The sixth commandment is short, but it reaches into every part of life. God forbids the unjust taking of life and the neglect to preserve life. We are to preserve our own life as well as our neighbor’s. The commandment refers to the unjust killing of humans, animals, and destroying their property. The commandment is,
“You shall not kill.” (Ex. 20:13 RSV)
The commandment is also translated as,
“You shall not murder.” (Ex. 20:13 NAS)
The Bible teaches that killing anything unlawfully is against Gods Law. The Hebrew word for murder is “ratsach” which meansto murder or slay. The word kill is “harag” which means to kill or slay. Murdering has the same connotation as killing. Some will argue that the sixth commandment is only addressing the killing of humans in a premeditated way. The commandment is established to prevent the unlawful killing of humans, animals, vegetation and property.
When God created man, He charged man to rule over all life on earth. This means to preserve life and take care of it.
“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Gen 1:26-28 NAS)
There are degrees of murder in the Bible.
Factors considered when a person is killed are Intent, circumstances, and negligence. Scripture does more than say, “You shall not murder.” God distinguishes killing based on intent, circumstance, and negligence. The Law also assigns proportionate penalties and upholds lawful defenses.
First degree murders are intentional or premeditated.
Murder planned with craft or committed in hatred or ambush is capital murder. Murders that are committed while “lying in wait” from past time hatred are murders of the first degree.
“But if any man hates his neighbor, and lies in wait for him, and attacks him, and wounds him mortally so that he dies, and the man flees into one of these cities, then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood, so that he may die. Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, so that it may be well with you.” (Deut 19:11-13 RSV)
These murders are schemed, treacherous killings.
“If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily, you are to take him evenfrom My altar, that he may die.” (Exo 21:14 NAS)
An example of premeditated murder is when David sent Uriah to the front line of battle knowing he would be killed.
“Now it came about in the morning that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he had written in the letter, saying, “Place Uriah in the front line of the fiercest battle and withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and die.” (2Sa 11:14-15 NAS)
Another example is when Jezebel brought false charges to Naboth in order to seize his vineyard for Ahab.
“Now she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth at the head of the people; and seat two worthless men before him, and let them testify against him, saying, ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death… Then the two worthless men came in and sat before him; and the worthless men testified against him, even against Naboth, before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones.” (1Ki 21:9-10,13 NAS)
Willful, deliberate killing, especially with deceit or ambush, incurs the most severe judgment which is the death penalty. This includes the killing of infants and abortion.
“He said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live…” Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile…” (Exo 1:16, 22 NAS)
Deliberately killing an innocent person, including a child in the womb or at birth, is first-degree murder. Pharaoh’s order to kill the Hebrew baby boys was first-degree murder in mass.
Second degree murders are intentional killing without premeditation.
Intentional killing arises from anger or hostility, even without elaborate planning but still remains a murder. A second degree murder is with enmity and hatred and not an accident.
“If he struck him down with his hand in enmity, and as a result he died, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death, he is a murderer; the blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.” (Num 35:21 NAS)
If a person commits a sudden deadly assault that was not premeditated, he is tried as a murderer and gets the death penalty.
“He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.” (Exo 21:12 NAS)
The greatest example of second degree murder is Cain and Abel.
“And Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.” (Gen 4:8 NAS)
If someone kills another person out of anger or hostility it breaks the sixth commandment.
Negligent killings come from extreme recklessness or “depraved indifference.”
When someone knows a deadly risk and refuses to restrain it, resulting death rises to the level of blood-guilt comparable to murder. An example is the known dangerous ox. If an ox is known to gore and the owner doesn’t confine it, and it kills someone, the ox must be stoned and the owner faces death or a court-set ransom. This counts as extreme recklessness.
“If, however, an ox was previously in the habit of goring, and its owner has been warned, yet he does not confine it, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death. “If a ransom is demanded of him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is demanded of him. “Whether it gores a son or a daughter, it shall be done to him according to the same rule. (Exo 21:29-31 NAS)
Architectural negligence can kill. When a householder fails to add basic safety features and a person falls and is injured or killed, God assigns bloodguilt because the risk was known and could have been prevented.
“When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone falls from it.” (Deut 22:8 NAS)
Foreseeability and refusal to act places a negligent person under severe liability before God.
Deaths that occur during a wrongdoing is a “felony murder.”
A person is responsible if a death happens during their wrongdoing, even without intent to kill. In the case of men fighting who kill an unborn child or injure a pregnant woman, any resulting harm is judged by “life for life.” The death is tied to their violent act.
“And if men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she has a miscarriage, yet there is no further injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him; and he shall pay as the judges decide. “But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.” (Exo 21:22-25 NAS)
When a death results from someone’s crime or reckless behavior, lack of intent doesn’t remove the guilt. They are criminally responsible for the death or injury.
Accidents and unintentional killings are called “manslaughter.”
Killings without hatred, malice, or intent that are true accidents, are treated differently.
“As when a man goes into the forest with his friend to cut wood, and his hand swings the axe to cut down the tree, and the iron head slips off the handle and strikes his friend so that he dies– he may flee to one of these cities and live; lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer in the heat of his anger, and overtake him, because the way is long, and take his life, though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated him previously.” (Deut 19:4-6 NAS)
If he pushed “without enmity,” or cast a stone “without seeing,” it is not murder; cities of refuge protect until judgment (Num 35:22–25). God distinguishes between an accident from malice and an intentional killing. He provides both mercy and justice.
Justified killings, war and other deaths are not considered a crime.
In the case of self-defense or the defense of others, killing may not be a crime. For example, If a thief is struck at night and dies, there is no bloodguilt.
“If the thief is caught while breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there will be no bloodguiltiness on his account.” (Exo 22:2 NAS)
In defense of another, the death of the attacker counts as a justifiable homicide.
“Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.” (Psa 82:3-4 NAS)
“Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are staggering to slaughter, O hold them back.” (Prov 24:11 NAS)
Necessary, proportionate defense in grave danger is a justified killing. In addition, lawful execution or capital punishment after due process is not murder but public justice.
“Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.” (Gen 9:6 NAS)
“For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.” (Rom 13:3-4 NAS)
When God expressly commands a war, the taking of life in that context is judged lawful, not murderous. The Bible consistently distinguishes divinely authorized warfare from prohibited shedding of innocent blood.
“So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines, and deliver Keilah.” But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines?” Then David inquired of the LORD once more. And the LORD answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” (1Sa 23:2-4 NAS)
Accomplices and conspiracy are equally guilty in killing.
If a person hires or directs someone to kill another, that person is “aiding and abetting” the killer. King David wrote a letter to Joab to arrange the killing of Uriah.
“Nathan then said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul. ‘I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these! ‘Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.” (2Sa 12:7-9 NAS)
Even though David did not kill Uriah himself, he was still responsible for Uriah’s murder.
Unlawful killing includes animals.
God’s law does not only forbid killing humans; it also forbids taking the life of an animal. There are penalties and restitution when any life is taken unjustly.
Intentionally killing an animal is against God’s Law.
Killing a person’s animal intentionally is an unlawful killing. Nathan’s parable tells of a rich man who, instead of using his own flock, stole a poor man’s beloved ewe to feed a guest, prompting David to declare that the man deserves to die and must repay fourfold.
“There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor. “The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. “But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nourished… And was like a daughter to him. “Now a traveler came to the rich man, And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd, To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him; Rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. “And he must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.” (2Sa 12:1-6 NAS)
If someone kills another person’s animal, they must repay four times the number of animals that were killed.
“If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.” (Exo 22:1 NAS)
It is unlawful to kill an animal due to negligence.
Killing someone else’s animal without cause is a civil wrong and requires full repayment, value for value.
“And if a man opens a pit, or digs a pit and does not cover it over, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he shall give money to its owner, and the dead animalshall become his.” (Exo 21:33-34 NAS)
Whoever kills someone’s animal must repay it, life for life, creating a clear money liability for unjust killing.
“And the one who takes the life of an animal shall make it good, life for life.” (Lev 24:18 NAS)
When an animal dies, is injured, or is stolen while in someone else’s care, the law separates intent from negligence. Sometimes the caretaker must pay; in unavoidable accidents, he may be cleared.
“If a man gives his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep for him, and it dies or is hurt or is driven away while no one is looking, an oath before the LORD shall be made by the two of them, that he has not laid hands on his neighbor’s property; and its owner shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution. “But if it is actually stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner. “If it is all torn to pieces, let him bring it as evidence; he shall not make restitution for what has been torn to pieces.” (Exo 22:10-13 NAS)
Scripture guards “lesser life” because it sustains human life. Unjustly killing an animal wrongs the image-bearer who owns and depends on it.
It is against Gods law to kill or slaughter an animal for sport only.
Because life belongs to God, Israel’s worship laws set where and how animals could be killed. Breaking those rules brought bloodguilt. Killing animals outside God’s appointed place was unlawful.
“Any man from the house of Israel who slaughters an ox, or a lamb, or a goat in the camp, or who slaughters it outside the camp, and has not brought it to the doorway of the tent of meeting to present it as an offering to the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD, bloodguiltiness is to be reckoned to that man. He has shed blood and that man shall be cut off from among his people.” (Lev 17:3-4 NAS)
Killing a herd animal (ox, lamb, goat) without bringing it to the sanctuary as an offering, counts as bloodshed and brings guilt. The law also forbids killing for sport or waste, game must be taken for food.
The destruction of property and other life is against God’s Law.
God commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves, and that love includes guarding our neighbor’s life and livelihood. Scripture treats wanton property destruction not merely as theft but as an attack on a person’s ability to live. Theft takes; destruction in some cases can never be restored. It is vengeful, negligent, and life-destroying.
Arson and reckless Fire is unlawful killing.
Careless fire that destroys crops is unlawful. The offender owes full restitution because harvest, seed, and soil fertility are the neighbor’s livelihood.
“If a fire breaks out and spreads to thorn bushes, so that stacked grain or the standing grain or the field itself is consumed, he who started the fire shall surely make restitution.” (Exo 22:6 NAS)
Samson’s burning of Philistine fields dramatically shows the ruin fire causes.
“And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned the foxes tail to tail, and put one torch in the middle between two tails. When he had set fire to the torches, he released the foxes into the standing grain of the Philistines, thus burning up both the shocks and the standing grain, along with the vineyards and groves. Then the Philistines said, “Who did this?” And they said, “Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he took his wife and gave her to his companion.” So the Philistines came up and burned her and her father with fire.” (Jdg 15:4-6 NAS)
Samson’s actions of burning the crops resulted in the Philistines executing Samson’s wife and her father from Timnah. Samson violated God’s Law by destroying crops, even in wartime.
“When you besiege a city a long time, to make war against it in order to capture it, you shall not destroy its trees by swinging an axe against them; for you may eat from them, and you shall not cut them down. For is the tree of the field a man, that it should be besieged by you? “Only the trees which you know are not fruit trees you shall destroy and cut down, that you may construct siegeworks against the city that is making war with you until it falls.” (Deut 20:19-20 NAS)
It is forbidden by God to ruin the plants that people and creatures depend on.
Grazing damage and destruction of trees and crops are killing.
Property can be destroyed without touching it, by turning animals loose. The law holds the owner responsible for grazing damage and requires restitution from the best of his produce, not leftovers.
“If a man lets a field or vineyard be grazed bare and lets his animal loose so that it grazes in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard.” (Exo 22:5 NAS)
God forbids tearing up a neighbor’s fields, cutting down their trees, or harming any life on their property.
God commands all humanity to preserving life.
God commands all “careful studies, and lawful endeavors” to protect and promote life, first our own (Eph. 5:28–29) and then our neighbor’s (1 Kings 18:4). The Rich man and Lazarus are a prime example of neglecting to preserve life.
“Now there was a certain rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, gaily living in splendor every day. “And a certain poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. “Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. “And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom” (Luke 16:19-23 NAS)
Resist murderous thoughts and plans (Jer. 26:15–16; Acts 23:12, 16–17, 21, 27). Subdue unruly passions. Control anger, wrath, and resentment. Scripture calls us to govern emotion (Eph. 4:26–27). Avoid occasions, temptations, and practices that endanger life. Take reasonable precautions in your home and work. Think about safety for yourself and others (Deut. 22:8). Refuse peer-pressure that lures you into violence or reckless ventures (Matt. 4:6–7; Prov. 1:10–11, 15–16). Have a peaceful and content heart to reduce strife and preserve life in community (Prov. 23:20; 1 Thess. 4:11; 1 Pet. 3:3–4; Ps. 37:8, 11; Prov. 17:22). Preserving life is not only about emergencies; it is about everyday love that prevents wounds and heals communities.