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英文原文
In this chapter we have, I. A repetition of the laws concerning the lamps and the show-bread, Le 24:1-9. II. A violation of the law against blasphemy, with the imprisonment, trial, condemnation, and execution, of the blasphemer, Le 24:10-14, with Le 24:23. III. The law against blasphemy reinforced (Le 24:15,16), with sundry other laws, Le 24:17-23, etc.
1-9
Laws Concerning the Lamps (1490 BC)
论灯台的律法（主前1490年）
¹ 耶和华对摩西说：
² 你要吩咐以色列人，把那捣成的清橄榄油拿来给你，为点灯用，使灯常常点着。
³ 在会幕中法柜的幔子外，亚伦要从晚上到早晨在耶和华面前常常经理这灯：这要作你们世世代代永远的定例。
⁴ 他要在耶和华面前常在精金的灯台上经理这灯。
⁵ 你要取细面，烤成十二个饼：每个饼用细面伊法十分之二。
⁶ 要把饼摆成两行，每行六个，在耶和华面前精金的桌上。
⁷ 又要把净乳香放在每行上，作为饼的记念，就是献给耶和华为火祭。
⁸ 每安息日，他要在耶和华面前常将其摆好，这是以色列人所献永远的约。
⁹ 这饼要归给亚伦和他的子孙；他们要在圣处吃：因为这在耶和华的火祭中是至圣的，要作永远的定例归给他。
这里为神家中灯台和桌子的得体陈设作了照料，并发出吩咐。
I. 灯当常常点着。这律法我们在出27:20,21已见过。此处重申，大概是因为如今其他事都已安顿，这事开始付诸施行。1. 百姓当预备油（利24:2），这油也如一切用于事奉神之物一样，必须是上好的——清橄榄油，捣成的，大概是经两次滤过的。这是为使灯常常点着；我们一切的英文译本都读作"灯"（lamps，复数），但利24:2原文是单数——为使那灯常常点着；而利24:4是复数——他要经理这些灯。七盏灯合成一灯，蒙恩的圣灵因此被描绘为宝座前七盏火灯（启4:5），因为恩赐原有分别，灵却是一位（林前12:4）。传道人在基督的教会中如同燃烧照明的灯，但百姓有责任为他们预备合宜的供应，正如以色列人为灯预备油。可耻的供养带来可耻的职事。2. 祭司当经理这灯；他们当剪灯花、洁净灯台、早晚添油（利24:3,4）。这样，福音使者的本分就是表明生命之道——不是设立新的光，而是借解经和讲道使这道之光更加清晰广远。这是维持灯常燃的寻常方式；但当教会贫穷艰难之时，我们看到她的灯以好橄榄树直接供应的油持续供给，无需祭司或百姓从中效力（亚4:2,3）；因为神虽把我们系于手段，却没有把自己系于手段，祂必有效地看顾，使祂的灯绝不因缺油而熄灭。
II. 桌子当常常摆设。这在出25:30已有所定。此处也是，1. 桌上当陈设饼；不是为满足奢华口味的山珍海味或花样繁多，而是十二个饼（利24:5,6）。饼丰盛之处便无饥荒；无饼之处便无筵席。每个支派有一个饼，因为在我们父的家里，粮充足。他们都蒙神恩的供应，都欢迎来享神的恩典。即使在十支派叛离之后，这饼的数目仍照旧（代下13:11），为着每个支派中少数对圣殿仍存忠心、仍来事奉的人。2. 每行之上或旁边放一金碟，盛一把乳香（利24:7）。当饼被撤下交给祭司时，这乳香（我想）就在金坛上烧了，是在每日的香之外而烧；这是代替饼作为记念的火祭，正如素祭中被烧在坛上的一把被称为它的记念（利2:2）。如此，一点也被接纳为谦卑的承认，所有的饼都归给祭司。属灵的以色列众人——以十二饼为预表——借着基督都成了献给神的馨香之气，他们的祷告也称为在神面前蒙记念（徒10:4）。这词正是借自礼仪律。3. 每安息日都要更新。饼在那里摆了一周之后，祭司就可与其他当在圣处吃的圣物同吃（利24:9），新的饼由公费预备，放在原处（利24:8）。犹太人说："那些放上饼的祭司的手，与那些撤下饼的祭司的手相混合，使桌子永不空置，使饼常在耶和华面前。"神为来朝见祂的人从不缺备招待，不像人那样常有缺（路11:5）。那些饼每个含伊法十分之二，即两俄梅珥细面；这正是每个以色列人在第六日为安息日所收的吗哪之量（出16:22）。因此有人推断，这每安息日摆在桌上的陈设饼，正是为记念他们在旷野所吃之吗哪而设。基督的使者当在每个安息日为祂的家预备新饼——就是他们在圣经中新鲜研读的出产，使他们的长进在众人面前显明出来（提前4:1,5）。
英文原文
Laws Concerning the Lamps (1490 BC)
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.
Care is here taken, and orders are given, for the decent furnishing of the candlestick and table in God's house.
I. The lamps must always be kept burning. The law for this we had before, Ex 27:20,21. It is here repeated, probably because it now began to be put in execution, when other things were settled. 1. The people were to provide oil (Le 24:2), and this, as every thing else that was to be used in God's service, must be of the best, pure olive-oil, beaten, probably it was double-strained. This was to cause the lamps to burn; all our English copies read it lamps, but in the original it is singular in Le 24:2—to cause the lamp to burn; but plural in Le 24:4—he shall order the lamps. The seven lamps made all one lamp, in allusion to which the blessed Spirit of grace is represented by seven lamps of fire before the throne (Re 4:5), for there are diversities of gifts, but one Spirit, 1Co 12:4. Ministers are as burning and shining lights in Christ's church, but it is the duty of people to provide comfortably for them, as Israel for the lamps. Scandalous maintenance makes a scandalous ministry. 2. The priests were to tend the lamps; they must snuff them, clean the candlestick, and supply them with oil, morning and evening, Le 24:3,4. Thus it is the work of the ministers of the gospel to hold forth that word of life, not to set up new lights, but, by expounding and preaching the word, to make the light of it more clear and extensive. This was the ordinary way of keeping the lamps burning; but, when the church was poor and in distress, we find its lamps fed constantly with oil from the good olives immediately, without the ministry of priest or people (Zec 4:2,3); for, though God has tied us to means, he has not tied himself to them, but will take effectual care that his lamp never go out in the world for want of oil.
II. The table must always be kept spread. This was appointed before, Ex 25:30. And here also, 1. The table was furnished with bread; not dainties nor varieties to gratify a luxurious palate, but twelve loaves or cakes of bread, Le 24:5,6. Where there is plenty of bread there is no famine; and where bread is not there is no feast. There was a loaf for every tribe, for in our Father's house there is bread enough. They were all provided for by the divine bounty, and were all welcome to the divine grace. Even after the revolt of the ten tribes this number of loaves was continued (2Ch 13:11), for the sake of those few of each tribe that retained their affection to the temple and continued their attendance on it. 2. A handful of frankincense was put in a golden saucer, upon or by each row, Le 24:7. When the bread was removed, and given to the priests, this frankincense was burnt upon the golden altar (I suppose) over and above the daily incense: and this was for a memorial instead of the bread, an offering made by fire, as the handful of the meat-offering which was burnt upon the altar is called the memorial thereof, Le 2:2. Thus a little was accepted as a humble acknowledgment, and all the loaves were consigned to the priests. All God's spiritual Israel, typified by the twelve loaves, are made through Christ a sweet savour to him, and their prayers are said to come up before God for a memorial, Ac 10:4. The word is borrowed from the ceremonial law. 3. Every sabbath it was renewed. When the loaves had stood there a week, the priests had them to eat with other holy things that were to be eaten in the holy place (Le 24:9), and new ones were provided at the public charge, and put in the room of them, Le 24:8. The Jews say, "The hands of those priests that put on were mixed with theirs that took off, that the table might be never empty, but the bread might be before the Lord continually." God is never unprovided for the entertainment of those that visit him, as men often are, Lu 11:5. Every one of those cakes contained two tenth-deals, that is, two omers of fine flour; just so much manna every Israelite gathered on the sixth day for the sabbath, Ex 16:22. Hence some infer that this show-bread, which was set on the table on the sabbath, was intended as a memorial of the manna wherewith they were fed in the wilderness. Christ's ministers should provide new bread for his house every sabbath day, the production of their fresh studies in the scripture, that their proficiency may appear to all, 1Ti 4:1,5.
10-23
The Blasphemy of Shelomith's Son; The Punishment of Shelomith's Son (1490 BC)
示罗密之子的亵渎；示罗密之子的刑罚（主前 1490 年）
¹⁰ 有一个以色列妇人的儿子，他父亲是埃及人，在以色列人中出了营；这以色列妇人的儿子和一个以色列人在营里争斗；
¹¹ 这以色列妇人的儿子亵渎了耶和华的名，并且咒诅。他们就把他带到摩西那里。（他母亲名叫示罗密，是但支派底伯利的女儿。）
¹² 他们把他收在监里，要得耶和华的指示怎样办他。
¹³ 耶和华对摩西说：
¹⁴ "把那咒诅圣名的人带出营外，叫听见的人都按手在他头上；全会众要用石头打死他。
¹⁵ 你要晓谕以色列人说：凡咒诅神的，必担当他的罪。
¹⁶ 那亵渎耶和华名的，必被治死；全会众总要石头打他。不管是寄居的是本地人，他亵渎耶和华名的时候，必被治死。
¹⁷ 打死人的，必被治死。
¹⁸ 打死牲畜的，必赔上牲畜，以命偿命。
¹⁹ 人若使他邻舍的身体有残疾，他怎样行，也要照样向他行：
²⁰ 以伤还伤，以眼还眼，以牙还牙；他怎样叫人的身体有残疾，也要照样向他行。
²¹ 打死牲畜的，必赔上牲畜；打死人的，必被治死。
²² 不管是寄居的是本地人，同归一例；因为我是耶和华你们的神。"
²³ 于是摩西晓谕以色列人，他们就把那咒诅圣名的人带到营外，用石头打他。以色列人就照耶和华所吩咐摩西的行了。
恶行，我们说，催生良法。本段记述了一个不知名的杂血以色列人的恶行，以及由此引发的良法。
I. 犯罪者之父是埃及人，母是以色列人（利 24:10）；他母亲属但支派（利 24:11）。他与父亲都没有记名，只记他母亲，因她是以色列人。他的家世之所以被注意，或是：1. 为暗示他所卷入之争端的起因。犹太人说："他要以母亲的权利在但人中间支搭帐棚，却公正地被那支派的人反对，并被告知他父亲既是埃及人，他在这事上无分无业，当看自己为外人。"或是，2. 为显出这类混杂婚姻通常的恶果。当以色列的女儿愿与一个拜偶像的恶毒埃及人通婚时，这种婚姻所结的果子除了亵渎者还能是什么呢？因为儿女容易效法父母较坏的那一方，不论哪一方是较坏的，并且他们从埃及父亲那里学习亵渎，比从以色列母亲那里学习祷告和赞美来得更快。
II. 犯罪的起因是争竞：他与一个以色列人争斗。与以色列一同上来的埃及闲杂人（出 12:38），在许多方面对他们有害，而其中之一便是：他们常常是纷争的祸首。保守教会和平的方法，就是保守她的纯洁。在这次争斗中，他口出恶言。当注意，争端一开始，我们便不知道它在结束之前会惹出多大的祸患，也不知道一点火星会点燃多大的事。当人的怒气上来时，他们容易既忘了理智，又忘了宗教；这正是我们为何不当轻易挑衅、也不当轻易怀怒的好理由，要在争竞未曾起头之前便止息它，因为争竞的起头如同放水。
III. 罪行本身便是亵渎和咒诅（利 24:11）。据推测，他的案子曾呈到审判官面前，审判官判定他既父亲是埃及人，便无权享有以色列人的特权；他因判语而恼怒，1. 亵渎了耶和华的名。他亵渎了那名，就是亵渎了神，因为神只藉其名被人认识，不是藉其本体或任何形象被认识。并非神只是一个名，而是他的名超乎万名之上。译者加上耶和华的，这虽原文未明言，却是意中所含，为的是对神的威严表示更大的敬畏：耶和华的圣名竟被亵渎，这事被记在册上乃是羞耻；不要在迦特报告。 那些迷信的犹太人有一种痴想，以为他的亵渎在于他念出了耶和华的名，他们称此名为不可念的；但那曾以此名启示自己的神，从未禁止人用此名称呼他。可能他因神所定的、将以色列人与外人分别的安排而心怀不平，便放肆地辱没律法和律法的颁布者，并公然向其挑战。2. 他咒诅，或是指神自己（那样他的咒诅便与亵渎相同），或是指他所争斗的人。求灾祸临到的咒诅，是仓促怒气以及根深蒂固之恶毒的地狱式言语。或许他咒诅了判他案的审判官；他向法庭公然顶撞，讥笑其程序；这样他罪上加罪。
IV. 因这罪他被处理时所显的谨慎。证人或下级审判官把他和他的案子（此事颇为特殊）带到摩西那里（利 24:11），照所定的规矩（出 18:22）；而摩西自己也不草率判案，却把犯人收押，直等到他为这事求问了神谕。当注意，审判官当慎重；无论是判定案的，还是宣判的，都当仔细考虑自己所行的，不可草率，因为审判是属于神的（申 1:17），在他面前这案子还要复审。他们等候要知道耶和华所要指示的，是要藉官长之手将他治死，还是交在神的审判之下；不如说，他们想知道他是否当像那仅咒诅父母的人一样被石头打死（利 20:9），还是因这罪更大，当受更重的刑罚。当注意，坐堂审判的人当诚心愿意，并藉祷告和使用一切正当方法竭力晓得耶和华的旨意，因为他们是为他审判（代下 19:6），并要向他交账。
V. 公义的天地的主亲自对这犯人所下的判语：全会众要石头打他（利 24:14）。神本可藉天上的立即一击将他剪除，但他愿意把尊荣加在官长制度上，藉此维护并为他自己在世上的荣耀伸张。请观察，1. 所指定的刑场：把他带出营外。为表示他们对这罪的痛恨，他们当这样把罪犯当作可憎的枝条丢弃，把他当作不洁之物，从以色列营中分别出来。2. 行刑的人：全会众都当动手，为显明他们为神之名的尊荣所发的热心。每一个亵渎神的人，人人都当向他扔一块石头，把自己看作与神所受的辱没密切相关（诗 69:9）。这样也会使会众深受震慑；凡曾帮手用石头打亵渎者的人，此后必永远畏惧一切近乎亵渎、看似亵渎或倾向亵渎的事。3. 行刑的庄严：在会众用石头打他之前，证人要按手在他头上。犹太人说，这只用于亵渎者的行刑；并且是伴随如此意思的话而行的：*你的血归到你自己的头上，因为是你自己招来的。不要怪律法、审判官、陪审员或证人；*你若受责罚，惟独你一人担当。
VI. 趁此机会立下了一条常设的律法，用石头打亵渎者（利 24:15,16）。官长是两块法版的守护者，他们当为神的尊荣而热心，反对那些轻慢其本体与治理的人，正如他们为公众的平安和安全反对扰乱之人一样。1. 这条律法被极力强调，在任何情况下都不可放宽：必被治死；全会众总要石头打他。 那些轻看神尊荣的人或许以为，因一句话而定为有罪未免太严（言语不过是风）；但神要让他们知道，他们不可轻看这样的话——这些话来自说话者心中对神的恶意，并且必给听见的人带来极大的罪咎或极大的忧伤。2. 这条律法也适用于在他们中间寄居的外人，与本地 born 的人一样。神从未立任何律法强迫外人受割礼、皈依犹太教（强迫所造的归信者对以色列的神并无尊荣可言），但他立了一条律法，禁止外人毁谤以色列的神。3. 因亵渎而被治死的人，说是担当他的罪，在刑罚中担当；因为没有指定可把罪转移到其头上的祭物，他自己便要在自己头上担当，作为献给神之公义的祭物。所以他自己的舌头要陷害他（诗 64:8），而亵渎者的舌头陷害自己极重。
VII. 附在这条新律法上的其他几条律法的重申。1. 杀人当以死抵罪（利 24:17，又利 24:21），照着挪亚时代古老的律法（创 9:6），也是自然之律本身（创 4:10）。2. 伤人者当照样以报复之法受罚（利 24:19,20）。这并非说人在这些情形下可以自行报仇，而是可以向民事官长申诉，由官长按所造成的伤害酌情判处加害者受苦、被害者得补偿。这条律法我们前面已有（出 22:4,5）。它较合乎那启示了律法之严与罪所该得的刑罚的体制，而不那么合乎我们现在所处的启示了福音之恩与赦罪的体制；所以我们的救主废去了这条律法（太 5:38,39），并非为限制官长执行公义的刑罚，而是为限制我们众人在受个人伤害时报复，并要我们如同自己蒙赦免、盼望蒙赦免那样去赦免人。3. 故意损伤邻舍牲畜的，当赔偿损失（利 24:18,21）。这样，神的律法不仅把他们的性命，也把他们的财物置于其保护之下。那些不属任何人、按我们法律所谓ferae naturae——野性之物的，他们可以宰杀；但凡有人拥有所有权的，则不可。神难道顾念牛吗？是的；他是为我们才顾念。4. 外人与本地以色列人一样，既享有此律法之益处，免受冤屈，又在此律法之下，一旦行恶便当受罚。看来正是这一点把这些律法引到这里：要表明外人与以色列人一样，都当因亵渎而受罚，因为外人犯罪与以色列人犯罪一样都当受刑。在此重申这些律法或许还有进一步的缘由：神要藉此显明他为人的安全作了何等的 provision，惩治那些伤害人的人；这应当成为官长为他尊荣热心、惩治亵渎他名之人的一个理由。神若顾念他们的安慰，他们就当顾念他的荣耀。
VIII. 亵渎者的处决。摩西可以说是签发了令状：他晓谕以色列人去行，他们就照耶和华所吩咐摩西的行了（利 24:23）。这教导我们，罪的就是死，亵渎尤其是当受审判官刑罚的罪孽。但是，那些这样亵渎神名的人，纵然逃避了从人而来的刑罚，主我们的神却不容他们逃脱他公义的审判。这个亵渎者是第一个因摩西律法而死的人。司提反是第一个为福音而死的人，他因这条律法被滥用而死；殉道者与罪犯受了同样的死，但二者之间的差别何其之大！
英文原文
The Blasphemy of Shelomith's Son; The Punishment of Shelomith's Son (1490 BC)
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 showed 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 killeth 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.
Evil manners, we say, beget good laws. We have here an account of the evil manners of a certain nameless mongrel Israelite, and the good laws occasioned thereby.
I. The offender was the son of an Egyptian father and an Israelitish mother (Le 24:10); his mother was of the tribe of Dan, Le 24:11. Neither he nor his father is named, but his mother only, who was an Israelite. This notice is taken of his parentage either, 1. To intimate what occasioned the quarrel he was engaged in. The Jews say, "He offered to set up his tent among the Danites in the right of his mother, but was justly opposed by some or other of that tribe, and informed that his father being an Egyptian he had no part nor lot in the matter, but must look upon himself as a stranger." Or, 2. To show the common ill effect of such mixed marriages. When a daughter of Israel would marry an idolatrous malignant Egyptian, what could be the fruit of such a marriage but a blasphemer? For the children will be apt to take after the worse side, whichsoever it is, and will sooner learn of an Egyptian father to blaspheme than of an Israelitish mother to pray and praise.
II. The occasion of the offence was contention: He strove with a man of Israel. The mixed multitude of Egyptians that came up with Israel (Ex 12:38) were in many ways hurtful to them, and this was one, they were often the authors of strife. The way to preserve the peace of the church is to preserve the purity of it. In this strife he broke out into ill language. Note, When quarrels begin we know not what mischief they will make before they end, nor how treat a matter a little fire may kindle. When men's passion is up they are apt to forget both their reason and their religion, which is a good reason why we should not be apt either to give or to resent provocation, but leave off strife before it be meddled with, because the beginning of it is as the letting forth of water.
III. The offence itself was blasphemy and cursing, Le 24:11. It is supposed that his cause came to be heard before the judges, who determined that he had no right to the privileges of an Israelite, his father being an Egyptian, and that, being enraged at the sentence, 1. He blasphemed the name of the Lord. He blasphemed the name, that is, he blasphemed God, who is known by his name only, not by his nature, or any similitude. Not as if God were a mere name, but his is a name above every name. The translators add of the Lord, which is implied, but not expressed, in the original, for the greater reverence of the divine Majesty: it is a shame that it should be found on record that the very name of Jehovah should be blasphemed; tell it not in Gath. It is a fond conceit of the superstitious Jews that his blasphemy was in pronouncing the name of Jehovah, which they call ineffable: he that made himself known by that name never forbade the calling of him by that name. It is probable that finding himself aggrieved by the divine appointment, which separated between the Israelites and strangers, he impudently reproached both the law and the Law-maker, and set him at defiance. 2. He cursed either God himself (and then his cursing was the same with blaspheming) or the person with whom he strove. Imprecations of mischief are the hellish language of hasty passion, as well as of rooted malice. Or perhaps he cursed the judges that gave sentence against him; he flew in the face of the court, and ridiculed the processes of it; thus he added sin to sin.
IV. The caution with which he was proceeded against for this sin. The witnesses or inferior judges brought him and his case (which was somewhat extraordinary) unto Moses (Le 24:11), according to the order settled (Ex 18:22), and Moses himself would not give judgment hastily, but committed the offender into custody, till he had consulted the oracle in this case. Note, Judges must deliberate; both those that give the verdict and those that give the sentence must consider diligently what they do, and do nothing rashly, for the judgment is God's (De 1:17), and before him there will be a rehearing of the cause. They waited to know what was the mind of the Lord, whether he was to be put to death by the hand of the magistrate or to be left to the judgment of God: or, rather, they wanted to know whether he should be stoned, as those were to be that only cursed their parents (Le 20:9), or whether, the crime being so much greater, some sorer punishment should be inflicted on him. Note, Those that sit in judgment should sincerely desire, and by prayer and the use of all good means should endeavour to know the mind of the Lord, because they judge for him (2Ch 19:6) and to him they are accountable.
V. Sentence passed upon this offender by the righteous Judge of heaven and earth himself: Let all the congregation stone him, Le 24:14. God could have cut him off by an immediate stroke from heaven, but he would put this honour upon the institution of magistracy to make use of it for the supporting and vindicating of his own glory in the world. Observe, 1. The place of execution appointed: Bring him forth without the camp. To signify their detestation of the crime, they must thus cast out the criminal as an abominable branch, and separate him from them as an unclean thing and unworthy a place in the camp of Israel. 2. The executioners: Let all the congregation do it, to show their zeal for the honour of God's name. Every man should have a stone to throw at him that blasphemes God, reckoning himself nearly concerned in the reproaches cast on God, Ps 69:9. Thus also the greater terror would be cast upon the congregation; those that once helped to stone a blasphemer would ever after dread every thing that bordered upon blasphemy, that looked like it or looked towards it. 3. The solemnity of the execution; before the congregation stoned him, the witnesses were to lay their hands upon his head. The Jews say that this was used in the execution of no criminals but blasphemers; and that it was done with words to this purport, "Thy blood be upon thy own head, for thou thyself hast occasioned it. Let no blame be laid on the law, judges, juries, or witnesses; if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it."
VI. A standing law made upon this occasion for the stoning of blasphemers, Le 24:15,16. Magistrates are the guardians of both tables, and ought to be as jealous for the honour of God against those that speak contemptuously of his being and government as for the public peace and safety against the disturbers of them. 1. A great stress is laid upon this law, as in no case to be dispensed with: He shall surely be put to death; they shall certainly stone him. Those that lightly esteemed God's honour might think it hard to make a man an offender for a word (words are but wind); but God would let them know that they must not make light of such words as these, which come from malice against God in the heart of him that speaks, and must occasion either great guilt or great grief to those that hear. 2. It is made to extend to the strangers that sojourned among them, as well as those that were born in the land. God never made any law to compel strangers to be circumcised and embrace the Jewish religion (proselytes made by force would be no honour to the God of Israel), but he made a law to restrain strangers from speaking evil of the God of Israel. 3. He that was put to death for blasphemy is said to bear his sin, in the punishment of it; no sacrifice being appointed, on the head of which the sin might be transferred, he himself was to bear it upon his own head, as a sacrifice to divine justice. So his own tongue fell upon him (Ps 64:8), and the tongue of a blasphemer will fall heavily.
VII. A repetition of some other laws annexed to this new law. 1. That murder should be punished with death (Le 24:17, and again Le 24:21), according to an ancient law in Noah's time (Ge 9:6), and the very law of nature, Ge 4:10. 2. That maimers should in like manner be punished by the law of retaliation, Le 24:19,20. Not that men might in these cases be their own avengers, but they might appeal to the civil magistrate, who should award suffering to the injurious and satisfaction to the injured as should be thought fit in proportion to the hurt done. This law we had before, Ex 22:4,5. And it was more agreeable to that dispensation, in which were revealed the rigour of the law and what sin deserved, than to the dispensation we are under, in which are revealed the grace of the gospel and the remission of sins: and therefore our Saviour has set aside this law (Mt 5:38,39), not to restrain magistrates from executing public justice, but to restrain us all from returning personal injuries and to oblige us to forgive as we are and hope to be forgiven. 3. That hurt done wilfully to a neighbour's cattle should be punished by making good the damage, Le 24:18,21. Thus the divine law took not only their lives, but their goods also under its protection. Those beasts which belonged to no particular person, but were, as our law speaks, ferae naturae—of a wild nature, it was lawful for them to kill; but not those which any man had a property in. Does God take care for oxen? Yes; for our sakes he does. 4. That strangers, as well as native Israelites, should be both entitled to the benefit of this law, so as not to suffer wrong, and liable to the penalty of this law in case they did wrong. And, it should seem, this is it that brings in these laws here, to show how equitable it was that strangers as well as Israelites should be punished for blasphemy, because strangers as well as Israelites were punishable for other crimes. And there may be this further reason for the recognition of these laws here, God would hereby show what provision he had made for man's safety, in punishing those that were injurious to him, which should be an argument with magistrates to be jealous for his honour, and to punish those that blasphemed his name. If God took care for their comfort, they ought to take care for his glory.
VIII. The execution of the blasphemer. Moses did, as it were, sign the warrant or it: He spoke unto the children of Israel to do it, and they did as the Lord commanded Moses, Le 24:23. This teaches that death is the wages of sin, and that blasphemy in particular is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. But, if those who thus profane the name of God escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgments. This blasphemer was the first that died by the law of Moses. Stephen, the first that died for the gospel, died by the abuse of this law; the martyr and the malefactor suffered the same death: but how vast the difference between them!
本章内容有：I. 重申关于灯台与陈设饼的律例，利24:1-9。II. 有人违背了反对亵渎的律法，并记述了该亵渎者的监禁、审判、定罪与处决，利24:10-14，并利24:23。III. 反对亵渎之律法的重申与强化（利24:15,16），以及若干其他律例，利24:17-23等。