6th Commandment: Do Not Kill
5/18/20261 hr 1 min
The 10 Commandments E9 — We’re now entering the second half of the 10 Commandments, where God guides Israel in how to relate to one another. The 6th Commandment is often translated “Do not murder.” However, the Hebrew word translated as "murder" can also be translated as "kill," which refers to both the premeditated and the unintentional taking of human life. So is this command saying not to kill at all? In this episode, Jon and Tim unpack the sixth command, highlighting the Bible’s ideal of valuing and protecting all life, even as things get increasingly complicated outside of Eden.
FULL SHOW NOTES
For chapter-by-chapter summaries, biblical words, referenced Scriptures, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode.
CHAPTERS
- The 6th Commandment and the Broad Meaning of Ratsakh (0:00-25:52)
- The Cosmic Value of Life (25:52-36:29)
- Accountability for Taking Life (36:29-1:00:32)
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS BIBLEPROJECT TRANSLATION
View our full translation of the 10 Commandments.
REFERENCED RESOURCES
- Find the related animated video for this episode here.
- The Ten Commandments: Interpretation: Resources for the Use of Scripture in the Church by Patrick D. Miller
- Check out Tim’s extensive collection of recommended books.
SHOW MUSIC
- “Pure Joy ft. John Lee” by Lofi Sunday
- “Gentle Lamb” by Lofi Sunday, Yoni Charis
- BibleProject theme song by TENTS
SHOW CREDITS
Production of today’s episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey and Aaron Olsen edited today’s episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty writes the show notes. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsJon Collins· Host0:00
[upbeat music] We're in a series exploring the Ten Commandments, and we're doing them one by one, and we've just finished the first five, which are all about how we relate to God. Today, we'll move on to the last five, which are all about how we relate to others. We'll begin with command number six, don't murder, or as Tim will want us to translate it, don't kill. The Hebrew word is ratsach, which can be premeditated murder, but it could also refer to just accidentally killing someone, what we would call manslaughter.
Tim Mackie· Host0:37
It's a pretty broad word. So I think our English word kill is probably the best. It overlaps the most.
Jon Collins· Host0:44
So don't kill. I mean, of course, murder's wrong, but aren't there times when killing, even though sad and unfortunate, is the right thing to do?
Tim Mackie· Host0:53
This is a great example of the Bible as meditation literature. You hear don't kill. There's something intuitive. You're like, "Yeah, that sounds about right." But then you start to think, "Well, what about self-defense? What about protecting someone else?" And the Biblical authors have already beaten you to the punch. This is gonna lead us on a trail that of course is gonna lead us back to Genesis 1 through 9.
Jon Collins· Host1:14
The sixth command is a blanket prohibition. Don't end a life because life is of ultimate value in the Bible.
Tim Mackie· Host1:23
God is the originator and the giver of life. He fills the world with living creatures. Then