And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
Parallel translations
- WEB “‘But if he struck him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death.
- BSB If, however, anyone strikes a person with an iron object and kills him, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.
- NKJV ‘But if he strikes him with an iron implement, so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.
- NASB ‘But if he struck him with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death.
- NLT “But if someone strikes and kills another person with a piece of iron, it is murder, and the murderer must be executed.
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
One who strikes another fatally with an iron instrument is a murderer and must be put to death. Deliberate killing with a weapon brings the death penalty.
Overview
The use of a deadly iron implement indicated intent, marking the act as murder rather than accident. The required penalty upheld the sanctity of human life made in God's image (Genesis 9:6). This law shows the seriousness with which God regards the unlawful taking of life and the justice He demands.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Lev 24:17And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.
- 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:
- Num 35:22–24But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,
- Gen 9:5–6And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.
- Num 35:30–33Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.
- Exod 21:12–14He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 35:16 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.