The Eighth Commandment: Statutes and Precepts (16)
Leviticus 24.21a
“And whoever kills an animal shall restore it…”
Leviticus 24.18
“Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, animal for animal.”
These statutes seem to address a situation in which one person is responsible for the death of another’s animal, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Stealing does not appear to be in view, only the death of an animal. In this case, the requirement of justice is only that the dead animal be replaced, whereas, had stealing been involved, more restoration would be required.
We may assume that these statutes apply to other forms of property where damage is done, with or without intent – a child’s baseball through a neighbor’s window, for example, or even in the case of an automobile accident.
T. M. Moore
The Law of God is the soil which, fertilized by the rest of God’s Word and watered by His Spirit, brings forth the fruit of Christian life. If you’d like to understand this process better, and how to make best use of the Law in your walk with and work for the Lord, order the book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, from our online store.
Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
