Topical Bible: Killing

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Definition and Context
Killing, in the biblical context, refers to the act of taking a human life. The Bible addresses various forms of killing, distinguishing between unlawful murder and killing that occurs in contexts such as warfare or capital punishment. The moral and legal implications of killing are significant themes throughout Scripture, reflecting God's commandments and the value of human life.

Old Testament Teachings
The prohibition against unlawful killing is rooted in the Ten Commandments, where God commands, "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13). This commandment underscores the sanctity of human life, created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). The Hebrew word used here, "ratsach," specifically refers to premeditated murder or manslaughter, distinguishing it from other forms of killing.

The Old Testament law provides for capital punishment in certain cases, such as murder, as a means of justice and deterrence (Exodus 21:12-14). Additionally, cities of refuge were established to protect those who committed accidental manslaughter, allowing for a fair trial and preventing blood vengeance (Numbers 35:9-15).

Warfare and Divine Command
The Old Testament also records instances where God commands the Israelites to engage in warfare, resulting in the killing of enemy combatants. These divine commands, such as those given during the conquest of Canaan (Deuteronomy 20:16-18), are understood within the context of God's judgment against nations whose practices were abhorrent to Him.

New Testament Teachings
In the New Testament, Jesus expands on the commandment against murder, addressing the heart's intentions. In the Sermon on the Mount, He teaches, "You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder,’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment" (Matthew 5:21-22). This teaching emphasizes the internal attitude of anger and hatred as being akin to murder.

The New Testament also upholds the role of governing authorities in maintaining justice, including the use of the sword as a means of punishment for wrongdoers (Romans 13:4). This passage affirms the state's authority to execute justice, which may include capital punishment.

Moral and Ethical Considerations
The Bible consistently upholds the value of human life, and the act of killing is treated with gravity and seriousness. Believers are called to love their neighbors and even their enemies, promoting peace and reconciliation (Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:18). The teachings of Jesus and the apostles encourage Christians to pursue peace and to leave vengeance to God (Romans 12:19).

Conclusion
While the Bible acknowledges situations where killing may occur, such as in warfare or as a form of justice, it consistently calls for the protection of life and the pursuit of peace. The teachings of Scripture guide believers in understanding the moral complexities surrounding the issue of killing, emphasizing the heart's intentions and the sanctity of life.

Topical Bible Verses

Romans 13:8-10
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loves another has fulfilled the law.
Topicalbible.org

Exodus 20:1-26
And God spoke all these words, saying,
Topicalbible.org

Genesis 9:6
Whoever sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
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Genesis 4:11-15
And now are you cursed from the earth, which has opened her mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand;
Topicalbible.org

Proverbs 6:17
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
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Revelation 22:15
For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loves and makes a lie.
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Revelation 21:8
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Topicalbible.org

Romans 13:4
For he is the minister of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid; for he bears not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath on him that does evil.
Topicalbible.org

Hosea 13:16
Samaria shall become desolate; for she has rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.
Topicalbible.org

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Kill.

2. (a.) Literally, that kills; having power to kill; fatal; in a colloquial sense, conquering; captivating; irresistible.

Greek

336. anairesis -- a taking up, a destroying, slaying
... destroying, slaying. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: anairesis Phonetic
Spelling: (an-ah'-ee-res-is) Short Definition: killing, slaying, murder ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/336.htm - 6k

615. apokteino -- to kill
... Word Origin from apo and kteino (to kill) Definition to kill NASB Word Usage kill
(33), killed (29), killing (1), kills (5), put...to death (2), put to death (4 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/615.htm - 8k

5136. trachelizo -- to take by the throat, to overthrow
... opened. From trachelos; to seize by the throat or neck, ie To expose the gullet
of a victim for killing (generally, to lay bare) -- opened. see GREEK trachelos. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5136.htm - 6k

5408. phonos -- a murder
... Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: phonos Phonetic Spelling:
(fon'-os) Short Definition: murder, slaughter Definition: murder, slaughter, killing ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5408.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

7821. shchiytah -- perhaps slaughtering
... perhaps slaughtering. Transliteration: shchiytah Phonetic Spelling: (shekh-ee-taw')
Short Definition: killing. killing From shachat; slaughter -- killing. ...
/hebrew/7821.htm - 5k

2026. harag -- to kill, slay
... root Definition to kill, slay NASB Word Usage destroyed (1), kill (44), kill me
as you killed (1), kill me at once (1), killed (58), killing (3), kills (2 ...
/hebrew/2026.htm - 6k

2027. hereg -- a slaughter
... Word Origin from harag Definition a slaughter NASB Word Usage killing (1), slaughter
(3). be slain, slaughter. From harag; slaughter -- be slain, slaughter. ...
/hebrew/2027.htm - 6k

5221. nakah -- to smite
... 5), defeat (5), defeated (44), destroy (1), destroyed (2), drove (1), indeed defeated
(1), inflicted (4), kill (11), kill* (1), killed (36), killing (3), kills ...
/hebrew/5221.htm - 7k

4191. muth -- to die
... 1), death (21), deceased (5), destroy (2), die (214), die shall be put (1), died
(167), dies (30), dying (1), kill (13), killed (24), killing (2), kills (4 ...
/hebrew/4191.htm - 7k

Library

Herod Has Thoughts of Killing Himself with his Own Hand; and a ...
... Archelaus. CHAPTER 7. Herod Has Thoughts Of Killing Himself With His Own Hand;
And A Little Afterwards He Orders Antipater To Be Slain. 1 ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 herod has thoughts.htm

How Christ is to be Made Use Of, in Reference to the Killing and ...
... CHAPTER VI. HOW CHRIST IS TO BE MADE USE OF, IN REFERENCE TO THE KILLING
AND CRUCIFYING OF THE OLD MAN. Having thus shortly pointed ...
/.../brown/christ the way the truth and the life/chapter vi how christ is.htm

How David, when He had Twice the Opportunity of Killing Saul did ...
... CHAPTER 13. How David, When He Had Twice The Opportunity Of Killing Saul Did
Not Kill Him. Also Concerning The Death Of Samuel And Nabal. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 13 how david when.htm

Whether it is Lawful to Kill a Man in Self-Defense?
... the limits of a blameless defense." Nor is it necessary for salvation that a man
omit the act of moderate self-defense in order to avoid killing the other man ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether it is lawful to 10.htm

Explanation of what is Meant by the Body, which is to be Raised ...
... is eternal"expressly announced as an everlasting penalty; and let him then admit
that it is from this circumstance that this never-ending "killing" is more ...
/.../on the resurrection of the flesh/chapter xxxv explanation of what is.htm

Whether it is Lawful to Kill Oneself?
... Therefore no man sins by killing himself. ... Now sometimes a man, by killing himself,
avoids a greater evil, for example an unhappy life, or the shame of sin. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether it is lawful to 8.htm

Sixth Commandment
... probably, there isn'ta man who ever thought of, or ever will commit murder?" But
as one gets on in years, he sees many a murder that is not outright killing. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/weighed and wanting/sixth commandment.htm

Description of the Symbol of the Hands among the Manich??ans.
... The signs which Christ wrought in the case of men, with whom we certainly have
a community of rights, were in healing, not in killing them. ...
/.../chapter 17 name of the.htm

"Pan, Pan is Dead"
... They are killing those goats"thirty thousand of them"killing them now. Is Pan dead? . . ...
All the way up the bank they are killing and skinning their goats. ...
/.../wilson-carmichael/things as they are/chapter xxiii pan pan is.htm

Human Government.
... The commandment, so far as the letter is concerned, as fully prohibits the
killing of animals or vegetables as it does of men. The ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xxi human government.htm

Thesaurus

Killing (41 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Killing (41 Occurrences). ... Mark 12:5 Again he sent another;
and they killed him; and many others, beating some, and killing some. ...
/k/killing.htm - 19k

Homicide (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) The killing of one human being by another. ... hom'-i-sid (rotseach): Hebrew
has no word for killing or murder; rotseach is the word for manslayer. ...
/h/homicide.htm - 10k

Assassination (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) A killing by treacherous violence, usually
referring to the murder of a political or public figure. Int. ...
/a/assassination.htm - 10k

Manslayer (20 Occurrences)
... from ratsach (Numbers 35:6, 12); androphonos (1 Timothy 1:9)): A term employed with
reference to both premeditated and accidental or justifiable killing. ...
/m/manslayer.htm - 15k

Slaughter (121 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The act of killing. 2. (n ... carnage. 3.
(n.) The act of killing cattle or other beasts for market. 4 ...
/s/slaughter.htm - 40k

Willing (152 Occurrences)
... Matthew 23:37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that art killing the prophets, and stoning those
sent unto thee, how often did I will to gather thy children together, as a ...
/w/willing.htm - 35k

Massacre (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) The killing of a considerable number of human beings under circumstances
of atrocity or cruelty, or contrary to the usages of civilized people; as, the ...
/m/massacre.htm - 20k

Chase (14 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To pursue for the purpose of killing or
taking, as an enemy, or game; to hunt. 2. (vt) To follow ...
/c/chase.htm - 12k

Shooting (13 Occurrences)
... light. 3. (n.) A wounding or killing with a firearm; specifically (Sporting),
the killing of game; as, a week of shooting. 4. (n ...
/s/shooting.htm - 10k

Killeth (23 Occurrences)

/k/killeth.htm - 13k

Resources

What is a mercy killing? | GotQuestions.org

Why is "You shall not murder" in the Ten Commandments? | GotQuestions.org

Is it wrong to kill spiders or step on bugs? | GotQuestions.org

Killing: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Killing (41 Occurrences)

Matthew 23:37
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that art killing the prophets, and stoning those sent unto thee, how often did I will to gather thy children together, as a hen doth gather her own chickens under the wings, and ye did not will.
(YLT RSV)

Mark 12:5
Again he sent another; and they killed him; and many others, beating some, and killing some.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS)

Mark 14:12
On the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread--the day for killing the Passover lamb--His disciples asked Him, "Where shall we go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"
(WEY YLT)

Luke 12:4
And I say to you, my friends, be not afraid of those killing the body, and after these things are not having anything over to do;
(YLT)

Luke 12:5
I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who after killing has power to throw into Gehenna: yes, I say to you, fear him.
(WEY YLT NIV)

Luke 13:34
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that is killing the prophets, and stoning those sent unto her, how often did I will to gather together thy children, as a hen her brood under the wings, and ye did not will.
(YLT RSV)

Acts 7:24
Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian.
(See NIV)

Acts 16:27
Starting up from sleep and seeing the doors of the jail wide open, the jailer drew his sword and was on the point of killing himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
(WEY)

Acts 22:20
and when they were shedding the blood of Stephen, Thy witness, I was standing by, fully approving of it, and I held the clothes of those who were killing him.'
(WEY NIV)

Acts 23:27
This man Paul had been seized by the Jews, and they were on the point of killing him, when I came upon them with the troops and rescued him, for I had been informed that he was a Roman citizen.
(WEY)

Hebrews 11:37
they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tried; in the killing of the sword they died; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins -- being destitute, afflicted, injuriously treated,
(YLT)

Revelation 13:10
If any one is eager to lead others into captivity, he must himself go into captivity. If any one is bent on killing with the sword, he must himself be killed by the sword. Here is an opportunity for endurance, and for the exercise of faith, on the part of God's people.
(WEY)

Genesis 27:42
And the words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah; and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him: 'Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.
(See NIV)

Genesis 34:25
It happened on the third day, when they were sore, that two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each took his sword, came upon the unsuspecting city, and killed all the males.
(See NIV)

Exodus 2:14
And he said: 'Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? thinkest thou to kill me, as thou didst kill the Egyptian?' And Moses feared, and said: 'Surely the thing is known.'
(See NIV)

Exodus 32:27
He said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel,'Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.'"
(See NIV)

Leviticus 3:8
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it before the tent of meeting; and Aaron's sons shall dash the blood thereof against the altar round about.
(See RSV)

Joshua 8:24
It happened, when Israel had made an end of killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness in which they pursued them, and they had all fallen by the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all Israel returned to Ai, and struck it with the edge of the sword.
(WEB NAS NIV)

Joshua 10:20
It happened, when Joshua and the children of Israel had finished killing them with a very great slaughter until they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities,
(WEB)

Judges 9:24
That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.
(KJV WBS)

Judges 9:56
Thus God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in killing his seventy brothers;
(WEB DBY NAS RSV)

1 Samuel 17:57
As David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
(See NAS NIV)

1 Samuel 18:6
It happened as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music.
(See NAS)

1 Samuel 19:5
that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads, and for their judges and for their officers, and said to them, "I am old and well advanced in years.
(See RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 30:2
and had taken captive the women and all who were therein, both small and great. They didn't kill any, but carried them off, and went their way.
(See NAS)

2 Samuel 8:13
David got him a name when he returned from smiting the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, even eighteen thousand men.
(See NAS)

1 Kings 17:20
He cried to Yahweh, and said, "Yahweh my God, have you also brought evil on the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?"
(WEB)

1 Kings 18:4
for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
(See NIV)

1 Kings 18:13
Wasn't it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of Yahweh, how I hid one hundred men of Yahweh's prophets with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
(See NIV)

2 Kings 17:26
Therefore they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, "The nations which you have carried away, and placed in the cities of Samaria, don't know the law of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they kill them, because they don't know the law of the god of the land."
(See RSV NIV)

2 Chronicles 30:17
For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves: therefore the Levites were in charge of killing the Passovers for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to Yahweh.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Esther 3:6
But he scorned the thought of laying hands on Mordecai alone, for they had made known to him Mordecai's people. Therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the Mordecai's people.
(See NIV)

Esther 9:5
The Jews struck all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and with slaughter and destruction, and did what they wanted to those who hated them.
(See NAS NIV)

Proverbs 19:18
Chasten thy son, seeing there is hope; but set not thy soul upon killing him.
(DBY)

Isaiah 22:13
and behold, joy and gladness, killing cattle and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 41:2
Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men who were with him, and struck Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and killed him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.
(See NIV)

Jeremiah 41:4
It happened the second day after he had killed Gedaliah, and no man knew it,
(See NAS)

Ezekiel 9:7
He said to them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go forth! They went forth, and struck in the city.
(See NIV)

Ezekiel 14:19
Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath on it in blood, to cut off from it man and animal;
(See NIV)

Hosea 4:2
By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Jonah 1:14
Therefore they cried to Yahweh, and said, "We beg you, Yahweh, we beg you, let us not perish for this man's life, and don't lay on us innocent blood; for you, Yahweh, have done as it pleased you."
(See NIV)

Subtopics

Euthanasia

Killing

Killing Animals

Killing in Self Defense

Related Terms

Homicide (1 Occurrence)

Assassination (1 Occurrence)