But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
Parallel translations
- WEB If a man schemes and comes presumptuously on his neighbor to kill him, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
- BSB But if a man schemes and acts willfully against his neighbor to kill him, you must take him away from My altar to be put to death.
- ESV But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
- NKJV “But if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you shall take him from My altar, that he may die.
- NASB If, however, someone is enraged against his neighbor, so as to kill him in a cunning way, you are to take him even from My altar, to be put to death.
- NLT However, if someone deliberately kills another person, then the slayer must be dragged even from my altar and be put to death.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A man who murders by scheming presumption is to be taken even from the altar to die. No religious refuge shields deliberate murder from justice.
Overview
Premeditated murder receives no sanctuary, not even at God's altar; justice must be done. The law refuses to let religion become a cover for willful evil. This shows that God's mercy never excuses unrepentant sin, and true refuge from judgment is found only in Christ, not in mere external religion.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- 1 Kgs 2:28–34Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
- Heb 10:26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
- Num 15:30–31But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
- Deut 19:11–13But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:
- Deut 18:22When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
- Ps 19:13Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
- Num 35:20–21But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die;
- 2 Sam 3:27And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
- Deut 17:12–13And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.
- Deut 1:43So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD, and went presumptuously up into the hill.
- 1 Kgs 1:50–51And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
- 2 Kgs 11:15But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD.
- 2 Pet 2:10But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
- 2 Sam 20:9–10And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.
- Deut 27:24Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 21:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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