This verse emphasizes the inviolable holiness of God’s name and the reverence demanded from all who dwell among His people.
When addressing the sin of blasphemy, Leviticus draws a stark boundary around the sanctity of God’s name. Thus we read in Leviticus 24:16: “Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.” (v.16). In the larger context of ancient Israel’s covenant with the LORD, this law demonstrates how seriously the community was to regard the holiness of God’s name. The entire congregation, including both native-born Israelites and any foreigners living among them, was commanded to uphold the same standard, emphasizing that reverence for the LORD’s name transcended ethnic and national boundaries.
Moses, serving in this era around approximately 1445 B.C., was God’s chosen leader through whom these laws were communicated to Israel. While Moses himself is not explicitly named in this verse, he is part of the surrounding narrative in which the LORD spoke to him on Mount Sinai after the Exodus from Egypt (c. 1446 B.C.). This decree followed Israel’s deliverance and the establishment of a new societal framework, underscoring the principle that God’s sacred name was to be honored above all. Blasphemy—or speaking evil of the Divine name—struck at the core of covenant identity and worship, calling for a severe penalty to maintain corporate holiness.
From a broader biblical perspective, the focus on honoring God’s name emerges again in the New Testament context, where Jesus Himself references the holiness of His Father’s name (Matthew 6:9) and is later accused of blasphemy when He declares His own divinity (Mark 14:61-64). This consistency underscores that reverence for God’s name remains a central theme throughout Scripture, illustrating God’s desire for wholehearted devotion and respect from His people.
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Leviticus 24:16 meaning
When addressing the sin of blasphemy, Leviticus draws a stark boundary around the sanctity of God’s name. Thus we read in Leviticus 24:16: “Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.” (v.16). In the larger context of ancient Israel’s covenant with the LORD, this law demonstrates how seriously the community was to regard the holiness of God’s name. The entire congregation, including both native-born Israelites and any foreigners living among them, was commanded to uphold the same standard, emphasizing that reverence for the LORD’s name transcended ethnic and national boundaries.
Moses, serving in this era around approximately 1445 B.C., was God’s chosen leader through whom these laws were communicated to Israel. While Moses himself is not explicitly named in this verse, he is part of the surrounding narrative in which the LORD spoke to him on Mount Sinai after the Exodus from Egypt (c. 1446 B.C.). This decree followed Israel’s deliverance and the establishment of a new societal framework, underscoring the principle that God’s sacred name was to be honored above all. Blasphemy—or speaking evil of the Divine name—struck at the core of covenant identity and worship, calling for a severe penalty to maintain corporate holiness.
From a broader biblical perspective, the focus on honoring God’s name emerges again in the New Testament context, where Jesus Himself references the holiness of His Father’s name (Matthew 6:9) and is later accused of blasphemy when He declares His own divinity (Mark 14:61-64). This consistency underscores that reverence for God’s name remains a central theme throughout Scripture, illustrating God’s desire for wholehearted devotion and respect from His people.