This verse demonstrates how sin damages an individual’s relationship with God and also affects the broader covenant community.
“The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name and cursed. So they brought him to Moses. (Now his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.)” (Leviticus 24:11)
This verse occurs within the instructions God gave Moses during the Israelites’ time in the wilderness, following their exodus from Egypt under Moses’ leadership, which took place around 1446 BC. Here, the focus is on a man who commits a serious offense: “blasphemed the Name and cursed” (v.11). The phrase “the Name” refers to the holy name of the Lord, indicating a direct spiritual offense. He is promptly brought to Moses, who served as both a civic and spiritual leader for the Israelite community during the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. Moses’ life, traditionally dated from around 1525 BC to 1406 BC, places these events after the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19) and before entering Canaan.
Additionally, the verse provides specific details about the offender’s family. He is identified as “the son of the Israelite woman…(Now his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.)” (v.11). The tribe of Dan was one of the twelve tribes descending from Jacob’s (Israel’s) sons, forming part of the nation’s territorial and familial structure. This detail underscores the personal as well as national implications of the crime. By citing Shelomith’s family line, the writer emphasizes the communal and covenant context in which this blasphemy occurred. In ancient Israel, alignment with a tribe was significant for identity and inheritance, so the shame of this wrongdoing fell not just on the individual but also on his family and tribe, illustrating the collective impact of sin.
The passage highlights the severity of speaking evil of God—an act that transgresses the holiness God requires from His covenant people (Leviticus 19:2). This tension between holy worship and forbidden speech echoes the broader biblical theme that our words reflect our reverence for the Lord, a principle later reiterated by Jesus, who taught the importance of speech originating from a faithful heart (Matthew 12:34).
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Leviticus 24:11 meaning
“The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name and cursed. So they brought him to Moses. (Now his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.)” (Leviticus 24:11)
This verse occurs within the instructions God gave Moses during the Israelites’ time in the wilderness, following their exodus from Egypt under Moses’ leadership, which took place around 1446 BC. Here, the focus is on a man who commits a serious offense: “blasphemed the Name and cursed” (v.11). The phrase “the Name” refers to the holy name of the Lord, indicating a direct spiritual offense. He is promptly brought to Moses, who served as both a civic and spiritual leader for the Israelite community during the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. Moses’ life, traditionally dated from around 1525 BC to 1406 BC, places these events after the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19) and before entering Canaan.
Additionally, the verse provides specific details about the offender’s family. He is identified as “the son of the Israelite woman…(Now his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.)” (v.11). The tribe of Dan was one of the twelve tribes descending from Jacob’s (Israel’s) sons, forming part of the nation’s territorial and familial structure. This detail underscores the personal as well as national implications of the crime. By citing Shelomith’s family line, the writer emphasizes the communal and covenant context in which this blasphemy occurred. In ancient Israel, alignment with a tribe was significant for identity and inheritance, so the shame of this wrongdoing fell not just on the individual but also on his family and tribe, illustrating the collective impact of sin.
The passage highlights the severity of speaking evil of God—an act that transgresses the holiness God requires from His covenant people (Leviticus 19:2). This tension between holy worship and forbidden speech echoes the broader biblical theme that our words reflect our reverence for the Lord, a principle later reiterated by Jesus, who taught the importance of speech originating from a faithful heart (Matthew 12:34).