Exodus 21:17
“Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Exodus 21:17
“Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse highlights that "cursing" a parent was considered so severe it carried the death penalty, on par with blaspheming God. This wasn't just about harsh words, but a deep-seated disrespect that attacked the very foundation of family and divine order.
This passage is part of a larger section of laws in Exodus detailing how justice should be carried out, following the Ten Commandments. It addresses serious offenses like murder and assault, and then transitions to offenses specifically concerning family honor, highlighting that disrespect or curses directed at parents are considered grave offenses with capital punishment. The laws here establish foundational principles for a just society, demonstrating God's concern for both life and the integrity of family relationships.
What does it mean to 'curse' your parents in God's eyes? The penalty here is severe, suggesting a transgression of immense weight.
This law doesn't just address hateful slander; it speaks to a deep-seated disrespect and rebellion against the foundational authority God established.
Honouring God's Design
God ordained parents as His representatives in the home. To curse them was to curse the very authority and order He put in place. It was an attack on divine structure itself.
Words Have Consequences
Cursing, in this context, goes beyond mere insults. It implies invoking harm, wishing ill, or speaking with profound contempt that seeks to undermine the parent's dignity and God-given role. The penalty highlights that such verbal rebellion carries spiritual weight.
Why such an extreme punishment for words? This law reveals something profound about God's view of family and authority.
The death penalty for cursing parents signals that this sin is considered akin to blasphemy – an offense against God Himself, not just a social faux pas.
Attack on God's Order
God established the parent-child relationship as sacred. To curse a parent was to disregard God's appointed authority in the home, essentially rejecting His rule.
The Tongue's Power
This severe consequence underscores the immense power of the tongue. The law recognized that words could incite, destroy, and represent a heart far from God's ways. This was a sin of rebellion that God would not tolerate within the covenant community.
Understand the original words
qalal · Hebrew Verb
To treat with contempt, to vilify, or to invoke divine judgment against someone. In the context of parents, it signifies a rejection of the God-ordained authority structure established in the Fifth Commandment.
This passage directly parallels the command in Exodus, reiterating the death penalty for cursing one's parents, emphasizing the seriousness of this offense in God's eyes.
Proverbs 20:20While not prescribing the death penalty, this proverb highlights the severe consequences of cursing one's parents, stating their lamp will go out, symbolizing ruin and darkness.
Matthew 15:4Jesus quotes this very law, but broadens its application to include neglecting the needs of aging parents under the guise of religious offering, showing the enduring principle of honoring parents.
Deuteronomy 27:16This verse presents a similar curse against those who dishonor their father or mother, underscoring the persistent theme throughout the Law of the deep offense caused by such disrespect.
gillExodus 21:17: "And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death."
And he that curseth his father, or his mother,.... Though he does not smite them with his hand, or with any instrument in it, yet if he smites them with his tongue, reviles and reproaches them, speaks evil of them, wishes dreadful imprecations upon them, curses them by the name explained, as the Targum of Jonathan calls it, by the name Jehovah, wishing the Lord would curse them, or that his curse might…
cambridgeExodus 21:17: "And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death."
17 . Cursing a parent. Comp. Deuteronomy 27:16 , Leviticus 20:9 (H): also Proverbs 20:20 ; Proverbs 30:17 . In the LXX. this verse stands more suitably immediately after v. 15. It is cited in Matthew 15:4 = Mark 7:10 . curseth ] a stronger word than the maketh light of, or dishonoureth , of Deuteronomy 27:16 .
This verse highlights that "cursing" a parent was considered so severe it carried the death penalty, on par with blaspheming God. This wasn't just about harsh words, but a deep-seated disrespect that attacked the very foundation of family and divine order.
This passage is part of a larger section of laws in Exodus detailing how justice should be carried out, following the Ten Commandments. It addresses serious offenses like murder and assault, and then transitions to offenses specifically concerning family honor, highlighting that disrespect or curses directed at parents are considered grave offenses with capital punishment. The laws here establish foundational principles for a just society, demonstrating God's concern for both life and the integrity of family relationships.
This passage is part of a larger section of laws in Exodus detailing how justice should be carried out, following the Ten Commandments. It addresses serious offenses like murder and assault, and then transitions to offenses specifically concerning family honor, highlighting that disrespect or curses directed at parents are considered grave offenses with capital punishment. The laws here establish foundational principles for a just society, demonstrating God's concern for both life and the integrity of family relationships.
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"“Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death." — This verse highlights that "cursing" a parent was considered so severe it carried the death penalty, on par with blaspheming God. This wasn't just about harsh words, but a deep-seated disrespect that…