Leviticus 24

Laws about the oil of the Candle-stick, and the preparation of it, v. 1, & c. of the show-bread, 5. and occasionally, of one, that had blasphemed the Name of the LORD, 10. of the punishment of the blasphemers in general, 13. and of those that kill a man or a beast, or hurt their neighbour, 17. The Execution of the punishment upon the fore-mentioned blasphemer, 23.

1. And the LORD spoke to Moseh, saying:

2. Command the children of Israel to bring unto thee: [Heb. take, i.e. take and bring, See Gen. 12. on v. 15.] pure beaten Olive-oil; [See likewise the command hereof, Genesis 27:20.] for the Candlestick; for to kindle the lamps, [of whom there were seven in all, Exodus 25:37.] continually. [viz. each Even.]

3. Aaron [or his Sons, by his order, as appeareth, Exodus 27:21.] shall continually prepare them, before the face of the LORD, from the Even to the Morning, without the vail of the Testimony, [which made the Partition of the Holy-place, and the most Holy. See above chapter 4. on verse 6. This Candlestick stood in the Holy-place on the South-side, as the guided Table stood on the North-side, Exodus 26:31.] in the tent of the Congregation; it is an everlasting institution for your Generations.

4. He shall continually prepare those lamps upon the pure Candlestick before the face of the LORD. [Pure, as being made of pure masly gold. Exodus 25:31. as also hereafter verse 6. The Table is called pure, whereon the Showbread was laid, for being all overlaid with pure fine gold. See Exodus 25:24.]

5. Thou shalt likewise take meal-flower, and bake twelve Cakes thereof: one cake shall be of two tenths. [i.e. of two Gomers, one whereof was the tenth part of an Epha, see Exodus 16:36.

6. And thou shalt lay them in two rows, six in row, upon the pure Table, before the face of the LORD.

7. And upon each row, thou shalt lay pure frankincense: which shall be for bread for a memorial offering. [see ab. ch. 22.] it is a fire-offering to the LORD.

8. On every Sabbath-continually [Heb. in the day of the Sabbath, in the day of the Sabbath. See of this manner speaking, Gen. 7. on v. 2.] shall they prepare the same before the face of the LORD, [which none might do but the Priests alone] on behalf of the children of Israel, [those which had offered the meal-flower, whereof the Priests were to make the bread-loves or cakes] for an everlasting covenant.

9. And it shall be Aarons and his Sons: [Understand at the end of the week, when on the Sabbath following they were taken off from the Table, and new bread laid on, instead of the former] who shall eat the same in the holy place: for it is to him a Holiness of Holinesses, out of the fire-offerings of the LORD; [this is likewise counted among the fire-offerings, or sacrifices, because the frankincense, which lay upon the same, was kindled then, and consumed with fire to the LORD.] an everlasting institution.

10. And there went forth the Son of an Israelitish woman, who in the midst of the children of Israel was an Egyptian man’s son; [Its is probable that this Egyptian had embraced the Israelites Religion, as some do hold; or else, he may only have sojourned among the Israelites as a stranger] and the Son of this Israelitish (woman) and an Israelitish man [viz. by both Father and Mother] were contending together in the camp.

11. Then the Israelitish woman expressly blasphemed [The Hebrew word here rendered, expressly blasphemed, doth properly signify, to pierce, or bore, or wound thorough, whereby the hainousness of this Act is represented, he having as it were pierced God through with his blaspheming tongue.] the NAME, [understand the Name of the LORD, or JEHOVAH, as the same is declared verse 16. and Deuteronomy 28:58. See of this name Gen. 2. on ver. 4.] and cursed; therefore they brought him to Moseh; [Understand this of the Judges, who brought him to Moseh to know how they should punish such an abominable blasphemer.] the name now of his Mother was Schelomith, the Daughter of Dibri, of the Tribe of Dan.

12. And they led him into prison, that Declaration might be made unto them, according to the mouth of the LORD. [i.e. according to his decision and command: See Gen. 41. on v. 40. and Exodus 17:1.]

13. And the LORD spoke to Moseh, saying:

14. Bring forth the Curser without the Camp, and all that heard it, [viz. How he did curse and blaspheme the name of God:] shall lay their hands upon his head, [as so many witnesses, thereby to testify, that they had laid this sin of blasphemy truly to his charge, and that he being really guilty thereof, he was deservedly to be punished thus] after that the whole Congregation shall stone him.

15. And to the children of Israel ye shall speak, saying; every one, when he shall have cursed his God, then shall he bear his sin. [i.e. the punishment of his sin; as he explaineth it himself in the next verse. See ab. ch. 5. on v. 1.]

16. And who so shall have blasphemed, [Heb. pierced through, or stabbed, as above v. 11. See the note there] the Name of the LORD, shall surely be put to death; [Heb. dying be put to death, i.e. he shall be put to death without fail, without any favour or mercy; and so in the sequel.] all the Congregation shall assuredly stone him: [Heb. stoning stone] the stranger shall be as the inborn; when he shall have blasphemed the NAME, he shall be put to death.

17. And when any one shall smitten [i.e. smitting and wounding killed. Compare Genesis 37:21.] any soul of man: [i.e. any man, any person of mankind; see Gen. 12. on v. 5. and Exodus 21:12.] he shall surely be put to death.

18. But who so shall have smitten the soul of a Cattle, he shall restore it soul for soul. [i.e. a living Beast or Cattle, for that he shall have killed.]

19. Also when any one shall have brought a defect on his neighbour; as he did so (it) shall be done to him. [viz. according to the course of the Law, declared in the next note.]

20. Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: [This was the Law of requital (Jus Talionis) which was not to be executed by the particular person’s hurt, and injured, but by the Magistrate, upon due process. The Pharisee did mis-interpret, and ill expound this Law, for which they are reproved by our Saviour, Matthew 5:38, 39.] even as he shall have brought it [Heb. on a man, so shall it be brought on him.

21. He then that smitteth a Cattle, shall restore it; but he that smitteth a man, shall be put to death.

22. Ye shall have one manner of Right; the stranger shall be as the inborn: for I am the LORD your God.

23. And Moseh said to the children of Israel, that they should bring the curser forth without the camp, and stone him with stones, and the children of Israel did, according as the LORD had commanded Moseh.