Sixth Commandment: You shall not murder
Text – Exodus 20:13
Hebrew:
לא תרצח׃
Literal translation:
You shall not murder.
Linguistic and grammatical analysis
·
לֹא (lo):
– Absolute negative particle → “No”.
·
תִרְצָח (tirtzaj):
– Imperfect verb , second person singular .
– Root: רָצַח
(ratzáj) = to murder, to kill with intention or treachery .
– It is not the generic verb for “to kill”, which would be הָרַג (harag) .
This is key: The commandment does not prohibit all forms of
killing , but rather it prohibits intentional, unjust,
premeditated murder .
Differences between “murder” and “kill” in the Torah
The
Torah clearly distinguishes between killing and murder.
Examples:
·
Exodus 21:12 – “Whoever strikes another and dies
will be put to death.” (murder = death penalty)
·
Exodus 21:13 – “But if it was not intentional… I
will appoint a place for him to flee.” (involuntary manslaughter)
·
Numbers 35:16–34 – Instances of murder, revenge,
refuge, and proportional justice are detailed .
There
is also legitimate warfare , just capital
punishment , and self-defense , which are not treated as murder.
易
Literal meaning of the commandment
This
commandment protects innocent human life and
states:
·
That life is sacred , because the human being was
created in the image of God (Genesis 9:6).
·
That taking a life with hatred or premeditation is a
capital sin in the eyes of God.
·
That justice is not personal revenge , but
must be administered according to law.
Spiritual interpretation according to Jesus
Jesus
takes the commandment to a deeper level:
Matthew
5:21–22
“You have heard that it was said…
You shall not murder… but I say to you that anyone who is angry with his
brother… will be subject to judgment.”
Here
Jesus reveals that:
·
Hatred and contempt are the
root of murder.
·
The problem doesn't start with the gun, but with the heart .
·
Unjust anger, insult, emotional contempt , are
spiritual forms of “murdering” one’s neighbor.
Modern application
Although
few commit literal homicide, today there are more subtle forms
of murder :
·
Reputation assassination (gossip, slander, defamation)
·
Induced abortion (a sensitive topic but closely
related to Genesis 9:6)
·
Suicide (attacking the image of God in oneself)
·
Social indifference (not helping when we could prevent
a death – cf. James 4:17)
Furthermore,
in modern culture:
·
The glorification of violence (in entertainment,
politics, ideology)
·
The trivialization of death (desensitization to suffering)
…all
of this calls us to reaffirm the sacred value of human life .
✨ Spiritual dimension of the commandment
|
Dimension |
Explanation |
|
Literal |
Do not kill with
intention, hatred or injustice |
|
Legal |
Proportional
justice, distinction between murder and manslaughter |
|
Spiritual |
Do not hate, do not
despise, do not harbor resentment |
|
Ethics |
Value every human
life as an image of God |
|
Prophetic |
Live as peacemakers,
not agents of destruction (Matthew 5:9) |
GOING DEEPER .
I've brought together several elements that show how serious,
structured, and spiritual the biblical understanding of the
value of life, homicide, and especially abortion is. I've organized these
points with biblical support and context, because each one is key:
1. The commandment
says “You shall not murder” — not “You shall not kill”
The
Hebrew root רָצַח
( ratzaj ) is
specific for voluntary manslaughter or murder , not
for death in general.
The
translation "thou shalt not kill" has
caused confusion, because:
·
The law of Moses allowed just war (Deut. 20).
·
It allowed self-defense (Exodus 22:2).
·
He even mandated the death penalty for certain crimes
(Lev. 20, Ex. 21).
⚠
️ Therefore,
the correct translation should be:
"You shall
not murder" or "You shall not murder"
…that is, you shall not take life unjustly, willfully, or maliciously .
2. The Avenger of
Blood and the Cities of Refuge
This
explanation aligns perfectly with Numbers 35 , Deuteronomy 19 , and Joshua 20. Summary:
·
The avenger of blood (Hebrew:
goel
ha-dam , גֹּאֵל הַדָּם ) was a
close relative authorized to execute justice in case of murder.
·
If the death was accidental, the person responsible
had to flee to a city of refuge .
·
The murderer was to remain there until the death
of the high priest (the chief judge of the people).
This
system had three key objectives:
1.
Contain personal and emotional revenge .
2.
Ensure fair trial and prior investigation .
3.
Demonstrate that even unintentional death carries
serious consequences and requires atonement.
⚖
️ Life
was not relativized: even an accidental death implied restriction,
exile, and waiting — a kind of “civil purgatory.”
3. Genesis 9:6 and
the Noahide Code: A condemnation of abortion
It
is tremendously important and little known to most. Let's
read Genesis 9:6 carefully:
Literal
Hebrew:
(Literal Hebrew: שֹׁפֵךְ דַּם הָאָדָם בָּאָדָם דָּמוֹ יִשָּׁפֵךְ)
Literal
translation (with grammatical emphasis):
"Whoever sheds the blood of man
in man , his blood will be shed, because in the image of God
he made man."
The
phrase “בָּאָדָם” does
not simply say “by the hand of man,” as is usually translated, but literally “in
man .” This can be understood as “within a human being.” From this
perspective, one can see an implicit reference to life within the body of
another human being —as in the case of a fetus in the mother’s womb.
God
forbids the shedding of human blood because human beings were made in His
image and that dignity begins not at birth but from the very beginning
. Thus, this verse can also be interpreted as a warning against abortion,
since shedding blood "within a person" is shedding the blood
of a being created in God's image.
4. The
Protection of Life in the Womb: Exodus 21:22-25
"If men strive together, and hurt a pregnant woman, so that her fruit departeth out of her womb, and yet death followeth; they shall surely be punished according as the woman's husband lay upon them... But if death resulteth, then you shall pay life for life."
This
passage distinguishes between two scenarios:
- If a woman gives birth prematurely but
there is no death, a fine is imposed.
- But if there is death , the life for life principle applies
. (נֶפֶשׁ תַּחַת נָפֶשׁ).
This
indicates that the life of the child in the womb is recognized as a “nefesh”
— a soul or human life , and its loss is not treated as damaged property,
but as a life taken unjustly.
5. God Creates in
Secret: Psalm 139:13–16
"You formed my inward parts;
You made me in my mother's womb...
Your eyes saw my embryo,
and in your book all those things were written
which were then formed,
without missing one of them."
The psalmist recognizes that God not only sees,
but forms, molds, and knows the human being from the embryo (גָּלְמִי – my
undeveloped form). Life in gestation is an active and personal work of God,
carefully written and planned even before birth.
These Three final intertwined texts (Genesis 9:6, Exodus
21:22-25, and Psalm 139:13-16) teach that human life begins in the womb and
belongs to God:
· The
human being is the image of God from the beginning , not just at birth
(Genesis 9:6).
· The
death of a child in the womb is treated as a loss of human life (Exodus
21:22–25).
· God
is intimately involved in the formation of the person in the womb (Psalm
139:13–16).
Therefore, Scripture powerfully proclaims the value
and dignity of human life at all stages, even before birth. Abortion, seen
through this biblical lens, is not a neutral interruption, but a transgression
against the image of God itself.
4. Abortions before
the flood?
Very reasonable deduction and in harmony with the
moral degeneration described in Genesis 6 :
Genesis 6:12,
“And God saw the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had
corrupted their way upon the earth.” (All flesh; not only referring to
the descendants of Cain, but encompasses the sons of God, the fallen, and the
beasts. They had all corrupted or destroyed [Strong's h7843, shachath] their
course of life, their way, their own ways, etc. Sexual perversion among
men and with animals and disruption of proper ways or life cycles: abortion !!!.)
·
“All flesh had corrupted its way on the earth” (Gen.
6:12)
·
It was not just about social violence, but about corruption of
human design , including practices such as:
o
abortion
o
zoophilia
o
genetic manipulation
o
contempt for human life and natural procreation
This explains why God says after the flood:
“For in the image of God he made
man” (Genesis 9:6)
— as a reminder to curb future corruption.
✨ Spiritual and ethical conclusion
|
Principle |
Biblical Foundation |
Application |
|
Human life is sacred |
Genesis 1:27; 9:6 |
All life, even that of the unborn, is the image of
God |
|
You shall not murder |
Exodus 20:13; root "ratzaj" |
Includes abortion, hate, premeditated violence |
|
Justice for
accidental death |
Numbers 35; Deut. 19 |
Even without intention, life demands atonement |
|
The blood of the
unborn cries out |
Genesis 4:10 (Cain and Abel) |
God hears the cry of innocent blood |
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