By Roy B. Blizzard
[13] You shall not murder.
Translation:
You shall not commit premeditated murder.
Comments:
Much misunderstanding has arisen over the years from this passage. Misunderstood and mistranslated, it does not say, "you shall not kill" nor is it an injunction toward pacifism. The literal meaning is "you shall not commit premeditated murder."
The Biblical text and Judaism have both allowed for justifiable homicide. As a matter of fact, in Sanhedren 72A Jewish law states that, "If one comes to kill you, be first and kill him." The Nation of Israel today considers the preemptive strike in light of this injunction. The reason should be obvious – God created man in His image and declared that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, (1 Corinthians 6:19) and we are to glorify God in our bodies. If we allow ourselves to be destroyed, that means that just that much goodness has been taken away from the world.
The Hebrew word used in this passage is Ratzach (Brown-Driver-Briggs #7523 – Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew English Lexicon and in Strong’s Concordance). Brown-Driver-Briggs emphasizes the meaning of the word as "murder or slay with premeditation." It has nothing to do with justifiable homicide or killing in defense of one’s person, one’s home, or one’s country.
