Leviticus 24:1-23 - Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Oil for the Lamps. The Shewbread. Laws on Blasphemy

1-4. Oil for the Lamps in the Tabernacle.

On the construction of the Lampstand see Exodus 25:31-40, and with the present passage cp. Exodus 27:20-21 and notes there.

5-9. The Table of Shewbread is described in Exodus 25:23-30 (see notes there). On this table, which stood in the Holy Place, twelve new unleavened loaves were laid each sabbath day, and after lying for seven days were removed and eaten by the priests, fresh loaves being again substituted. These loaves, the number of which corresponded to that of the tribes of Israel, are called the 'bread of the Presence,' as being laid before God, or 'bread of the pile' as being arranged in two rows (Leviticus 24:6), or 'the continual bread,' as lying continually before God (Numbers 4:7). The shewbread was a kind of meal offering (see intro. to Leviticus 2), and the rite probably had its origin in the crude notion that the deity required food like his worshippers (cp. on Leviticus 3:11). In the Levitical law, however, it attained a higher significance. It was an acknowledgment that man owes his 'daily bread' to God. It was a kind of perpetual grace over meat.

10-23. Punishment of a Blasphemer. A half-Israelite blasphemes the name of Jehovah. As there is some uncertainty whether such a person is subject to the same penalty as full-born Israelites the matter is referred to God, and the decision is given that there is one law for the stranger and for the home-born.

Related Commentaries of Leviticus 24:1

Leviticus 24:1-23

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually.

3 Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations.

4 He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually.

5 And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.

6 And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD.

7 And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

8 Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.

9 And it shall be Aaron's and his sons'; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute.

10 And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp;

11 And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)

12 And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them.

13 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.

15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.

16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.

17 And he that killetha any man shall surely be put to death.

18 And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast.

19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;

20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.

21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.

22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.

23 And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.