Reference: Murder
American
The designed and malevolent taking of human life, was by the original appointment of God, a crime to be punished by death. Cain, the first murderer, recognized it as such, Ge 4:14. The ground for the death penalty for murder is the eminent dignity and sacredness of man as a child of God, Ge 9:5-6. Like the Sabbath and marriage, it is a primeval and universal institution for mankind, and all nations have so recognized it, Ac 28:4. The Mosaic code reenacted it, Le 24:17; and while providing for the unintentional homicide a safe retreat, declares that deliberate murder must be punished by death, from which neither the city of refuge nor the altar of God could shield the criminal, Ex 21:12-14; Nu 35:9-34; De 19:1-13; 1Ki 2:5-6,28-34. Death was usually inflicted by stoning, upon the testimony of at least two witnesses, Nu 35:30. If a corpse were found in the open fields, and the murderer could not be discovered, the town nearest to the spot was obliged to purge itself by a solemn ceremony, lest it should become liable to the judgments of God, De 21:1-9. In various ways God is represented as specially abhorring this crime, and securing its punishment, De 32:43; 2Sa 21:1; Ps 9:12; 55:23; Ho 1:4; Re 22:15. Our Savior instructs us that one may be guilty, in the sight of God, of murder in the heart, without any overt act, Mt 5:21-22; 1Jo 3:15. Nothing is said especially in the law respecting self-murder, and only the cases of Saul, Ahithophel, and Judas are described in the Bible, 1Sa 31:4; 2Sa 17:23; Ac 1:18. Of all murders, that of the soul is incomparably the most awful, Joh 8:44, and many plunge not only themselves but also others into the second death.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Lo! thou has driven me out, this day, from off the face of the ground And from thy face, shall I be hid, So shall I become a wanderer and a fugitive in the earth. And it shall come to pass, whosoever findeth me, will slay me.
And surely your blood, of your lives, will I require, From the hand of every living creature, will I require it, - and from the hand of man From the hand of each ones brother, will I require the life of man: He that sheddeth man's blood, by man, shall his blood be shed, - For, in the image of God, made he man.
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall surely be put to death. But he who hath not lain in wait, but, God, hath occasioned him to come to his hand, then will I appoint for thee a place, whither he may flee. read more. But, when a man shall act presumptuously against his neighbour to slay him with guile, from mine altar, shalt thou take him to die.
And, when, any man, by smiting taketh the life of any human being, he shall be surely put to death,
Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou shalt say unto them, - When ye are passing over the Jordan unto the land of Canaan, then shall ye find for you, convenient cities, cities of refuge, shall they be unto you, - and the manslayer, who hath slain a person, by mistake, shall flee thither. read more. So shall the cities serve you for places of refuge from the redeemer, - that the manslayer may not die, until he has stood before the assembly, for judgment, And as touching the cities which ye shall give six cities of refuge, shall there be unto you. Three of the cities, shall ye give, on this side the Jordan, and three of the cities, shall ye give in the land of Canaan, - cities of refuge, shall they be. For the sons of Israel and for the sojourner. and for the settler in your midst, shall these six cities serve, as places of refuge, - that any one may flee thither who hath slain a person, by mistake. If, then, with an instrument of iron, he smote him, and he died, a manslayer, he is, - a manslayer, shall surely die. Or if with a stone thrown by hand, where-by one might die, he smote him and he died, a manslayer, he is, - the man-slayer, shall surely die, Or, if with hand-weapon of wood, wherewith one might die, he smote him and he died a manslayer, he is, - the manslayer shall surely die. The blood-redeemer, he, shall put to death the man-slayer, - when he lighteth upon him, he, shall put him to death. Or if with hate, he shall thrust at him, or hurl at him designedly, and he have died, or if with enmity, he hath smitten him with his band and he is dead, then shall he that dealt the blow, be surely put to death. a manslayer, he is - the blood-redeemer shall put to death the man-slayer, when he lighteth upon him. But if suddenly, without enmity, he shall thrust him, or hurl upon him any missile, without design; Or with any stone whereby one might die without seeing him, and it fall upon him, and he dieth; he, not being at enmity with him, nor seeking to harm him, then shall the assembly judge, between him that smote and the blood-redeemer, - according to these regulations; and the assembly shall rescue the manslayer out of the hand of the blood-redeemer, and the assembly shall restore him unto his city of refuge whither he had fled, - and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who hath been anointed with the hallowing oil. But if the man-slayer, go out, of the bounds of his city of refuge, whereinto he hath fled; and the blood-redeemer, find him, outside the bounds of his city of refuge, then may the blood-redeemer slay the slayer, without being guilty of blood; for in his city of refuge, should he have remained, until the death of the high priest, - and, after the death of the high priest, might he have returned into the land which he doth possess. So shall these serve you as a regulative statute unto your generations, - wheresoever ye may dwell. Whosoever taketh away life, at the mouth of witnesses, shall, the slayer be slain, - but, one witness, shall not testify against a person, to put him to death.
Whosoever taketh away life, at the mouth of witnesses, shall, the slayer be slain, - but, one witness, shall not testify against a person, to put him to death. And ye shall accept no ransom for the life of him that slayeth, if he have unlawfully caused death, - but he, must surely be put to death. read more. And ye shall accept no ransom for him that hath fled to his city of refuge, if he should return to dwell in the land before the death of the priest. So shall ye not pollute the land wherein ye are, for blood, doth pollute the land, and for the land, no propitiatory-covering can be made, as touching blood, that is shed therein, save with the blood of him that shed it; thou must not then make unclean the land wherein, ye, are dwelling, in the midst of which, I, have my habitation; for, I, - Yahweh, am making my habitation in the midst of the sons of Israel.
When Yahweh thy God, shall cut off the nations whose land Yahweh thy God is giving thee, - and thou shalt dispossess them, and dwell in their cities and in their houses, three cities, shalt thou set apart for thee, - in the midst of thy land which Yahweh thy God is giving thee to possess. read more. Thou shalt prepare for thee a way, and shalt divide into three parts the boundary of thy land which Yahweh thy God shall cause thee to inherit, - and it shall be that every manslayer shall flee thither. And, this, is the case of the manslayer, who shall flee thither and live, - Whoso shall smite his neighbour unwittingly, he, not having hated him aforetime; as when one entereth with his neighbour into a forest, to fell trees, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe, to cut down the tree, and the head flieth off from the handle, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die, he, shall flee into one of these cities, and live; lest the blood redeemer pursue the manslayer because his heart is hot, and overtake him because the way is long, and he smite him so as to take away his life, - he not being worthy of death, seeing that he had not been hating him aforetime. For this cause, am I commanding thee saying, - Three cities, shalt thou set apart for thee. But, if Yahweh thy God should enlarge thy heralds, as he aware unto thy fathers, - and should give thee all the land, which he spake of giving unto thy fathers; because thou dost observe all this commandment to do it which I am commanding thee to-day, to love Yahweh thy God and to walk in his paths all the days, then shalt thou add unto thee yet three cities, unto these three; that innocent blood may not be sired in the midst of thy land, which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee as an inheritance, - and so shed-blood be upon thee. But, when any man shall be hating his neighbour, and shall lie in wait for him and rise up against him, and smite him so as to take away his life that he dieth, - and shall then flee into one of these cities, then shall the elders of his city send and fetch him from thence, - and deliver him into the hand of the blood redeemer that he die; thine eye shall not look with pity upon him, - so shall thou consume the shedding of innocent blood out of Israel and it shah go well with thee.
When there shall be found one slain on the soil which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee to possess, lying prostrate in the field, - it not being known who smote him, then shall thine elders and thy judges go forth, - and measure unto the cities that are round about the slain; read more. and it shall be that the city that is nearest unto the slain, the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd which hath not been wrought with, which hath not drawn in a yoke; and the elders of that city shall take down the heifer into a ravine with an everflowing stream, which is neither tilled nor sown, - and shall behead there the heifer in the ravine. Then shall the priests the sons of Levi come near, for of them, hath Yahweh thy God made choice to wait upon him, and to bless in the name of Yahweh, - and at their bidding, shall be settled every controversy and every punishment; and, all the elders of that city who are nearest unto the slain, shall bathe their hands over the heifer that hath boon beheaded in the ravine, and shall respond, and say, - Our hands, shed not this blood, neither did, our eyes, see the deed . Be propitious unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed, O Yahweh, and do not impute innocent blood in the midst of thy people Israel. So shall they obtain propitiation for the guilt of shedding blood. Thou, therefore shalt consume the guilt of shedding innocent blood out of thy midst, - when thou shalt do that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh.
Shout for joy O ye nations with his people, For the blood of his servants, he avengeth, - And, vengeance, he returneth unto his adversaries, And is propitious unto the soil of his people.
then, as the bearers of the ark came as far as the Jordan, and, the feet of the priests who were bearing the ark, were dipped in the edge of the waters, - the Jordan being full over all his banks, all the days of harvest,
Then said Saul to his armour-bearer - Draw thy sword and pierce me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come, and pierce me through, and abuse me. But his armour-bearer was not willing, for he was sore afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell thereon.
When he was making inquisition for blood, of them, had he remembrance, he forgat not the outcry of the oppressed.
But, thou, O God, wilt bring them down to the pit of destruction, Men of bloodshed and deceit, shall not live out half their days; But, I, will trust in thee.
Then said Yahweh unto him, Call his name Jezreel: for, yet a little, and I will visit the bloodshed of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.
Ye have heard, that it was said, to them of olden time, - Thou shalt not commit murder, and, whosoever shall commit murder, shall be, liable, to judgment. But, I, say unto you, that, every one who is angry with his brother, shall be, liable, to judgment, - and, whosoever shall say to his brother, Worthless one!, shall be, liable, to the high council; and, whosoever shall say, Rebel!, shall be, liable, unto the fiery gehenna.
Ye, are, of your father - the adversary, and, the covetings of your father, ye choose to be doing. He, was, a murderer, from the beginning, and, in the truth, he stood not; because truth is not in him: Whensoever he speaketh falsehood, of his own, he speaketh; because, false, he is, and, the father of it.
This man therefore had possessed himself of a field out of the reward of unrighteousness, - and falling headlong burst asunder in the midst, and forth gushed all his bowels;
And, when the natives saw the brute hanging out from his hand, they began to say, one to another - Doubtless, this man is, a murderer, whom, though brought safely through out of the sea, Justice, hath not suffered, to live.
Outside, are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the unchaste, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one loving and doing falsehood.
Easton
Wilful murder was distinguished from accidental homicide, and was invariably visited with capital punishment (Nu 35:16,18,21,31; Le 24:17). This law in its principle is founded on the fact of man's having been made in the likeness of God (Ge 9:5-6; Joh 8:44; 1Jo 3:12,15). The Mosiac law prohibited any compensation for murder or the reprieve of the murderer (Ex 21:12,14; De 19:11,13; 2Sa 17:25; 20:10). Two witnesses were required in any capital case (Nu 35:19-30; De 17:6-12). If the murderer could not be discovered, the city nearest the scene of the murder was required to make expiation for the crime committed (De 21:1-9). These offences also were to be punished with death, (1) striking a parent; (2) cursing a parent; (3) kidnapping (Ex 21:15-17; De 27:16).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And surely your blood, of your lives, will I require, From the hand of every living creature, will I require it, - and from the hand of man From the hand of each ones brother, will I require the life of man: He that sheddeth man's blood, by man, shall his blood be shed, - For, in the image of God, made he man.
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall surely be put to death.
But, when a man shall act presumptuously against his neighbour to slay him with guile, from mine altar, shalt thou take him to die. And, he that smiteth his father or his mother, shall, surely be put to death. read more. And, he that stealeth a man of the sons of Israel, and selleth him, or he be found in his hand, shall, surely be put to death. And he who revileth his father or his mother, shall, surely be put to death.
And, when, any man, by smiting taketh the life of any human being, he shall be surely put to death,
If, then, with an instrument of iron, he smote him, and he died, a manslayer, he is, - a manslayer, shall surely die.
Or, if with hand-weapon of wood, wherewith one might die, he smote him and he died a manslayer, he is, - the manslayer shall surely die. The blood-redeemer, he, shall put to death the man-slayer, - when he lighteth upon him, he, shall put him to death. read more. Or if with hate, he shall thrust at him, or hurl at him designedly, and he have died, or if with enmity, he hath smitten him with his band and he is dead, then shall he that dealt the blow, be surely put to death. a manslayer, he is - the blood-redeemer shall put to death the man-slayer, when he lighteth upon him.
or if with enmity, he hath smitten him with his band and he is dead, then shall he that dealt the blow, be surely put to death. a manslayer, he is - the blood-redeemer shall put to death the man-slayer, when he lighteth upon him. But if suddenly, without enmity, he shall thrust him, or hurl upon him any missile, without design; read more. Or with any stone whereby one might die without seeing him, and it fall upon him, and he dieth; he, not being at enmity with him, nor seeking to harm him, then shall the assembly judge, between him that smote and the blood-redeemer, - according to these regulations; and the assembly shall rescue the manslayer out of the hand of the blood-redeemer, and the assembly shall restore him unto his city of refuge whither he had fled, - and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who hath been anointed with the hallowing oil. But if the man-slayer, go out, of the bounds of his city of refuge, whereinto he hath fled; and the blood-redeemer, find him, outside the bounds of his city of refuge, then may the blood-redeemer slay the slayer, without being guilty of blood; for in his city of refuge, should he have remained, until the death of the high priest, - and, after the death of the high priest, might he have returned into the land which he doth possess. So shall these serve you as a regulative statute unto your generations, - wheresoever ye may dwell. Whosoever taketh away life, at the mouth of witnesses, shall, the slayer be slain, - but, one witness, shall not testify against a person, to put him to death. And ye shall accept no ransom for the life of him that slayeth, if he have unlawfully caused death, - but he, must surely be put to death.
At the mouth of two witnesses or three witnesses, shall he that is to die be put to death, - he shall not be put to death at the mouth of one witness. The hand of the witnesses, shall be upon him first to put him to death, and the hand of all the people, afterwards, - so shalt thou consume the wicked thing out of thy midst. read more. When any matter of judgment, shall be too difficult for thee - between blood and blood between plea and plea or between stroke and stroke, matters of contention within thy gates, then shalt thou arise and go up unto the place which Yahweh thy God shall choose; and shalt come in unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge who shall be in those days, - and shalt enquire and they shall declare unto thee, the sentence of judgment; and thou shalt do according to the sentence which they shall declare unto thee, out of that place, which Yahweh, shall choose, - yea thou shalt observe to do according to all which they shall direct thee: according to the direction wherewith they direct thee and after the judgment which they shall announce to thee, shalt thou do, - thou shalt not turn aside from the sentence which they shall declare unto thee to the right hand or to the left. And, the man who shall do presumptuously by not hearkening unto the priest that standeth to minister there to Yahweh thy God, or unto the judge, that man shall die, and so shalt thou consume the wicked thing out of Israel.
But, when any man shall be hating his neighbour, and shall lie in wait for him and rise up against him, and smite him so as to take away his life that he dieth, - and shall then flee into one of these cities,
thine eye shall not look with pity upon him, - so shall thou consume the shedding of innocent blood out of Israel and it shah go well with thee.
When there shall be found one slain on the soil which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee to possess, lying prostrate in the field, - it not being known who smote him, then shall thine elders and thy judges go forth, - and measure unto the cities that are round about the slain; read more. and it shall be that the city that is nearest unto the slain, the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd which hath not been wrought with, which hath not drawn in a yoke; and the elders of that city shall take down the heifer into a ravine with an everflowing stream, which is neither tilled nor sown, - and shall behead there the heifer in the ravine. Then shall the priests the sons of Levi come near, for of them, hath Yahweh thy God made choice to wait upon him, and to bless in the name of Yahweh, - and at their bidding, shall be settled every controversy and every punishment; and, all the elders of that city who are nearest unto the slain, shall bathe their hands over the heifer that hath boon beheaded in the ravine, and shall respond, and say, - Our hands, shed not this blood, neither did, our eyes, see the deed . Be propitious unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed, O Yahweh, and do not impute innocent blood in the midst of thy people Israel. So shall they obtain propitiation for the guilt of shedding blood. Thou, therefore shalt consume the guilt of shedding innocent blood out of thy midst, - when thou shalt do that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh.
Cursed, be he that holdeth in light esteem his father or his mother. And all the people shall say - Amen.
Now, therefore, take you twelve men, out of the tribes of Israel, - one man severally for each tribe;
then, as the bearers of the ark came as far as the Jordan, and, the feet of the priests who were bearing the ark, were dipped in the edge of the waters, - the Jordan being full over all his banks, all the days of harvest,
Ye, are, of your father - the adversary, and, the covetings of your father, ye choose to be doing. He, was, a murderer, from the beginning, and, in the truth, he stood not; because truth is not in him: Whensoever he speaketh falsehood, of his own, he speaketh; because, false, he is, and, the father of it.
Fausets
In the Scripture view an outrage or sacrilege (Philo, Spec. Leg. 3:15) on God's likeness in man. Ge 9:5-6, "whose sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made He man." His blood was so sacred that "God requires it (compare Ps 9:12) of every beast"; so the ox that gored man must be killed (Ex 21:28). God's image implies in man a personal, moral, and responsible will. To cut short his day of grace and probation is the greatest wrong to man and insult to his Maker. Cain's punishment God Himself took in hand, dooming him to a life full of fears, remorse, and guilt. His life was temporarily spared, perhaps in order not to impede the natural increase of mankind at the first. But after the flood God delegated thenceforth the murderer's punishment, which is death, to man; life must go for life, blood for blood.
Murder results from the instigation of Satan the "murderer (of Adam's and Eve's souls, and Abel's body) from the beginning" (Joh 8:44). Not only the killer but the hater is a murderer before God (1Jo 3:12,15).Even a slave's life sacrificed under the rod entailed death, or some heavy punishment as the judges should decide on the master, unless the slave survived the beating a day or two, when it was presumed the master did not intend to kill him and the loss of his slave was deemed enough punishment (Ex 21:12,20-21). A housebreaker might be killed in the act by night; but if by day he was to be sold, so sacred was life regarded (Ex 22:2-3). The cities of refuge saved the manslayer, but not the murderer, from the blood avenger. (See CITIES OF REFUGE.)
Not even Jehovah's altar could save Joab (1Ki 2:5-6,31). Bloodshed in any way, even in war, brought pollution (Nu 35:33-34; De 21:1-9; 1Ch 28:3, David; 1Ch 22:8). Striking a pregnant woman so as to cause death brought capital punishment. Two witnesses were required before anyone could be put to death for murder, a check on private revenge (Nu 35:19-30; De 17:6-12; 19:12,17). The sovereign assumed the power of executing or pardoning murderers (2Sa 1:15-16, David and the Amalekite slayer of Saul; 2Sa 13:39; 14:7-11, David in respect to Anmon and Absalom; 1Ki 2:34, Solomon and Joab).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And surely your blood, of your lives, will I require, From the hand of every living creature, will I require it, - and from the hand of man From the hand of each ones brother, will I require the life of man: He that sheddeth man's blood, by man, shall his blood be shed, - For, in the image of God, made he man.
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall surely be put to death.
And when a man shall smite his servant or his handmaid with a rod, and he die under his hand, he shall, surely be avenged; nevertheless if, for a day or for two days, he continue, he shall not be avenged, for, his silver, he is.
And when an ox goreth a man or a woman, and death ensueth, the ox shall, surely be stoned and his flesh shall not be eaten, and the owner of the ox, shall be quit.
If, in the place of breaking in, the thief be found and he is smitten so that he dieth, there is due for him no shedding of blood: should the sun have arisen upon him, there would be shedding of blood due for him, - he is surely to make restitution, if he hath nothing, then is he to be sold, for his theft.
The blood-redeemer, he, shall put to death the man-slayer, - when he lighteth upon him, he, shall put him to death. Or if with hate, he shall thrust at him, or hurl at him designedly, and he have died, read more. or if with enmity, he hath smitten him with his band and he is dead, then shall he that dealt the blow, be surely put to death. a manslayer, he is - the blood-redeemer shall put to death the man-slayer, when he lighteth upon him. But if suddenly, without enmity, he shall thrust him, or hurl upon him any missile, without design; Or with any stone whereby one might die without seeing him, and it fall upon him, and he dieth; he, not being at enmity with him, nor seeking to harm him, then shall the assembly judge, between him that smote and the blood-redeemer, - according to these regulations; and the assembly shall rescue the manslayer out of the hand of the blood-redeemer, and the assembly shall restore him unto his city of refuge whither he had fled, - and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who hath been anointed with the hallowing oil. But if the man-slayer, go out, of the bounds of his city of refuge, whereinto he hath fled; and the blood-redeemer, find him, outside the bounds of his city of refuge, then may the blood-redeemer slay the slayer, without being guilty of blood; for in his city of refuge, should he have remained, until the death of the high priest, - and, after the death of the high priest, might he have returned into the land which he doth possess. So shall these serve you as a regulative statute unto your generations, - wheresoever ye may dwell. Whosoever taketh away life, at the mouth of witnesses, shall, the slayer be slain, - but, one witness, shall not testify against a person, to put him to death.
So shall ye not pollute the land wherein ye are, for blood, doth pollute the land, and for the land, no propitiatory-covering can be made, as touching blood, that is shed therein, save with the blood of him that shed it; thou must not then make unclean the land wherein, ye, are dwelling, in the midst of which, I, have my habitation; for, I, - Yahweh, am making my habitation in the midst of the sons of Israel.
At the mouth of two witnesses or three witnesses, shall he that is to die be put to death, - he shall not be put to death at the mouth of one witness. The hand of the witnesses, shall be upon him first to put him to death, and the hand of all the people, afterwards, - so shalt thou consume the wicked thing out of thy midst. read more. When any matter of judgment, shall be too difficult for thee - between blood and blood between plea and plea or between stroke and stroke, matters of contention within thy gates, then shalt thou arise and go up unto the place which Yahweh thy God shall choose; and shalt come in unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge who shall be in those days, - and shalt enquire and they shall declare unto thee, the sentence of judgment; and thou shalt do according to the sentence which they shall declare unto thee, out of that place, which Yahweh, shall choose, - yea thou shalt observe to do according to all which they shall direct thee: according to the direction wherewith they direct thee and after the judgment which they shall announce to thee, shalt thou do, - thou shalt not turn aside from the sentence which they shall declare unto thee to the right hand or to the left. And, the man who shall do presumptuously by not hearkening unto the priest that standeth to minister there to Yahweh thy God, or unto the judge, that man shall die, and so shalt thou consume the wicked thing out of Israel.
then shall the elders of his city send and fetch him from thence, - and deliver him into the hand of the blood redeemer that he die;
then shall the two men who are at variance stand before Yahweh, - before the priests and the judges who shall be in those days;
When there shall be found one slain on the soil which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee to possess, lying prostrate in the field, - it not being known who smote him, then shall thine elders and thy judges go forth, - and measure unto the cities that are round about the slain; read more. and it shall be that the city that is nearest unto the slain, the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd which hath not been wrought with, which hath not drawn in a yoke; and the elders of that city shall take down the heifer into a ravine with an everflowing stream, which is neither tilled nor sown, - and shall behead there the heifer in the ravine. Then shall the priests the sons of Levi come near, for of them, hath Yahweh thy God made choice to wait upon him, and to bless in the name of Yahweh, - and at their bidding, shall be settled every controversy and every punishment; and, all the elders of that city who are nearest unto the slain, shall bathe their hands over the heifer that hath boon beheaded in the ravine, and shall respond, and say, - Our hands, shed not this blood, neither did, our eyes, see the deed . Be propitious unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed, O Yahweh, and do not impute innocent blood in the midst of thy people Israel. So shall they obtain propitiation for the guilt of shedding blood. Thou, therefore shalt consume the guilt of shedding innocent blood out of thy midst, - when thou shalt do that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh.
So David called one of the young men, and said, - Go near - fall upon him. And he smote him, that he died. And David said unto him, Thy blood, be upon thine own head, - for, thine own mouth, hath testified against thee, saying, I myself, put to death the Anointed of Yahweh.
And the spirit of the king pined to go forth unto Absolom, - for he had consoled himself over Amnon, in that he was dead.
Lo! therefore, all the family hath risen up against thy maidservant, and have said: Give up him that hath smitten his brother, that we may put him to death, for the life of his brother, whom he hath slain, that we may destroy, the heir also. So will they quench my ember that is left, and make my husband without name or remainder, on the face of the ground. And the king said unto the woman - Go to thy house, and, I, will give command concerning thee. read more. Then said the woman of Tekoa unto the king, Upon me, my lord, O king, be the iniquity, and upon the house of my father, - but, the king and his throne, be guiltless. And the king said, - He that speaketh unto thee, bring him in unto me, and he shall, no more, annoy thee. Then said she: Let the king, I pray thee, remember Yahweh thy God; so that the blood-redeemer may not make utter ruin, and that they destroy not my son. And he said - By the life of Yahweh, not one hair of thy son shall fall to the earth.
Moreover also, thou, knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel - with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether - both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace, - and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals, that were on his feet. Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom, - but will not let his grey hair go down in peace, to hades.
And the king said to him - Do as he hath spoken, fall, then, upon him, and bury him, - and so put away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from off me, and from off the house of my father;
So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and put him to death, - and he was buried in his own house, in the wilderness.
but the word of Yahweh came unto me, saying, Blood in abundance, hast thou shed, and, great wars, hast thou made, - thou shalt not build a house for my Name, because, much blood, hast thou shed upon the earth, before me.
When he was making inquisition for blood, of them, had he remembrance, he forgat not the outcry of the oppressed.
Ye, are, of your father - the adversary, and, the covetings of your father, ye choose to be doing. He, was, a murderer, from the beginning, and, in the truth, he stood not; because truth is not in him: Whensoever he speaketh falsehood, of his own, he speaketh; because, false, he is, and, the father of it.
Not just as, Cain, was, of the wicked one, and slew his brother! And, for what cause, slew he him? Because, his works, were, wicked, whereas, those of his brother, were, righteous.
Whosoever is hating his brother, is, a murderer; and ye know that, no murderer, hath life age-during, within him abiding.
Hastings
Morish
The first death was caused by murder when Cain slew his brother Abel, and the second recorded is when Lamech said, "I have slain a man to my wounding," or "for my wound;" which may mean that he did it in self-defence. Ge 4:23. God set a mark upon Cain that none should kill him; and Lamech said, "If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold." After the flood God made a definite law concerning murder. God would require expiation for the blood of man, whether it was shed by beast or by man; at the hand of every man's brother, or kinsman, God would require the life of man. "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." Ge 9:5-6. This injunction was repeated in the law, and has never been rescinded or modified. Neither does the N.T. in any way alter it: indeed it incidentally confirms it by declaring that the magistrate does not bear the sword in vain. Ro 13:4. God claims the life of man, and none can set aside His rights.
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Then said Lamech to his wives, Adah and Zillah! hear ye my voice, Ye wives of Lamech! give ear to my tale, For a man, have I slain in dealing my wounds, Yea, a youth, in smiting my blows:
And surely your blood, of your lives, will I require, From the hand of every living creature, will I require it, - and from the hand of man From the hand of each ones brother, will I require the life of man: He that sheddeth man's blood, by man, shall his blood be shed, - For, in the image of God, made he man.
For, God's minister, is he unto thee for that which is good. But, if, that which is evil, thou be doing, be afraid! For, not in vain, the sword he beareth; for, God's minister, he is, - an avenger, unto anger, to him who practiseth what is evil.
Smith
Murder.
The law of Moses, while it protected the accidental homicide, defined with additional strictness the crime of murder. It prohibited compensation or reprieve of the murderer, or his protection if he took refuge in the refuge city, or even at the altar of Jehovah.
Ex 21:12,14; Le 24:17,21; 1Ki 2:5-6,31
The duty of executing punishment on the murderer is in the law expressly laid on the "revenger of blood;" but the question of guilt was to be previously decided by the Levitical tribunal. In regal times the duty of execution of justice on a murderer seems to have been assumed to some extent by the sovereign, as was also the privilege of pardon.
It was lawful to kill a burglar taken at night in the act, but unlawful to do so after sunrise.
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He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall surely be put to death.
But, when a man shall act presumptuously against his neighbour to slay him with guile, from mine altar, shalt thou take him to die.
If, in the place of breaking in, the thief be found and he is smitten so that he dieth, there is due for him no shedding of blood: should the sun have arisen upon him, there would be shedding of blood due for him, - he is surely to make restitution, if he hath nothing, then is he to be sold, for his theft.
And, when, any man, by smiting taketh the life of any human being, he shall be surely put to death,
And he that killeth a beast, shall make it good,-and he that killeth a human being, shall be put to death.
And the spirit of the king pined to go forth unto Absolom, - for he had consoled himself over Amnon, in that he was dead.
Lo! therefore, all the family hath risen up against thy maidservant, and have said: Give up him that hath smitten his brother, that we may put him to death, for the life of his brother, whom he hath slain, that we may destroy, the heir also. So will they quench my ember that is left, and make my husband without name or remainder, on the face of the ground.
Then said she: Let the king, I pray thee, remember Yahweh thy God; so that the blood-redeemer may not make utter ruin, and that they destroy not my son. And he said - By the life of Yahweh, not one hair of thy son shall fall to the earth.
Watsons
MURDER. Among the Hebrews murder was always punished with death; but involuntary homicide, only by banishment. Cities of refuge were appointed for involuntary manslaughter, whither the slayer might retire and continue in safety till the death of the high priest, Nu 35:28. Then the offender was at liberty to return to his own house, if he pleased. A murderer was put to death without remission, and the kinsman of the murdered person might kill him with impunity. Money could not redeem his life: he was dragged away from the altar, if he had there taken refuge. When a dead body was found in the fields of a person slain by a murderer unknown, Moses commanded that the elders and judges of the neighbouring places should resort to the spot, De 21:1-8. The elders of the city nearest to it were to take a heifer which had never yet borne the yoke, and were to lead it into some rude and uncultivated place, which had not been ploughed or sowed, where they were to cut its throat. The priests of the Lord, with the elders and magistrates of the city, were to come near the dead body, and, washing their hands over the heifer that had been slain, were to say, "Our hands have not shed this blood, nor have our eyes seen it shed. Lord, be favourable to thy people Israel, and impute not to us this blood, which has been shed in the midst of our country." This ceremony may inform us how much horror they conceived at the crime of murder; and it shows their fear that God might avenge it on the whole country; which was supposed to contract pollution by the blood spilt in it, unless it were expiated, and avenged on him who had occasioned it, if he could be discovered.
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for in his city of refuge, should he have remained, until the death of the high priest, - and, after the death of the high priest, might he have returned into the land which he doth possess.
When there shall be found one slain on the soil which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee to possess, lying prostrate in the field, - it not being known who smote him, then shall thine elders and thy judges go forth, - and measure unto the cities that are round about the slain; read more. and it shall be that the city that is nearest unto the slain, the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd which hath not been wrought with, which hath not drawn in a yoke; and the elders of that city shall take down the heifer into a ravine with an everflowing stream, which is neither tilled nor sown, - and shall behead there the heifer in the ravine. Then shall the priests the sons of Levi come near, for of them, hath Yahweh thy God made choice to wait upon him, and to bless in the name of Yahweh, - and at their bidding, shall be settled every controversy and every punishment; and, all the elders of that city who are nearest unto the slain, shall bathe their hands over the heifer that hath boon beheaded in the ravine, and shall respond, and say, - Our hands, shed not this blood, neither did, our eyes, see the deed . Be propitious unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed, O Yahweh, and do not impute innocent blood in the midst of thy people Israel. So shall they obtain propitiation for the guilt of shedding blood.