Leviticus 24:21He who kills an animal shall make it good; and he who kills a man shall be put to death.
The setting
Sinai Peninsula, ~1445 BC. God establishes the distinction between property crimes and crimes against human life. This revolutionized ancient justice...
The emotion here: solemn responsibility while recording the sacred value God places on human life
The original word
nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ) — soul, life, living being - the breath of God in humanity
Why it matters
In ancient Mesopotamia, killing someone's slave often just required paying the owner
Read with care
What most readers miss in Leviticus 24:21
This elevated human life above all other forms of life - revolutionary for ancient times
Common misconceptionPeople focus on the death penalty aspect, but miss that this verse establishes human life as infinitely more valuable than property or animals.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Leviticus 24:21
Bible Genome reading
Leviticus 24:21 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Leviticus 24:21 comes from the book of Leviticus, written during the exodus period. These words are attributed to God. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the law genre of biblical literature. Key themes include distinction between life, graduated penalties. Notable phrases: kills an animal; kills a man; make it good. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Leviticus 24:21 mean to you, today?
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