Leviticus 24:17

The decision asked for from God concerning the crime of the blasphemer, who was the son of an Egyptian, and therefore not a member of the congregation of Jehovah, furnished the occasion for God to repeat those laws respecting murder or personal injury inflicted upon a man, which had hitherto been given for the Israelites alone (Exo 21:12.), and to proclaim their validity in the case of the foreigner also (Lev 24:17, Lev 24:21, Lev 24:22). To these there are appended the kindred commandments concerning the killing of cattle (Lev 24:18, Lev 24:21, Lev 24:22), which had not been given, it is true, expressis verbis, but were contained implicite in the rights of Israel (Exo 21:33.), and are also extended to foreigners. אדם נפשׁ הכּה, to smite the soul of a man, i.e., to put him to death; - the expression "soul of a beast," in Lev 24:18, is to be understood in the same sense.

In this chapter we have, I. A repetition of the laws concerning the lamps and the show-bread (Lev 24:1-9). II. A violation of the law against blasphemy, with the imprisonment, trial, condemnation, and execution, of the blasphemer (Lev 24:10-14, with Lev 24:23). III. The law against blasphemy reinforced (Lev 24:15, Lev 24:16), with sundry other laws (Lev 24:17, etc.).

24:17 Because human life was patterned after the life of God himself (Gen 1:26, 27), murder was a blasphemous act. It required the same penalty as oral blasphemy (Gen 9:6). For a similar law and its qualifiers, see Exod 21:12-14.