Interpretations & debates

Interpretations & debates

“You shall not kill” or “You shall not murder”?

Exodus 20:13

The sixth commandment (fifth in Catholic and Lutheran numbering) is two words in Hebrew, לֹא תִּרְצָח (lo tirṣaḥ). Older English Bibles render it “Thou shalt not kill”; most modern ones, “You shall not murder”.Exodus 20:13 (Hebrew)Exodus 20:13Exodus 20:13

The difference is a question about one verb, רָצַח (rāṣaḥ). It is always used of killing a person, and never in the Hebrew Bible of killing in battle or of animals. But it is used of accidental killing and of a court’s execution of a murderer as well as of murder, so neither English word fits it exactly.Count from the textNumbers 35:11, 27, 30; Deuteronomy 4:42

Whether Christians may kill in war, in self-defence or as a lawful punishment is a separate and wider question. The meaning of the verb does not decide it, and Christian traditions have answered it differently.Study topic: Violence, murder and warfare

You shall not murder.
Exodus 20:13

Berean Standard Bible (public domain). The Greek, Hebrew and other translations are in the reader.

Draft, not yet reviewed by a specialist· How these pages are made

The questions

Each question shows how far it is agreed. Open it for the evidence and the main interpretations.

What kinds of killing does רָצַח describe?Agreed in substance; some details open

The occurrences can be counted and read; how to group them is an editorial judgement.

Scope: The verb's use across the Hebrew Bible.

What the evidence shows

  • The verb occurs 47 times in the Westminster Leningrad Codex.Count from the text
  • It is used of unintentional killing (Numbers 35:11; Deuteronomy 4:42), of the avenger of blood killing a manslayer (Numbers 35:27) and of a murderer’s lawful execution (Numbers 35:30), as well as of deliberate killing.Numbers 35:11, 27, 30; Deuteronomy 4:42
  • Dictionaries differ in emphasis: Brown–Driver–Briggs (1906) gives “murder, slay”; Strong (1890) gives “kill (a human being), especially to murder”.רָצַח (dictionary)רָצַח (dictionary)

Still open

  • Whether the verb's few uses for lawful or accidental killing are typical or exceptional: interpreters weigh them differently (next question).
Which English word renders it better?Interpreters disagree

A real translation disagreement, with modern translations mostly choosing “murder”.

Scope: Translation of Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17.

Why readers differ

English has no single word with the verb's range: “murder” is narrower, “kill” wider.

What the evidence shows

Interpretations

Listed without ranking.

“Murder” is the better rendering

a reading of the words

The verb is the legal term for blood-guilty killing of a person. It is never used of war or of animals, so “kill” would suggest a prohibition the Hebrew does not make.

Supported by

  • Most uses describe deliberate killing, and none describes killing in battle.Count from the text

Complicated by

Argued by

  • Brown, Driver and Briggs (lexicon) (1906)source
  • Most modern translations, e.g. the World English Bible and the Berean Standard BibleExodus 20:13

“Kill” is the better rendering

a reading of the words

Because the verb also covers unintentional and lawful killing, “murder” is too narrow; what makes a killing culpable is shown by context, not by the verb.

Supported by

Complicated by

Argued by

Also

Does the commandment rule out killing in war or as punishment?Christian traditions differ

An ethical and theological question on which Christian traditions differ. It is answered from wider biblical and theological arguments, not from the verb alone.

Scope: How Christian traditions have applied the commandment. Summarised from the Study topic, which holds the full arguments and sources.

Why readers differ

The Hebrew Bible itself commands war and capital punishment in other laws, and the New Testament adds Jesus’ teaching on enemies and the sword.

Readings

Listed without ranking.

Unjust killing is forbidden; lawful war and punishment are not

a theological reading

The commandment prohibits private, unjust killing. Rulers may use lethal force to punish wrongdoing and defend the community; individuals may defend themselves proportionately.

Argued by

  • Augustine (c. 413–426)sourceTwo classes of exception: a general law (public justice, war under lawful authority) and a special divine command.
  • Thomas Aquinas (c. 1271)source
  • Martin Luther (1526–1529)sourceThe prohibition binds individuals, not the governing authority.
  • John Calvin (1559)source

From the Study topic Violence, murder and warfare, which gives the full arguments and sources.

Disciples of Christ must not kill

a theological reading

Jesus' teaching and example exclude killing for Christians, including in war and as magistrates; the sword belongs to the world's order.

Argued by

  • Tertullian (c. 200)source
  • Origen (c. 248)source
  • Lactantius (c. 303–311)source
  • Schleitheim Confession (1527)source
  • Quaker declaration to Charles II (1660/61)source

From the Study topic Violence, murder and warfare, which gives the full arguments and sources.

Killing in war may be tolerated but still wounds the soul

a theological reading

Killing in war is not equated with murder, yet it is not treated as morally neutral: those who kill may be asked to refrain from communion for a time.

Argued by

  • Basil of Caesarea (374)sourceAdvises that those who killed in war abstain from communion for three years.

From the Study topic Violence, murder and warfare, which gives the full arguments and sources.

The evidence in full

In the original languages
Exodus 20:13 (Hebrew)
לֹא תִּרְצָחlōʾ tirṣāḥ
Exodus 20:13 (Greek, Septuagint)
Οὐ φονεύσεις.
Every piece of evidence (10)
Sources and how far each was checked (14)
  • F. Brown, S. R. Driver, C. A. Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), as transcribed by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon, 1906. Details and the point cited checked; not read in fullDataset entry t.ef.aa (transcription status 'base')
  • James Strong, A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Hebrew Bible (1890), as edited by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon, 1890. Details and the point cited checked; not read in fullDataset entry H7523.
  • Jiří Moskala, "You Shall Not Kill" or "You Shall Not Murder"? The Meaning of Ratsakh in the Sixth Commandment, Biblical Research Institute (General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists). LinkDetails and the point cited checked; not read in fullOnline text (47 occurrences; manslaughter, avenger and execution uses; argues 'kill')
  • Wilma Ann Bailey, "You Shall Not Kill" or "You Shall Not Murder"? The Assault on a Biblical Text, Liturgical Press, 2005. Partly checkedBibliographic record via secondary citation; argument summarised from that citation only.
  • Augustine of Hippo, The City of God, book 1, chapter 21, c. 413–426. LinkDetails and the point cited checked; not read in fullOnline NPNF text (two classes of exception; Abraham, Jephthah, Samson)
  • Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II, q. 64 (on killing; a. 7 self-defence) and q. 40 (on war), c. 1271. Not yet checked
  • Martin Luther, Large Catechism, Fifth Commandment, trans. F. Bente and W. H. T. Dau, Triglot Concordia (Concordia, 1921), 1529. Partly checkedAs summarised with this edition in a secondary survey; primary not re-read.
  • John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion 2.8.39–40, 1559. Partly checkedAs summarised in a secondary survey; primary not re-read.
  • Tertullian, On Idolatry 19, c. 200. Not yet checked
  • Origen, Against Celsus 8.73, c. 248. Not yet checked
  • Lactantius, Divine Institutes 6.20, c. 303–311. Not yet checked
  • Swiss Brethren (Michael Sattler), Schleitheim Confession, article 6 (the sword), 1527. LinkDetails and the point cited checked; not read in fullOnline translation (Rod and Staff, 1985)
  • Religious Society of Friends, A Declaration from the Harmless and Innocent People of God, called Quakers (to Charles II), 1660/61. Not yet checked
  • Basil of Caesarea, Letter 188 (First Canonical Letter), canon 13, 374. Not yet checked
Scope, review and corrections

Not covered here

  • The full arguments for and against Christian participation in war or capital punishment. They are summarised from the Study topic, which holds the sources.

Review

1 Nov 2026, from the Library's existing research on Exodus 20:13 (checked 20 Oct 2026) and the WLC text. Not yet reviewed by a specialist.

Needed before review is complete

  • A Hebrew Bible specialist to check the account of רָצַח and the two translation arguments.
  • The ethical positions are those of the Study topic and share its review needs.

Corrections

None yet. Version 1, 2026-11-01.

Texts quoted: Berean Standard Bible (public domain). Hebrew Bible: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), via the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). King James Version (public domain outside the UK; Crown rights in the UK). World English Bible (public domain). Septuagint: H. B. Swete, digitised by the First Thousand Years of Greek project, University of Leipzig, CC BY-SA 4.0. Dictionary entries: Abbott-Smith via STEPBible (CC BY 4.0); BDB and Strong via the Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon.

Study topic: Violence, murder and warfareStudy Exodus 20:13 word by wordAll interpretations & debates