Topical Encyclopedia
In the context of the Mosaic Law, the term "strangers" refers to non-Israelites residing among the Israelites. The Law provided specific guidelines on how these individuals were to be treated and how they were to conduct themselves within the community. One significant aspect of this was the regulation concerning blasphemy, which was considered a grave offense against God.
The Mosaic Law was explicit in its application to both Israelites and strangers alike when it came to the sin of blasphemy.
Leviticus 24:16 states, "Whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD must surely be put to death. The whole congregation must stone him, whether he is a foreign resident or a native. If he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death." This passage underscores the seriousness with which blasphemy was regarded and the equal application of the law to all members of the community, regardless of their ethnic or national origin.
The inclusion of strangers in this law highlights the expectation that those who lived among the Israelites were to respect and adhere to the religious and moral standards set forth by God. The law served as a means of maintaining the sanctity and purity of the community, ensuring that the reverence for God's name was upheld by all who dwelt within the land.
The equal application of the law to both Israelites and strangers reflects the broader principle found in the Mosaic Law that there was to be one law for both the native-born and the foreigner. This is further emphasized in passages such as
Numbers 15:15-16, which states, "The assembly is to have the same statute for both you and the foreign resident; it is a permanent statute for the generations to come. You and the foreigner shall be the same before the LORD. The same law and the same ordinance will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing with you."
The severity of the punishment for blasphemy, as prescribed in the Mosaic Law, underscores the importance of honoring God's name and the expectation that all members of the community, including strangers, were to live in accordance with His commandments. This reflects the broader theological understanding that God's holiness and the reverence due to Him were paramount, transcending ethnic and cultural boundaries.
Nave's Topical Index
Leviticus 24:16And he that blasphemes the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemes the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.
Nave's Topical Index
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