Exodus 20:13 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Bible Comments

Thou shalt not kill.

Thou shalt not kill. 'Killing' is not what is prohibited, otherwise the judicial infliction of capital punishment, as well as the slaughter of an enemy in defensive war, would be unlawful-in which light these were certainly not regarded by the Israelites in the time of Moses (Exodus 21:14; Deuteronomy 19:11; Deuteronomy 31:9). х Lo' (H3808) tirtsaach (H7523), Thou shalt not commit murder. The verb signifies to slay with premeditation and malice, and is properly rendered by the Septuagint: ou (G3756) foneuseis (G5407).] Of course, the interdict includes not only the actual perpetration of murder, but every deed that tends to the danger of life, as well as to personal injury, and the criminality of the act consists in its being an assault upon the image of God (Genesis 9:6). 'The omission of the object still remains to be noticed, as showing that the prohibition includes not only the killing of a fellowman, but the destruction of one's own life, or suicide' (Kiel).

Exodus 20:13

13 Thou shalt not kill.