Now the son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian fatherThis phrase highlights the mixed heritage of the individual, which was significant in the context of Israelite society. The Israelites were a covenant people, and lineage was important for identity and inheritance. The mention of an Egyptian father suggests a connection to the period of slavery in Egypt, as many Israelites had intermarried with Egyptians during their time there. This mixed heritage may have contributed to tensions within the community, as purity of lineage was often emphasized in the Law (
Deuteronomy 23:2-8).
went out among the Israelites
The phrase indicates that the individual was living among the Israelites, suggesting some level of acceptance or integration into the community. However, his mixed parentage might have made him an outsider in certain respects. This situation reflects the broader theme of inclusion and exclusion within the covenant community, which is addressed in various parts of the Old Testament (e.g., Ruth, who was a Moabite, yet became part of the lineage of David and ultimately Jesus).
and a fight broke out in the camp
The camp refers to the encampment of the Israelites during their wilderness journey. This setting is significant as it was a place where the Israelites were learning to live under God's law. The fight indicates a disruption of the peace and order that the law was intended to maintain. Conflicts within the camp were serious matters, as they could threaten the unity and holiness of the community.
between him and an Israelite
This detail emphasizes the conflict between someone of mixed heritage and a full Israelite, possibly highlighting underlying tensions related to identity and belonging. The distinction made here may reflect broader societal issues of acceptance and the challenges faced by those who were not fully part of the covenant community. This incident foreshadows later discussions in the New Testament about the inclusion of Gentiles into the people of God (Acts 10:34-35,Galatians 3:28).
Persons / Places / Events
1.
The Son of an Israelite Woman and an Egyptian FatherThis individual is central to the event in
Leviticus 24:10. He represents a mixed heritage, which is significant in the context of Israelite society and law.
2.
The Israelite CampThe setting for the event, highlighting the communal living and the importance of maintaining order and holiness within the camp.
3.
The FightA conflict arises between the son of the Israelite woman and an Israelite man, setting the stage for the subsequent events and legal proceedings.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Heritage and IdentityThe mixed heritage of the individual in this passage highlights the challenges and tensions within the Israelite community regarding identity and belonging. It prompts reflection on how we view and treat those who are different from us within our communities.
Conflict Resolution in a Godly MannerThe fight that occurs serves as a reminder of the need for godly conflict resolution. Christians are called to seek peace and reconciliation, following the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament.
The Seriousness of BlasphemyAlthough not detailed in verse 10, the subsequent verses address the blasphemy committed. This underscores the seriousness with which God views the misuse of His name and the importance of reverence in our speech.
Community Responsibility and JusticeThe involvement of the community in addressing the wrongdoing highlights the collective responsibility to uphold God's laws and administer justice fairly.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Leviticus 24:10?
2.What does Leviticus 24:10 teach about the consequences of blasphemy in Israel?
3.How does Leviticus 24:10 emphasize the importance of respecting God's name today?
4.What scriptural connections exist between Leviticus 24:10 and the Ten Commandments?
5.How can we apply the lessons from Leviticus 24:10 in our daily lives?
6.In what ways does Leviticus 24:10 highlight the need for community accountability?
7.Why does Leviticus 24:10 emphasize the punishment for blasphemy so severely?
8.How does Leviticus 24:10 reflect the cultural context of ancient Israelite society?
9.What does Leviticus 24:10 reveal about the nature of justice in the Old Testament?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Leviticus 24?
11.If God is portrayed as merciful, why does Leviticus 24:10–23 prescribe such severe physical punishments for transgressors?
12.What was the Old Testament punishment for blasphemy?
13.In 1 Corinthians 10:2, what does it mean for the Israelites to be 'baptized into Moses,' and how does this align with historical accounts of their exodus?
14.In Deuteronomy 12:20-21, why would God's instructions shift based on the Israelites' proximity to the sanctuary if His laws are deemed unchanging?What Does Leviticus 24:10 Mean
The son with mixed parentage“Now the son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father…”
• Scripture makes his mixed heritage the very first detail, highlighting how identity matters within covenant life (Exodus 12:38;Deuteronomy 23:2).
• His Israelite mother links him to the people of God, yet his Egyptian father reminds readers of Egypt—Israel’s place of bondage (Exodus 1:8-14).
• The verse quietly warns that divided loyalties can surface in unexpected ways, as later seen in Solomon’s foreign marriages that turned his heart (1 Kings 11:1-4).
Went out among the Israelites“…went out among the Israelites…”
• He is not on the fringes but inside the camp, sharing daily life and worship (Numbers 15:14-16).
• One law covers both native and sojourner; access to covenant blessings always carries covenant responsibility (Leviticus 24:22).
• The phrase shows that proximity to truth is not the same as submission to it—an echo of Judas walking with Jesus yet not surrendering (John 13:18-27).
A fight broke out in the camp“…and a fight broke out in the camp…”
• Physical conflict ruptures communal peace God intends (Exodus 21:18-19).
• Strife within the camp threatens the holiness God requires among His people (Leviticus 19:17;Galatians 5:15).
• The public setting signals that the matter cannot be ignored; sin in the open must be dealt with in the open (Joshua 7:1-26).
Between him and an Israelite“…between him and an Israelite.”
• The clash is not with an outsider but a fellow covenant member, underscoring how easily internal discord can erupt (James 4:1).
• It sets the stage for the blasphemy that follows (Leviticus 24:11-16), teaching that unchecked anger can escalate into sin against God Himself (Matthew 5:21-22).
• The verse implicitly asks every believer to guard both relationships and speech, for love of neighbor reflects love of God (1 John 4:20-21).
summaryLeviticus 24:10 introduces a mixed-heritage man fully present in Israel’s camp, whose quarrel with an Israelite exposes heart issues that soon erupt into open sin against God. The verse reminds us that covenant privilege demands covenant obedience, that unresolved conflict imperils communal holiness, and that inner loyalties—whether divided or devoted—will eventually show themselves in word and deed.
(10)
The son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian.--The name of the Israelitish woman, whose son is the subject of the narrative before us, we are afterwards told was Shelomith. She had married an Egyptian whilst she and her people were still in Egypt. Though the father's nationality is here expressly given, yet from the fact that he does not personally come before us in this incident, it is evident that he remained in Egypt, whilst the son was of the "mixed multitude" who followed the Israelites in their exodus (
Exodus 12:38). This incident, therefore, which is so difficult satisfactorily to connect with the preceding legislation, brings before us a picture of the camp-life of the Israelites in the wilderness. According to tradition, the father of this blasphemer was the taskmaster under whom Shelomith's husband worked in Egypt, that he had injured Shelomith and then smote her husband, that this was the Egyptian whom Moses slew (
Exodus 2:11) for the injuries he had thus inflicted both upon the Hebrew and his wife, and that the culprit before us is the issue of the outraged Shelomith by the slain Egyptian. This will explain the rendering here of the ancient Chaldee version, "A wicked man, a rebel against the God of heaven, had come out of Egypt, the son of the Egyptian who slew an Israelite in Egypt, and outraged his wife, who conceived, and brought forth this son among the children of Israel."
Went out among the children of Israel.--Better,he went out into the midst,&c. This shows that he lived outside the camp and came where he had no right to be.
This son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together.--The cause and the manner of their quarrel or contention are not given. But. according to tradition, the "man of Israel" was a Danite, and, as we are told in the next verse, his mother was of the tribe of Dan, this semi-Egyptian contended with this Danite that he had a right from the side of his mother to encamp among the children of Dan, whilst the Danite disputed this, maintaining that a son could only pitch his tent by the standard of his father's name (Numbers 2:2). This contention, moreover, took place before the rulers who tried the case (Exodus 19:21-22). Hence the ancient Chaldee version translates it, "And while the Israelites were dwelling in the wilderness, he sought to pitch his tent in the midst of the tribe of the children of Dan; but they would not let him, because, according to the order of Israel, every man, according to his order, dwelt with his family by the ensign of his father's house. And they strove together in the camp. Whereupon the son of the Israelitish woman and the man of Israel who was of the tribe of Dan went into the house of judgment."
Verse 10. -
The son of an Israelitish woman. This is the only place where the adjective
Israelitish is found; and the word "Israelite" only occurs in
2 Samuel 17:25.
Whose father was an Egyptian. The man could not, therefore, be a member of the congregation, as, according to the subsequently promulgated law (
Deuteronomy 23:8), the descendant of an Egyptian could not be admitted till the third generation. He seems to have committed two offenses which led up to his great crime. First, he
went out among the children of Israel, that is, he did not confine himself to his own part of the encampment, where the mixed multitude lived, but he intruded into the part set aside for pure Israelites;
and next, having thus put himself already in the wrong, this son of the Israelitish woman
and a man of Israel strove together in the camp. According to Jewish tradition, the cause of quarrel was a claim set up by the Egypto-Israelite to encamp in the Danite quarters, on the ground that his mother was a Danite - a claim which he insisted on enforcing, although the judges gave a decision against him.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Now the sonבֶּן־(ben-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121:A sonof an Israeliteיִשְׂרְאֵלִ֔ית(yiś·rə·’ê·lîṯ)Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3482:Israelite -- female descendant of Israelmotherאִשָּׁ֣ה(’iš·šāh)Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 802:Woman, wife, femaleand an Egyptianמִצְרִ֔י(miṣ·rî)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4713:Egyptian -- inhabitant of Egyptfatherאִ֣ישׁ(’îš)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376:A man as an individual, a male personwent outוַיֵּצֵא֙(way·yê·ṣê)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318:To go, bring, out, direct and proximamongבְּת֖וֹךְ(bə·ṯō·wḵ)Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432:A bisection, the centrethe Israelites,בֶּן־(ben-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121:A sonand a fight broke outוַיִּנָּצוּ֙(way·yin·nā·ṣū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5327:To go forth, to be expelled, desolate, to lay waste, to quarrelin the campבַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה(bam·ma·ḥă·neh)Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 4264:An encampment, an army[between him]בֶּ֚ן(ben)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121:A sonand an Israelite.הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִֽי׃(hay·yiś·rə·’ê·lî)Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3481:Israel -- descendant of Israel
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OT Law: Leviticus 24:10 The son of an Israelite woman whose (Le Lv Lev.) 
