BibleProject · 6th Commandment: Do Not Kill

1. 1. The Sixth Commandment, "Don't kill" (Hebrew: *rasah*), serves as a blanket prohibition against ending any life, encompassing both intentional and unintentional acts.
2. 2. The command to "Don't kill" functions as wisdom literature, posing a stark prohibition that forces the audience to deeply consider the ultimate value of human life.
3. 3. God is presented as the sole originator and giver of all life, delegating to humans the responsibility to care for and oversee it as His image bearers.
4. 4. Cain's murder of Abel is depicted as a "cosmic rupture" because human life, being made in the image of God, is too precious for anyone to take away without divine authorization.
5. 5. Cain's act initiates a degrading spiral of violence, exemplified by his descendant Lamech, who glorifies taking life to defend personal honor and status.
6. 6. After the Flood, God permits humans to eat animals but institutes a strict rule against consuming blood, as it represents the animal's life, to instill respect for all life.
7. 7. The Bible presents an inherent paradox in capital punishment: it is permitted as a just response to taking human life, yet it requires one human to take another's life.
8. 8. The fundamental purpose of all God's commands, including "Don't kill," is to protect, preserve, and promote the flourishing of life.