Depriving another person or animal of life, usually by physical force. Scripture identifies various types of killing. While forbidding murder, killing of human beings is permitted in the form of execution and war. Animals may be killed for food or sacrifice, provided that the blood is ritually disposed of.
Murder
Murder prohibited by the sixth commandment
Exodus 20:13 parallel Deuteronomy 5:17
You shall not murder.
Murder prohibited from the time of Noah
See also Genesis 9:5–6; Leviticus 17:11
The life of the murderer is forfeit
Judicial killing
Judicial killing permitted for capital crimes
Exodus 21:12 See also Exodus 22:18–20; Deuteronomy 17:8–13, Deuteronomy 21:18–21, Deuteronomy 22:21–27
Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death.
Executed criminals are under the curse of God
you must not leave the body on the tree overnight, but you must be sure to bury him that day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not defile the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.
Unintentional killing (manslaughter)
The accidental killing of a fellow human being
Exodus 21:13 See also Deuteronomy 4:41–42
If, however, he did not lie in wait, but God allowed it to happen, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.
The provision of cities of refuge to avoid blood revenge
Deuteronomy 19:2–13 Blood revenge, based on Genesis 9:6, refers to the judicial revenge of a family or clan against a man who accidentally kills one of their members.
Killing in war
Killing in a holy war
Killing in other wars
The killing of animals
Regulations for disposal of blood
Leviticus 17:3–7, Leviticus 17:11
Animals may be killed at a distance from the sanctuary
Limitations on the killing of animals
Deuteronomy 22:6–7 This limitation appears to be an attempt to preserve the balance of nature.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.