Bible Question:
EX20:13 You shall not murder. A command from God. Then the people get out of control in Ex 32:27 He said to them, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Every man of you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbor.' " Question is Why would God Say not to Murder then turn around and tell them too? |
Bible Answer: TShea, It sounds like what you need is a definition of murder. Murder is the willful and unlawful taking of a human life (Jesus also adds that if we hate our neighbor in our hearts it's also murder). The Old Testiment itself gives example of murder and orders that the convicted murderer be executed (killed). Numbers 35:15-24 'These six cities shall be for refuge for the sons of Israel, and for the alien and for the sojourner among them; that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there. But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 'If he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which he will die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he might die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 'The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he shall put him to death when he meets him. 'If he pushed him of hatred, or threw something at him lying in wait and as a result he died, or if he struck him down with his hand in enmity, and as a result he died, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death, he is a murderer; the blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him. 'But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or threw something at him without lying in wait, or with any deadly object of stone, and without seeing it dropped on him so that he died, while he was not his enemy nor seeking his injury, then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the blood avenger according to these ordinances. (See also Exodus 21:12-14). So, you see, where as all murder is killing (even if it's in the heart), not all killing is murder, i.e. capital punishment is not murder. Lionstrong |