The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name, and cursed; and they brought him to Moses. His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan. They put him in custody until Yahweh’s will should be declared to them. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Bring him who cursed out of the camp; and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him.
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Leviticus 24:11-14 sits inside this longer paragraph.
The son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel; and the son of the Israelite woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp. The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name, and cursed; and they brought him to Moses. His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan. They put him in custody until Yahweh’s will should be declared to them. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Bring him who cursed out of the camp; and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him. You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. He who blasphemes Yahweh’s name, he shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him. The foreigner as well as the native-born shall be put to death when he blasphemes the Name.
Parallel Translations
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The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name, and cursed; and they brought him to Moses. His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.
They put him in custody until Yahweh’s will should be declared to them.
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
“Bring him who cursed out of the camp; and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him.
-
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:)
And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
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.
Show all 3 translations
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And the son of the Israelitish woman blasphemed the Name, and cursed; and they brought him unto Moses. And his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.
And they put him in ward, that it might be declared unto them at the mouth of the LORD.
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:
'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.
Cross-references (48)
- Deuteronomy 17:7 (v14) The hands of the witnesses shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall remove the…
- Exodus 18:15-16 (v12) Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge…
- Exodus 20:7 (v11) “You shall not misuse the name of Yahweh your God, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who misuses his name.
- Leviticus 20:27 (v14) “ ‘A man or a woman that is a medium or is a wizard shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones. Their blood shall be…
- Deuteronomy 21:21 (v14) All the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall remove the evil from among you. All Israel shall hear, and fear.
Show all 48 cross-references
- Exodus 3:15 (v11) God said moreover to Moses, “You shall tell the children of Israel this, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of…
- Exodus 18:22 (v11) Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall…
- Exodus 18:26 (v11) They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
- Leviticus 20:2 (v14) “Moreover, you shall tell the children of Israel, ‘Anyone of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners in Israel,…
- Leviticus 24:15-16 (v11) You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. He who blasphemes Yahweh’s name, he shall…
- Numbers 15:34 (v12) They put him in custody, because it had not been declared what should be done to him.
- Numbers 27:5 (v12) Moses brought their cause before Yahweh.
- Numbers 36:5-6 (v12) Moses commanded the children of Israel according to Yahweh’s word, saying, “The tribe of the sons of Joseph speak what is right. This is…
- Job 2:5 (v11) But stretch out your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce you to your face.”
- Isaiah 8:21 (v11) They will pass through it, very distressed and hungry. It will happen that when they are hungry, they will worry, and curse by their king…
- Matthew 26:65 (v11) Then the high priest tore his clothing, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his…
- John 10:31-33 (v14) Therefore Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of those…
- Exodus 18:23 (v12) If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in…
- Leviticus 13:46 (v14) All the days in which the plague is in him he shall be unclean. He is unclean. He shall dwell alone. His dwelling shall be outside of the…
- Numbers 5:2-4 (v14) “Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever is unclean by a…
- Numbers 15:33-35 (v11) Those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. They put him in custody, because it had…
- Numbers 15:35-36 (v14) Yahweh said to Moses, “The man shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him with stones outside of the camp.” All the…
- Deuteronomy 13:9-10 (v14) but you shall surely kill him. Your hand shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterwards the hands of all the people. You shall…
- Deuteronomy 22:21 (v14) then they shall bring out the young lady to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones,…
- Joshua 7:25 (v14) Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? Yahweh will trouble you today.” All Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire…
- 1 Kings 21:10 (v11) Set two men, wicked fellows, before him, and let them testify against him, saying, ‘You cursed God and the king!’ Then carry him out, and…
- 1 Kings 21:13 (v11) The two men, the wicked fellows, came in and sat before him. The wicked fellows testified against him, even against Naboth, in the presence…
- 2 Kings 18:30 (v11) Don’t let Hezekiah make you trust in Yahweh, saying, “Yahweh will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into the hand of the…
- 2 Kings 18:35 (v11) Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Yahweh should deliver Jerusalem…
- 2 Kings 18:37–19:3 (v11) Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, came with Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to…
- 2 Kings 19:6 (v11) Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master this: ‘Yahweh says, “Don’t be afraid of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of…
- 2 Kings 19:10 (v11) ‘Tell Hezekiah king of Judah this: “Don’t let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of…
- 2 Kings 19:22 (v11) Whom have you defied and blasphemed? Against whom have you exalted your voice and lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of…
- 2 Chronicles 32:14-17 (v11) Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, that…
- Job 1:5 (v11) It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and…
- Job 1:11 (v11) But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will renounce you to your face.”
- Job 1:22 (v11) In all this, Job didn’t sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.
- Job 2:9-10 (v11) Then his wife said to him, “Do you still maintain your integrity? Renounce God, and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the…
- Psalms 74:18 (v11) Remember this, that the enemy has mocked you, Yahweh. Foolish people have blasphemed your name.
- Psalms 74:22 (v11) Arise, God! Plead your own cause. Remember how the foolish man mocks you all day.
- John 8:59 (v14) Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through the middle of them,…
- Acts 6:11-13 (v11) Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” They stirred up the people, the…
- Acts 7:58-59 (v14) They threw him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. They stoned…
- Romans 2:24 (v11) For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written.
- 1 Timothy 1:13 (v11) although I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
- Revelation 16:11 (v11) and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. They didn’t repent of their works.
- Revelation 16:21 (v11) Great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, came down out of the sky on people. People blasphemed God because of the plague of the…
- 2 Samuel 12:14 (v11) However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to Yahweh’s enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you will surely…
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (16 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v11 By swearing or despiting God.
By swearing or despiting God.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv11, 12, 14 Lev 24:11 And the Israelitish woman’s son blasphemed the…
Lev 24:11 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:)
Ver. 11. Blasphemed the name, &c.] Heb., Bored it through; gored it; pierced it; as did those Syrians, slain by the fall of the wall of Aphek; Rabshakeh that dead dog; {Isa 36:4-6} Julian the apostate, Chosroes the Persian, the raging Turk at the siege of Scodra; {a} that foul mouthed Papist that dared say, The God of the Protestants is worse than Pan, god of clowns, which can endure no ceremonies nor good manners at all. {b} To these add Paul Best, who hath lately published blasphemous verses against the Trinity. See the "London Ministers’ Testimonial to the Truth of Jesus Christ."
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{a} Turk. Hist., 423.
{b} Sheldon’s Mark of the Beast, epis. dedic.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv11, 12, 14 The name of the Lord: the words of the…
The name of the Lord: the words of the Lord, or of Jehovah, are here conveniently supplied out of Lev 24:16, where they are expressed, but here they are omitted for the aggravation of his crime. He
blasphemed the name, so called by way of eminency; that name which is above every name; that name which a man should in some sort tremble to mention; which is not to be named without cause and without reverence. For which reason the godly Jews did many times rather understand than express the name of God, as Mar 14:62, the right hand of power, for of the power of God, as it is Luk 22:69; and the Blessed for the blessed God, Mat 26:63 Mar 14:61. And cursed, not the Israelite only, but his God also, as appears from Lev 24:15,16.
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They brought him; either the people who heard him, or the inferior magistrate, to whom he was first brought.
Unto Moses, according to the order settled by Jethro’s advice, Exo 18:26.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv11–14 And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of…
And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed,.... As they were striving together, or when the trial was over, he being cast, fell into outrageous blasphemies against God, who made such laws for the civil polity of Israel, and cursed the judges that had given sentence against him; so the Targum of Jonathan; and so the Jews generally understand by the "name" blasphemed, the name Jehovah, which he spake out plainly, and which, they say, is ineffable, and ought not to be pronounced but by the high priest in the sanctuary; but this man expressed it in its proper sound, and made use of it to curse the man that strove with him, or the judge that judged him; so it is said in the Misnah (d),"a blasphemer is not guilty until he expresses the name;''but it undoubtedly means blaspheming God himself, by whatsoever name:
and they brought him unto Moses; having heard his blasphemy, to charge him with it before him, or in order to have due punishment inflicted on him: as to the matter of contest between him and the Israelite, that had been decided in a lesser court of judicature, such an one as had been set up by the advice of Jethro; but though there was full proof of his blasphemy and cursing, which, perhaps, were expressed in open court; they might not know what punishment to inflict upon him for so horrid a crime, of which, perhaps, they had never had an instance before, and therefore sent him to Moses, to whom the hearing and decision of weighty matters belonged; see Exo 18:22,
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and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan; which is observed, as it should seem, to show in what tribe this affair happened, and what the quarrel was first about, even a place and rank in this tribe.
(d) Sanhedrin, c. 7. sect. 5.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv11, 12, 14 The name of the Lord - The words of…
The name of the Lord - The words of the Lord, or of Jehovah, are supplied out of ver. 16, where they are expressed; here they are omitted perhaps for the aggravation of his crime. He blasphemed the name so called by way of eminency; that name which is above every name; that name which a man should in some sort tremble to mention; which is not to be named without cause or without reverence. And cursed - Not the Israelite only, but his God also, as appears from ver. 15, 16. And they brought him - Either the people who heard him, or the inferior magistrate, to whom he was first brought.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v14 Verse 14. Lay their hands upon his head] It…
Verse 14. Lay their hands upon his head] It was by this ceremony that the people who heard him curse bore their public testimony in order to his being fully convicted, for without this his punishment would not have been lawful. By this ceremony also they in effect said to the man, Thy blood be upon thy own head.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv11, 12, 14 Lev 24:11. The name of the Lord — The…
Lev 24:11. The name of the Lord — The words of the Lord, or of Jehovah, are supplied out of Lev 24:16, where they are expressed; here they are omitted, perhaps for the aggravation of his crime. He blasphemed the name — So called by way of eminence; that name which is above every name; that name which a man should in some sort tremble to mention; which is not to be named without cause, or without reverence. And cursed — Not the Israelite only, but his God also, as appears from Lev 24:15-16. And they brought him — Either the people who heard him, or the inferior magistrate, to whom he was first brought.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv12, 14 The offender may already have been pronounced guilty by…
The offender may already have been pronounced guilty by the rulers (see Exo 18:21-22), and the case was referred to Moses in order that the punishment might be awarded by the divine decree. No law had as yet been enacted against blasphemy except by implication. See Exo 21:17; Exo 22:28.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv11, 14 The Name. Some Latin copies add, "of God;" but…
The Name. Some Latin copies add, "of God;" but the best omit it, with the Hebrew, &c. This is, however, the meaning. (Calmet) --- The son of Salumith being in a rage, cursed that sacred name; (ver. 15) and, as he perhaps had attempted to vent his fury upon whatever came in his way, God here reiterates the laws against murder, &c., ver. 17. The Jews are so much afraid of taking the name of God (Yehovah) in vain, that they have for a long time abstained from pronouncing it at all; (Haydock) and here they have probably omitted it on purpose. (Houbigant) But this seems to border upon superstition, is contrary to the design of God, who revealed that august name, and inserted it very frequently in the holy Bible, and in the very prayer, which the senators have to recite; (Deuteronomy xxi. 8,) and, can any one suppose, that he would not have them pronounce it, even in their solemn devotions? Many of the Rabbins suppose, that blasphemy is not to be punished with death, if any other name of God be used: but others are more reasonable. Our Saviour was not accused by the Jews of transgressing, in this respect, when they condemned him as guilty of blasphemy, Matthew xxvi. 64. The name of God, is often used in the same sense as we use the words majesty, lordship, &c., as being more emphatical, and dignified. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv11, 14 And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of…
And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the Lord--A youth of this half-blood, having quarrelled with an Israelite [Lev 24:10], vented his rage in some horrid form of impiety. It was a common practice among the Egyptians to curse their idols when disappointed in obtaining the object of their petitions. The Egyptian mind of this youth thought the greatest insult to his opponent was to blaspheme the object of his religious reverence. He spoke disrespectfully of One who sustained the double character of the King as well as the God of the Hebrew people; as the offense was a new one, he was put in ward till the mind of the Lord was ascertained as to his disposal.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv11, 12, 14 11. Blasphemed — The Seventy and Rashi erroneously render…
11. Blasphemed — The Seventy and Rashi erroneously render the original accurately pronounced, this being looked upon before God as a reviling of him. From this passage the rabbins, by an untenable exposition, derived their prohibition even to utter the name of Jehovah, called “the sacred tetragrammaton.” The provocation to this vilification of Jehovah is not given. It is probable that the adversary of the half Israelite had taunted him on account of his Egyptian descent as a disgrace, and adding that he had no part in the God of Israel and in his covenant, and that in the heat of passion the half-breed spoke contemptuously of Jehovah, and possibly contrasted him with the gods of his father.
The name — We admit, with the rationalistic critics, that the designation of Jehovah by “the name,” is a practice of a later age. But this practice must have had a beginning, and that beginning may have been in the age of the Pentateuch. This is confirmed by the fact that in Lev_24:16 we have the full expression, “the name of Jehovah,” as evidently explanatory of the recently invented designation, “the name.” Hence no satisfactory proof that this piece of history is the interpolation of a later age can be derived from this phrase. From this passage we see that the Jews of this early period may have pronounced “the name” by substituting the consonants of Adonai for those of Jehovah, so that this practice cannot be regarded as a superstition originating with Jews after the destruction of Jerusalem. “This dread,” says Oehler, “sprang from the efforts of later Judaism to thrust back divinity to an unapproachable distance, and everywhere to put something between divinity and man.” The translation of Jehovah, by Κυριος, Lord, 250 years before Christ, confirms this statement. It is a strong incidental proof of the supreme godhead of Christ that he is called “the Name.” See R.V., Act_5:41; 3Jn_1:7.
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Shelomith — A sad misnomer, for it signifies peacefulness. It is quite a common name in the Old Testament. Nothing more is known of this woman, who stands pilloried in history as the mother of a blasphemer.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv11, 12, 14 11. blasphemed the Name] The Heb. verb denotes ‘to…
11. blasphemed the Name] The Heb. verb denotes ‘to indicate by name’ either honourably or with reproach. In the latter sense it is used in Num_23:8; Pro_11:26, etc., and obviously must be so interpreted here. But the Jews, taking the word in its more general sense, understood the passage as forbidding the mention of the Sacred Name, and wherever it occurs in the Scriptures they either pronounced it Adônai instead (rendered in English by ‘the Lord’), or, where the word Adônai was itself in immediate juxtaposition with the Sacred Name, they substituted for the latter Elôhîm.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv11–14 (11) Blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed.—Better,…
(11) Blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed.—Better, cursed the Name and reviled. In accordance with the above interpretation, this happened after sentence was given against him, and when they had left the court. Being vexed with the Divine enactments which excluded him from encamping in the tribe of his mother, he both cursed God who gave such law, and reviled the judges who pronounced judgment against him. The expression, “the Name,” which in after times was commonly used instead of the Ineffable Jehovah, has been substituted here for the Tetragrammaton by a transcriber who out of reverence would not combine cursing with it. The same shyness on the part of copyists has been the cause of inserting the word Lord (Adonaî) and God (Elohîm) for Jehovah in sundry passages of the Old Testament. During the second Temple, however, this passage was rendered, “he pronounced the Name and cursed.” Hence it was enacted that the simple pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton was criminal. In accordance with the ancient interpretation, the Chaldee version translates this part of the verse, “And when they came out of the house of judgment, having been condemned, the son of the Israelitish woman pronounced and reviled the great and glorious name of manifestation which had been heard on Sinai, and he was defiant and annoying.”
And they brought him unto Moses.—The contention about his right to pitch his tent among the tribe to which his mother belonged being a minor point, came within the jurisdiction of the rulers, according to the advice of Jethro (Exo_18:22); whilst blaspheming God was considered too serious an offence, and hence the criminal was brought to Moses.
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And his mother’s name was Shelomith.—Whether we accept the traditional explanation, that Shelomith was no consenting party to her union with the Egyptian, or whether we regard her as having voluntarily married him, the fact that both her personal and tribal names are here so distinctly specified, indicates that the record of this incident is designed to point out the ungodly issue of so unholy an alliance, and to guard the Hebrew women against intermarriage with heathen.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv11–13 In the course of the straggle the Israelitish woman"s…
In the course of the straggle the Israelitish woman"s son blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed. The word nakav is here rightly translated blasphemeth (cf. verses 14, 16, 23), but the words of the Lord should be omitted, as they are not found in the original, and are not required. The LXX have rendered nakav by a word meaning pronounced, and on this misunderstanding, adopted by the Jews, has been founded the Jewish precept forbidding the utterance of the Divine Name. Owing to that prohibition, the true pronunciation of the word written and called "Jehovah" has been lost. Wherever the Name occurred in Scripture, that of Adoring, meaning Lord, was substituted for it in public reading, the consonants only of the original name, Y H V H, being preserved in the written text, and the vowels of Adonai, namely a o a, being written underneath them in lieu of the original vowels. From the consonants Y H Y H and the vowels a o a would be formed Yahovah or Jahovah, but the laws of the Hebrew language required the first a to be changed into e, and hence the name Jehovah. It is almost certain that the original vowels were a and e, which would form the name Yahveh, the Samaritans having always so pronounced it, according to the testimony of Theodoret. It is said that the high priest continued to utter the very name Yahveh on the Day of Atonement long after it had ceased to be used in the reading of the Scriptures, and that when he did so, those who heard it prostrated themselves, saying, "Blessed be the Name!" After a time, however, he ceased to pronounce it aloud on that day also, lest it should be learnt and used for magical purposes. In consequence, perhaps, of the substitution of Adonai for Yahveh, the Septuagint version always reads for Yahveh, Kuriov : and the English version the LORD. In French and other versions the name is represented by the Eternal, and it has been proposed to substitute the latter rendering for the Loud in our own version. But it is more than doubtful whether we should then come nearer to the true sense of the original Yahveh, although at first sight it appears that this would be the case. For the word Yahveh is part of the causative form of the verb havah, or hayah, to be; but this verb is not used to express unchangeable or absolute existence, but rather an occurrence: its causative form, therefore, would signify that which brings about events; and the substantive derived from that causative form would signify, not one that eternally exists, but one that providentially governs. For an induction of instances for the further proof of the above meaning of the word Yahveh, we refer the reader to Sir William Martin"s essay "On the Divine Name" ("Semitic Languages," part 2), from which we transcribe the concluding paragraph. "This view of the Divine Name, to which we are led by the evidence of the Hebrew language itself, is in full conformity with the general religious teaching of the Old Testament, which is practical and moral; setting forth in form readily intelligible, the character of God in his relations to man. It does not concern itself with those problems which philosophy has ever been seeking to solve. It addresses itself to human needs and human duties, and not to abstract inquiries. Not that the highest abstract truths were unknown or untaught. Lawgiver and prophet and psalmist set before the people the greatness and the eternity of God in language most clear and impressive. Yet the Name whereby he was put before them as the object of their daily worship, was not one which would exalt him to the utmost above the frail and changeful and transitory lives of his worshippers, and thereby remove him far away from them into the height of a Being beyond man"s search or comprehension; but rather a Name which should bring him nigh to them, as One ever mindful of them, ever carrying forward his great purpose for their good, working for their deliverance in every time of need; as One "whose providence ordereth all things in heaven and on earth." If this Name did convey to the mind of a Hebrew hearer the thought above expressed, it follows that the old rendering Adonai, Kuriov , or Lord, is to be preferred to that which has of late been substituted for it." And they brought the blasphemer unto Moses. This was in accordance with the counsel of Jethro, accepted by Moses: (Exo_18:13-26) "Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: and let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge:... and they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
Vers. 11-16. The Name of the Lord is a revelation of his nature. Names given or taken by man may be imposed from accidental circumstances. A name given by God denotes an essential quality of the thing named. Hence if we can arrive at the true meaning of God"s Name, as revealed by himself, we shall have a manifestation of himself as he chose to reveal his nature to man.
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I After the primary Name of Elohim, where we mark the plural form of the noun, the Name by which he revealed himself to the patriarchs was that of El Shaddai, GOD ALMIGHTY. His omnipotence was the part of his nature which he specially manifested to them. (Exo_6:3)
II To Moses he revealed himself under the name of EHYEH, ASHER EHYEH, or I AM THAT I AM. The word Ehyeh is not used for absolute existence in any place where it is found in the Scriptures, but rather for condition or relation. "The meaning to be given to the words, if we guide ourselves by the evidence furnished by the Hebrew books, may be paraphrased in this way, "I show myself from time to time, even as I show myself. I stand from time to time in varying relation to men. This is my Name. Only from my dealings with men is my character to be apprehended by men (Sir W. Martin, "Semitic Languages").
III He also revealed himself to Moses as YAHVEH. Neither is this word used for absolute existence. It means the One who causes things to happen as they do.
IV IN THESE THREE NAMES, THEN, WE FIND THE REVELATION THAT GOD THOUGHT PROPER THEREBY TO GIVE TO HIS ANCIENT PEOPLE. He is the Almighty Spiritual Being, who manifests himself as he wills to his creatures, and governs by his providence the universe and all the events of human life. This is the proclamation of his Name by God himself. "And Yahveh descended in the cloud, and stood with Moses there, and proclaimed the name of Yahveh. And Yahveh passed by before him, and proclaimed, Yahveh, Yahveh Elohim, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children"s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation". (Exo_34:5-7) In the Old Testament, then, God does not, by his Name, reveal his absolute nature, but his relation to man as the Supreme Moral Governor of the world, whose characteristic in that government was omnipotence, uncontrolled by anything but his own will, but guided by mercy and justice.
V IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, NOT ONLY GOD"S RELATION TO MAN, BUT ALSO HIS OWN NATURE, IS REVEALED BY THE NAME OF FATHER, SON, AND HOLY GHOST. These names exhibit to us, so far as human faculties can apprehend them, the very Godhead, not merely as governing man, but in its essential character. "The revealed Name of God, given to the apostles in the tradition of holy baptism, is a revelation of truth. The entire Christian revelation is in the way of a summary contained in it. It is itself a doctrine and the sum of all doctrine. It was originally given in order that the world might be taught it ("make disciples of all nations"), and it contains all that the world, in the way of religion, needs to be taught. The apostles, indeed, by Divine inspiration, developed it into its essential and necessary details, summed into the Apostles" Creed; but in itself, that is, in the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, all was shortly comprised. In like manner, it is a creed and the sum of all creeds; for while we read that it was often used as a creed in early times, the structure of the subsequent authoritative creeds of the Church has been so framed upon it, and their contents so confined to it, that what we chiefly learn in all the articles of our belief, whether contained in the Apostles", the Nicene, or the Athanasian formula, is first, to believe in God the Father, who hath made all the world; secondly, in God the Son, who hath redeemed all mankind; and thirdly, in God the Holy Ghost, who sanctifieth all the elect people of God.... All the great elements and outlines of inspired teaching, as they are gathered into the Apostles" Creed, and all the minute expressions and articulations of truth as given to the Church in writing by the apostles, are to be regarded with deep, true, and habitual reverence for the sake of the Name of God" (Moberly, "The Law of the Love of God").
VI THE NAME JESUS CHRIST INDICATES THE WORK AND THE RELATION TO OURSELVES OF HIM WHO BEING MAN WAS ALSO GOD.
1. Christ is the Anointed One. "God anointed Jesus... with the Holy Ghost and with power". (Act_10:38) "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us full of grace and truth"; (Joh_1:14) "for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him"; (Joh_3:34) "for it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell". (Col_1:19)
2. Jesus is the Saviour. "Thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins". (Mat_1:21) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved"; (Act_4:12) "a Prince and a Saviour"; (Act_5:31) "a Saviour, Jesus". (Act_13:23) "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.... For the transgression of my people was he stricken". (Isa_53:5-8) The Name Jesus Christ, therefore, indicates that he who bore it was the promised Messiah, (Dan_9:25 Joh_1:41) filled to the full with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and the Saviour of those that put their trust in him.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v13 All who heard him must lay their hands on…
All who heard him must lay their hands on his head
They were to put their hands on his head to show that he was the guilty one. (See: Symbolic Action)
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assembly
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unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv11, 14 24:11 blasphemed . . . with a curse In…
24:11 blasphemed . . . with a curse In biblical times, a name was more than a means of identification; it represented a person’s character, reputation, and origin. God is holy, and he was to be regarded as holy in all of Israel’s life (see 10:3). The Israelites had been instructed to treat God’s name with reverence (Exod 20:7). Using his name in a curse reflected a sinful attitude toward God himself (Lev 24:15), and it deserved death (24:13-16). The wording in the Hebrew text is very strong: Two verbs meaning “curse” are used, one that indicated a more formal type of curse, the other a blasphemous or irreverent expression. The two terms are synonymous in 24:15-16. • the Name of the Lord: The Hebrew text refers simply to “the Name” to reflect care and reverence for God’s name.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.