What is the meaning of Exodus 21:12? Whoever - Nobody gets an exemption. Rich or poor, Israelite or foreigner, leader or laborer—this command applies across the board. Deuteronomy 10:17 reminds us that “the LORD your God… shows no partiality”. - Scripture consistently teaches God’s impartial justice. Acts 10:34 affirms, “God does not show favoritism”, and Romans 2:11 echoes, “For God does not show partiality”. - By beginning with “Whoever,” the law makes clear that personal status never trumps God’s righteous standard. strikes and kills a man - The verb paints a picture of intentional, violent action that results in death. This is deliberate homicide, not accidental manslaughter (addressed separately in Exodus 21:13–14). - Every human life bears God’s image (Genesis 1:27, “God created man in His own image”). Therefore, to take life unlawfully is to assault the Creator’s own likeness. - The sixth commandment, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13), stands behind this verse, and Leviticus 24:17 reinforces it: “Whoever kills any man must surely be put to death”. - Numbers 35:30–31 will later require “the testimony of two witnesses” and forbid ransom, underscoring how serious God is about guarding innocent blood. must surely be put to death - The double emphasis (“must surely”) leaves no wiggle room. Capital punishment is not optional opinion but divine mandate. - Genesis 9:6 set the precedent long before Sinai: “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed”. God ties the penalty directly to human dignity. - Civil authority acts as God’s servant in administering justice. Romans 13:4 states, “He is God’s servant for your good… an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer”. - Deuteronomy 19:13 explains the purpose: “You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood”. Swift, just punishment protects society, deters further violence, and honors the value God places on life. summary Exodus 21:12 lays down an uncompromising principle: every person is accountable to God’s standard; intentional murder violates the sacred image of God in humanity; and the divinely ordained consequence is capital punishment to uphold justice and preserve the sanctity of life. |
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