Murder

The unlawful killing of individual human beings, forbidden by God and carrying the threat of severe punishment.

Murder forbidden by the law

Exodus 20:13 parallel Deuteronomy 5:17 See also Matthew 5:21, Matthew 19:18 parallels Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20; Romans 13:9; 1 Timothy 1:9; James 2:11–12

You shall not murder.

Murder is to be punished

Punishment by death

Exodus 21:12 See also Genesis 9:6; Leviticus 24:17, Leviticus 24:21; Numbers 35:16–21, Numbers 35:31; Deuteronomy 19:11–13

Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death.

Punishment by banishing

Genesis 4:13–14 See also Proverbs 28:17

But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”

Punishment by exclusion from the kingdom

Revelation 21:8, Revelation 22:15

Unintentional murderers are protected from avengers

Numbers 35:11 See also Numbers 35:22–29, Numbers 35:32; Joshua 21:13, Joshua 21:21, Joshua 21:27, Joshua 21:32, Joshua 21:38

designate cities to serve as your cities of refuge, so that a person who kills someone unintentionally may flee there.

Witnesses are required before murder is proven

Numbers 35:30 See also Deuteronomy 17:6, Deuteronomy 19:15; Hebrews 10:28

If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be put to death on the testimony of the witnesses. But no one is to be put to death based on the testimony of a lone witness.

Unpremeditated murder

Numbers 35:22–24 See also Exodus 21:13; Deuteronomy 4:41–44, Deuteronomy 19:4; Joshua 20:1–3

But if anyone pushes a person suddenly, without hostility, or throws an object at him unintentionally, or without looking drops a heavy stone that kills him, but he was not an enemy and did not intend to harm him, then the congregation must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances.

Premeditated motives of murder

Jealousy

Genesis 4:8 See also 1 John 3:12

Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Lust

2 Samuel 12:9–10 Many motives contributed to David's plan to remove Uriah. It began with lust. See also 2 Samuel 11:1–17

Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own. You have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’

Rebellion and power

2 Kings 12:20 See also Judges 3:21; 2 Kings 9:14, 2 Kings 9:24, 2 Kings 19:36–37

And the servants of Joash rose up and formed a conspiracy and killed him at Beth-millo, on the road down to Silla.

To remove opponents

1 Kings 2:25 See also Judges 9:1–6; 2 Samuel 20:9–10; 2 Chronicles 21:4

So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died.

To take revenge

2 Samuel 13:28–29 See also Exodus 2:11–13; 2 Samuel 3:27, 2 Samuel 4:1–8

Now Absalom had ordered his young men, “Watch Amnon until his heart is merry with wine, and when I order you to strike Amnon down, you are to kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant!” So Absalom’s young men did to Amnon just as Absalom had ordered. Then all the other sons of the king got up, and each one fled on his mule.

Robbery

Proverbs 1:11–13 See also Luke 10:30

If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause, let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.

Persecution

Matthew 24:9 parallel Luke 21:12–17 See also 2 Chronicles 21:13; Job 24:14; Proverbs 29:10; Matthew 14:6–11, Matthew 23:30–37; Mark 3:6; Acts 2:23, Acts 7:54–60; 2 Timothy 4:6

Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.

Murder as an attitude as well as an action

Matthew 5:21–22 See also Matthew 15:19; John 8:44; 1 John 3:15

You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.

Murderers can be pardoned

Unjustly

Luke 23:25 parallels Matthew 27:15–17, Mark 15:6–11, John 18:39–40 See also Acts 3:14

As they had requested, he released the one imprisoned for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over to their will.

Justly--through God's grace

2 Samuel 12:9–13; Acts 26:10; 1 Timothy 1:13–15 See also Exodus 2:12–3:12; Acts 7:58, Acts 8:3, Acts 9:1, Acts 9:13, Acts 22:4; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Ephesians 3:8

Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own. You have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ This is what the LORD says: ‘I will raise up adversity against you from your own house. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to another, and he will lie with them in broad daylight. You have acted in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’” Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” “The LORD has taken away your sin,” Nathan replied. “You will not die.

And that is what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them.

I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy. And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.