Leviticus 24

1 Then the LORD [Yehovah] said [to speak, to communicate] to Moses [the Israelite leader, God’s chosen servant], word study 2 “Command [to give orders, instruct] the Israelites [sons of Israel, descendants of Jacob] to bring you pure [clean, undefiled] oil [olive oil] of pressed [beaten, crushed] olives [an olive tree, an olive berry] for the light [happiness and cheerfulness], to keep the lamps [ner, a device holding a flame] burning [to ascend, go up] continually [constantly, without interruption]. word study 3 Outside [beyond the boundary] the veil [curtain, screen] of the Testimony [God’s laws, instructions] in the Tent [tabernacle, dwelling place] of Meeting [appointed time, sacred gathering], Aaron [the high priest, brother of Moses] is to tend [arrange, keep in order] the lamps continually [constantly, without ceasing] before the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] from evening [sunset, end of the day] until morning [dawn, new beginnings] [from the evening to the morning]. This is to be a permanent [lasting, eternal] statute [ordinance, divine law] for the generations [descendants, people] to come [in the future, forever]. word study 4 He shall tend [care for, keep in order] the lamps [devices for spiritual light] on the pure [ceremonially clean, morally upright] gold lampstand [candlestick, chandelier] before [in the presence of, facing] the LORD [Yehovah] continually [constantly, without interruption]. word study 5 You are also to take [receive, get] fine flour [the best meal, pure wheat] and bake [cook, make] twelve loaves [cakes, buns], using two-tenths [a tenth part, 10%] of an ephah [a unit of measurement, about 4 quarts] for each loaf [cake, one of twelve], word study 6 and set them [in an orderly arrangement] in two [pairs, a dual formation] rows—six per row—on the table [a place of sacred offering] of pure [ceremonially clean, without defect] gold [a precious, valuable metal] before [in the presence of, facing] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]. word study 7 And you are to place pure [pure and clean] frankincense [a white resin used for incense] near each row [a line or pile of loaves], so that it may serve as a memorial portion [a reminder, a symbol of remembrance] for the bread [food, especially shewbread], an offering made by fire [a sacrifice, a gift to God] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 8 Every [weekly, seventh-day] Sabbath [day of rest] day the bread [fresh loaves, showbread] is to be set out [arranged, placed in order] before the LORD [Yehovah, the Eternal One] on behalf of the Israelites [sons of Israel, God’s chosen people] as a [lasting, eternal] permanent covenant [agreement, promise]. word study 9 It belongs to Aaron [the first high priest, brother of Moses] and his sons, who are to eat it in a [sacred, set-apart] holy place; for it is to him a most [consecrated, sacred] holy part of the offerings [sacrifices, gifts] made by fire to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]—his portion [share, inheritance] forever [for all eternity, perpetually].” word study 10 Now the son [descendant, male child] of an Israelite [Israelitess, female descendant of Israel] mother and an Egyptian [from the country of Egypt] father went out [came forth, emerged] among the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob], and a fight [struggle, strife] broke out [occurred, happened] in the camp [encampment, military group] between him and an Israelite [man of Israel, descendant of Israel]. word study 11 The son [child, descendant] of the Israelite [Israelitess, female descendant of Israel] woman [female person, wife] blasphemed [execrated, cursed] the Name [divine identity, holy reputation] with a curse [reviling, speaking evil]. So they brought him to Moses [the Israelite leader, mediator]. (His mother’s [female parent, maternal figure] name was Shelomith [peaceful, peaceful one] daughter [female child, woman] of Dibri [my word, spoken word], of the tribe [family group, nation] of Dan [judge, judgment].) word study 12 They placed him in custody [ward, or guard] until the will [mind, desire, or command] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] should be made clear [declared, shown, or revealed] to them [through the mouth, lip, or edge of God’s expression]. word study 13 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said [to speak, communicate] to Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet], word study 14 “Take the blasphemer [one who curses or speaks evil] outside the camp [beyond the boundaries of the community], and have all who heard him [those who were present and listened] lay their hands [place their hands in a gesture of identification] on his head [the seat of his thoughts and actions]; then have the whole assembly [the entire congregation, all the people] stone him [kill him by throwing stones, as a form of capital punishment]. word study 15 And you are to tell the Israelites [children of Jacob, God’s chosen people], ‘If anyone [man, individual, person] curses [reviles, brings into contempt] his God [Elohim, the one supreme God], he shall bear [lift, carry, endure] the consequences [punishment, guilt] of his sin [crime, offense, missing the mark]. word study 16 Whoever [intentionally, with malice] blasphemes [curses, speaks evil against] the name [identity, honor, and character] of the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] must surely be put to death [executed as a punishment]; the whole assembly [congregation, gathering of people] must surely stone [kill by throwing stones] him, whether he is a foreign resident [sojourner, temporary inhabitant] or native [born in the land]; if he blasphemes [speaks evil against, curses] the Name [fame, renown, reputation], he must be put to death [killed as a punishment]. word study 17 And if a man [any male person, individual] takes the life [soul, living being] of anyone else [another human, fellow man], he must surely [certainly, without fail] be put to death [executed, killed as a punishment]. word study 18 Whoever [any person, an individual] kills [smiteth, strikes mortally] an animal [beast, living creature] must make restitution [give back, restore]—life [soul, living being] for life [in exchange for, as a replacement]. word study 19 If anyone [a man, person] injures [causes a blemish, damages] his neighbor [fellow, companion], whatever [as, in the same way] he has done [made, committed] must be done [made, inflicted] to him [in return, as punishment]: word study 20 fracture [breaking or shattering] for fracture, eye [the source of sight] for eye, tooth for tooth. Just as he injured [caused a blemish] the other person, the same [thus, in like manner] must be inflicted [rendered or repaid] on him. word study 21 Whoever [any person, an individual] kills [smiteth, to strike or hit] an animal [beast, livestock] must make [restore, repay] restitution [to make good, replace], but whoever [any person, an individual] kills [smiteth, to strike or hit] a man [Adam, humanity] must be put to death [executed, slain, punished]. word study 22 You are to have the same [uniform, one manner of] standard of law [justice] for the foreign resident [sojourner, stranger] and the native [born, home-born]; for I am the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] your God [Elohim, the supreme God].’” word study 23 Then Moses [the leader of the Israelites] spoke to the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob], and they took the blasphemer [one who had cursed, spoken against God] outside the camp [the Israelite encampment, a place of community] and stoned him [killed him with stones, as a form of capital punishment]. So the Israelites did as the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] had commanded [given orders, instructed] Moses [the mediator of God’s law]. word study