from God. God requires total obedience.

Matthew 22:37-38 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” “This is the first and great commandment.”

Leviticus 24:17 “And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.”

With the sword, as the Targum of Jonathan adds. Which restrains it to any man of the children of Israel, but wrongly. For the original law respects any man whatever (Gen. 9:6); and so it does here (see notes on Exodus 21:12).

We see in this that a person who thought someone had blasphemed could not just go out and kill him. The killing of the blasphemer by stoning was after several persons had been eyewitnesses and it was a punishment carried out by the entire congregation, not just by one person. We see in this repeating of this law that killing or murder was punishable by death. A life for a life.

Leviticus 24:18 “And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast.”

Pay for it, give the value of it, or another as good as that instead of it, as follows.

“Beast for beast”: Or “soul for soul”; life for life. That is, a living one for that the life of which is taken away, and one in every way as good as that.

This is speaking of another’s beast. When you kill someone else’s animal, it must be restored.

Leviticus 24:19 “And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbor; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;”

Does him any hurt or mischief, causes any mutilation or deformity in him by striking him.

“As he hath done, so shall it be done unto him”: Not that a like damage or hurt should be done to him, but that he should make satisfaction for it in a pecuniary way. Pay for the cure of him, and for loss of time, and in consideration of the pain he has endured. And the shame or disgrace brought on him by the deformity or mutilation. Or for whatever loss he may sustain thereby (see notes on Exodus 21:18-19).

Leviticus 24:20 “Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him [again].”

Compare (Matt. 5:38). This law of retaliation established the principle that the punishment should fit the crime, but not go beyond it.

“Eye for eye, tooth for tooth”: This is one of three passages in the Old Testament setting out the so-called lex talionis (compare Exodus 21:23-25; Deut. 19:21), a fundamental principle of biblical and Near Eastern law. It means that punishment must be proportionate to the offense. This phrase seems to have been just a formula. If a slave lost an eye, he was given his freedom (Exodus 21:26). The man who killed an ox had to pay its owner enough for him to buy another (verse 18). Only in the case of premeditated murder was such compensation forbidden (Num. 35:16-21). Then the principle of “life for life” must be literally enforced, because man is made in the image of God (Gen. 9:5-6).

God’s justice for sin demanded our death; this is the punishment that fits the crime (2 Kings 14:6; Rom. 6:23). God did not do away with retributive justice to redeem us, but rather sent Christ to His death on the cross to be our substitute (Isa. 53:12; 2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus told His disciples to “resist not evil”, but to reach out even to the wicked in patience, love, and forgiveness (Matt. 5:38-42). This does not mean that punishments should no longer fit the crime, or that sin and wickedness do not have consequences for the offender in society. What it means is that it was never right to use this verse in Leviticus to claim a right to personal revenge on one that has injured us.

These sins are less than murder. The punishment is made to fit the crime.

Leviticus 24:21 “And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.”

The same as in (Lev. 24:18), which is repeated for the confirmation of it. And that it might be observed, though Jarchi takes it to be a different law. Before, he says, it speaks of him that kills a beast, here of him that makes any wound or bruise in it, which he must make good. And it must be allowed that the manner of expression is different. There it is, he that smites the soul of a beast so that it dies, here only he that smites a beast, though it dies not. Yet having some damage done it, satisfaction must be made.

“And he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death”: Or he that smites a man, though he does not kill him, as Jarchi observes, only makes a wound or bruise in him. Because it is not said, the soul of a man, as before. But such damages did not require death, but satisfaction in another way, as in (Lev. 24:19).

The difference in the death of an animal and the death of a man is evident in the punishment. Man was made in the image of God. There is no way you can pay for a man’s life. The animal is property, or wealth of a man. The main thing here would be to restore the loss he felt in the death of the animal.

Leviticus 24:22 “Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I [am] the LORD your God.”

Respecting the above things, blaspheming of the name of God, taking away the life of man, or of any beast, and of doing damage to either.

“As well for the stranger as for one of your own country”: The above laws were binding upon proselytes as well as Israelites. And proselytes of the gate as well as proselytes of righteousness, though the Jews commonly restrain it to the latter.

“For I am the Lord your God”: Whose name is holy and reverend, and ought not to be blasphemed. And who is the Maker and preserver of man and beast, and made these laws respecting them, and expected they should be obeyed. Especially by the children of Israel, whose covenant God and Father he was, and they under the greatest obligation to serve and obey him.

We see from this, that just because they were God’s people did not give the Israelite any special privileges when he sinned. The punishment was the same for the stranger as it was for the Israelite. God is God of all. The law was given at this time just to the Israelites, but God is God of all.

Leviticus 24:23 “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.”

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.

As soon as the punishment for blaspheming and cursing God was given to Moses by God, Moses had the punishment carried out. Remember the reason Moses had waited was because no law had been given to cover this situation. Moses waited until God told him what the punishment should be. We could learn a lesson from this. We should not rush ahead to decide the outcome of something, before we hear from God.

Leviticus 24: Questions