The word “murder” means “kill” in the King James Bible (Bible Study)

[Bible Highlighter]

Introduction:

It is very odd, and I am almost should not have to say it because it’s obvious, but apparently some Christians are under the false assumptions that “murder” and “kill” are not saying the same thing entirely. I have never heard of such a crazy thing before, and I am going to just lay out some simple points that you should know (if you don’t know basic English or the Bible).​

First, lets establish by the dictionary that the word “kill” can be defined as “murder” according to Dictionary.com.

Source:
Definition of kill | Dictionary.com

The same can be said for murder. Yes, murder at the heart is unlawful killing usually with malice. But at the heart, it still involves killing of some kind.

Source:
Murder | Definition of Murder by Webster's Online Dictionary

Source:
Keyword search on “murder” at BlueLetterBible

Source:
The word “murder” defined in the Strong’s at BlueLetterBible

While I am not saying that the killing by God’s people in the Old Testament under God’s command is murder, my point is that murder at the heart involves some form of killing or taking another life (with some added details). Meaning murder is unlawful killing which usually (not always) has some kind of malice attached. But if you are still in doubt, lets establish by Scripture how the word “kill” can mean “murder.”

Jesus said,
“…but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”
(Matthew 19:17).

The young rich ruler asked Jesus,
“Which?”
(Matthew 19:18).

Jesus replied,
“Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 19:18-19).

The young rich ruler replied,
“All these things have I kept from my youth up…”
(Matthew 19:20).
​

Now, how would the young rich ruler know of these commands? By the Torah. Obviously Jesus at the beginning of Jesus’ reply, He was referring to a few of the Ten Commandments. Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother (Which are all a part of the Ten Commandments). Jesus then adds in from another part of the Torah to love your neighbor, as well. Obviously the young rich ruler would have been familiar with these commands from the Torah that we can read in our Bible today.

The word “murder” even appears 4 times in the Old Testament within the King James Bible.
So what does “murder” mean in relation to the command that says, “Thou shalt not kill” in Exodus 20:13? Was Jesus referring to a Torah command in the Old Testament that we did not get to read? No. This is because the command “Thou shalt not kill” in Exodus 20:13 is the same command that Jesus stated as “Thou shalt do no murder” in Matthew 19:18.

So while there is a difference between the killing (or taking of life) that God commanded to bring about justice in the Old Testament vs. murder, we have to understand that murder is also killing at it’s very core or heart but the difference is that murder is unlawful killing outside of God’s commands and it usually involves malice or ungodly hatred in many cases.

 

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Please keep in mind I am not saying for us to obey all 613 commands of the Torah. I believe the Old Law has ended and we are to follow the commands that come from Jesus and His followers. For Hebrews 7:12 says the law has changed.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Also, please keep in mind that I believe the Lord and His followers taught Non-Resistance as a part of the teachings of the New Covenant. Check out this CF thread here:

Nonresistance as Taught in the New Testament is Moral and Good.

So I don’t believe God condones us in taking life like He used to in the Old Testament. Only disembodied saints who lived out their faith will follow Jesus into battle at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

 

[Mr. M]

It is very odd, and I am almost should not have to say it because it’s obvious, but apparently some Christians are under the false assumptions that “murder” and “kill” are not saying the same thing. I have never heard of such a crazy thing before, and I am going to just lay out some simple points that you should know (if you don’t know basic English or the Bible).

Murder is killing, but accidental killing is not murder.
Numbers 35:
12 They shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger, that the man slayer may not die
until he stands before the congregation in judgment.
13 And of the cities which you give, you shall have six cities of refuge.
14 You shall appoint three cities on this side of the Jordan, and three cities you shall appoint
in the land of Canaan, which will be cities of refuge.
15 These six cities shall be for refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the
sojourner among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally may flee there.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Introduction:

It is very odd, and I am almost should not have to say it because it’s obvious, but apparently some Christians are under the false assumptions that “murder” and “kill” are not saying the same thing. I have never heard of such a crazy thing before, and I am going to just lay out some simple points that you should know (if you don’t know basic English or the Bible).​

First, lets establish by the dictionary that the word “kill” can be defined as “murder” according to Dictionary.com.

Source:
Definition of kill | Dictionary.com

The same can be said for murder. Yes, murder at the heart is unlawful killing usually with malice. But at the heart, it still involves killing of some kind.

Source:
Murder | Definition of Murder by Webster's Online Dictionary

Source:
Keyword search on “murder” at BlueLetterBible

Source:
The word “murder” defined in the Strong’s at BlueLetterBible

While I am not saying that the killing by God’s people in the Old Testament under God’s command is murder. My point is that murder at the heart involves some form of killing or taking another life (with some added details). Meaning murder is unlawful killing which usually (not always) has some kind of malice attached. But if you are still in doubt, lets establish by Scripture how the word “kill” can mean “murder.”

Jesus said,
“…but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”
(Matthew 19:17).

The young rich ruler asked Jesus,
“Which?”
(Matthew 19:18).

Jesus replied,
“Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 19:18-19).

The young rich ruler replied,
“All these things have I kept from my youth up…”
(Matthew 19:20).
​

Now, how would the young rich ruler know of these commands? By the Torah. Obviously Jesus at the beginning of Jesus’ reply, He was referring to a few of the Ten Commandments. Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother (Which are all a part of the Ten Commandments). Jesus then adds in from another part of the Torah to love your neighbor, as well. Obviously the young rich ruler would have been familiar with these commands from the Torah that we can read in our Bible today.

The word “murder” even appears 4 times in the Old Testament within the King James Bible.
So what does “murder” mean in relation to the command that says, “Thou shalt not kill” in Exodus 20:13? Was Jesus referring to a Torah command in the Old Testament that we did not get to read? No. This is because the command “Thou shalt not kill” in Exodus 20:13 is the same command that Jesus stated as “Thou shalt do no murder” in Matthew 19:18.

So while there is a difference between the killing (or taking of life) that God commanded to bring about justice in the Old Testament vs. murder, we have to understand that murder is also killing at it’s very core or heart but the difference is that murder is unlawful killing outside of God’s commands and it usually involves malice or ungodly hatred in many cases.

This is pretty much understood by most.

 

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Believers can be murderers just by hating their brother (1 John 3:15).
And we know no murderer has eternal life abiding in them (1 John 3:15).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Murder is killing, but accidental killing is not murder.
Numbers 35:
12 They shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger, that the man slayer may not die
until he stands before the congregation in judgment.
13 And of the cities which you give, you shall have six cities of refuge.
14 You shall appoint three cities on this side of the Jordan, and three cities you shall appoint
in the land of Canaan, which will be cities of refuge.
15 These six cities shall be for refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the
sojourner among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally may flee there.

Yes, I am not in disagreement with that. I establish in my OP that murder is unlawful killing usually with malice. So there is a slight difference that I was trying to make between the two. But at the heart, the crime of murder involves a form of killing or taking life.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

This is pretty much understood by most.

Yes, I thought so, too. But I ran into some folks in another thread who expressed that Exodus 20:13 is mistranslated in the King James Bible. They think it should say murder and not kill. A fellow KJB brother of mine thinks that kill cannot mean murder in Exodus 20:13. So both sides appeared to be confused on something really basic - IMHO.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

“And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” (Leviticus 20:16).

This is justifiable killing by God in punishing another for an exceptionally wrong sin in the Old Testament.

So I believe the word “kill” can have different meanings (depending on the context) even though all forms of killing involve the taking of life.

 

[Mr. M]

Yes, I am not in disagreement with that. I establish in my OP that murder is unlawful killing usually with malice. So there is a slight difference that I was trying to make between the two. But at the heart, the crime of murder involves a form of killing or taking life.

Sure. And I just wanted readers to know the extent that the Law went to protect someone who
killed by accident to deliver from vengeance. The avenger of blood was as anticipated role
in that society, and a legitimate act of vengeance against a murderer was according to the Law.
Realizing that this protects an emotional reaction from resulting in an actual murder, i.e. the
avenger kills an innocent person who killed without the ill intent we have mentioned.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Yes, I thought so, too. But I ran into some folks in another thread who expressed that Exodus 20:13 is mistranslated in the King James Bible. They think it should say murder and not kill. A fellow KJB brother of mine thinks that kill cannot mean murder in Exodus 20:13. So both sides appeared to be confused on something really basic - IMHO.

The writers used the word "kill" probably because of the obvious context of the other commands, thus, "You shall not kill your neighbor".

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Sure. And I just wanted readers to know the extent that the Law went to protect someone who
killed by accident to deliver from vengeance. The avenger of blood was as anticipated role
in that society, and a legitimate act of vengeance against a murderer was according to the Law.
Realizing that this protects an emotional reaction from resulting in an actual murder, i.e. the
avenger kills an innocent person who killed without the ill intent we have mentioned.

And even the killing (sacrifice) of the Son that God the Father planned was for a greater good in that Jesus paid the price for the sins of the whole world by being our spotless Lamb.

 

[Mr. M]

“And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” (Leviticus 20:16).

This is justifiable killing by God in punishing another for an exceptionally wrong sin in the Old Testament.

So I believe the word “kill” can have different meanings (depending on the context) even though all forms of killing involving the taking of life.

The translation is careful to use "kill the woman", as God's righteous judgment can never
be murder. Seems pretty cut and dry. Special cities of refuge for accidental death was quite
the unique legal device as far as I know. You can also read about how Solomon used the concept
in handling justice for Shimei.
1 Kings 2:
8 “And see, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’
9 Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.”
Jerusalem was one of the cities of refuge.
36 Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem
and dwell there, and do not go out from there anywhere.
37 For it shall be, on the day you go out and cross the Brook Kidron, know for certain you shall
surely die; your blood shall be on your own head.”
38 And Shimei said to the king, “The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant
will do.” So Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.
39 Now it happened at the end of three years, that two slaves of Shimei ran away to Achish the son
of Maachah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, “Look, your slaves are in Gath!”
40 So Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to seek his slaves. And Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath.
41 And Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had come back.
42 Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord, and warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and travel anywhere, you shall surely die’? And you said to me, ‘The word I have heard is good.’
43 Why then have you not kept the oath of the Lord and the commandment that I gave you?”
44 The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know, as your heart acknowledges, all the wickedness
that you did to my father David; therefore the Lord will return your wickedness on your own head.
45 But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.”
46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out and struck him down, and he died. Thus the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

 

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The translation is careful to use "kill the woman", as God's righteous judgment can never
be murder. Seems pretty cut and dry. Special cities of refuge for accidental death was quite
the unique legal device as far as I know. You can also read about how Solomon used the concept
in handling justice for Shimei.
1 Kings 2:
8 “And see, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’
9 Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.”
Jerusalem was one of the cities of refuge.
36 Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem
and dwell there, and do not go out from there anywhere.
37 For it shall be, on the day you go out and cross the Brook Kidron, know for certain you shall
surely die; your blood shall be on your own head.”
38 And Shimei said to the king, “The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant
will do.” So Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.
39 Now it happened at the end of three years, that two slaves of Shimei ran away to Achish the son
of Maachah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, “Look, your slaves are in Gath!”
40 So Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to seek his slaves. And Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath.
41 And Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had come back.
42 Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord, and warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and travel anywhere, you shall surely die’? And you said to me, ‘The word I have heard is good.’
43 Why then have you not kept the oath of the Lord and the commandment that I gave you?”
44 The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know, as your heart acknowledges, all the wickedness
that you did to my father David; therefore the Lord will return your wickedness on your own head.
45 But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.”
46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out and struck him down, and he died. Thus the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

Yes, I agree that God’s righteous judgment can never be murder. I made a typo in the other post and corrected it. Murder implies malice and God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God is love and he is long suffering towards us all.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

We can say that Jesus was murdered directly by the Romans and indirectly by the Israelites. God merely permitted it so as to allow for Jesus to be our Passover Lamb to pay for the sins of the whole world. But there was no malice with God. God was pleased to crush the Son seeing of how it would save mankind (i.e. those who choose to accept Christ’s free love gift and to be faithful with that gift).

 

[Mr. M]

And even the killing (murder) of the Son that God the Father planned was for a greater good in that Jesus paid the price for the sins of the whole world by being our spotless Lamb.

Some say He forgave with His dying breath. That generation was already cursed, so it is certain
they were held to their oath, as if they were acknowledging their own guilt.
Mathew 26:25 And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”
Matthew 23:
34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,
35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous
Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
Here Jesus prays for the 2 criminals.
This may be a cause for some misunderstanding.
Luke 23:
32 There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death.
33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him,
and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Some say He forgave with His dying breath. That generation was already cursed, so it is certain
they were held to their oath, as if they were acknowledging their own guilt.
Mathew 26:25 And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”
Matthew 23:
34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,
35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous
Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
Here Jesus prays for the 2 criminals.
This may be a cause for some misunderstanding.
Luke 23:
32 There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death.
33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him,
and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

You seem to have quoted my post before I edited it a while ago. I changed it to kill (sacrifice). God the Father did not directly murder the Son. That’s not what I was trying to say. I was saying that the Romans directly murdered the Son (with the Israelites indirectly murdering him), and God the Father merely permitted it to happen so that Jesus could die for the sins of the whole world as a provision or way escape for mankind in his punishment of his sins (if whoever so freely chooses to accept that free love gift and to be faithful with that gift) (Note: The gift is Jesus Christ - John 3:16).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Some say He forgave with His dying breath. That generation was already cursed, so it is certain
they were held to their oath, as if they were acknowledging their own guilt.
Mathew 26:25 And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”
Matthew 23:
34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,
35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous
Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
Here Jesus prays for the 2 criminals.
This may be a cause for some misunderstanding.
Luke 23:
32 There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death.
33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him,
and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

Yes, we are to follow Christ’s example. We are to love our enemies, and do good towards them, and pray for them. For it’s so easy to simply hate when others hate us or do bad things towards us. But our Lord Jesus calls us to a higher road indeed.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

The writers used the word "kill" probably because of the obvious context of the other commands, thus, "You shall not kill your neighbor".

Yes, it’s implied in Exodus 20, and it’s implied when God talks about accidental manslaughter. But the Bible does not come right out and say “thou shalt not kill your neighbor.” But if you are saying it is implied by the context and other verses then… I agree.

 

[Mr. M]

God the Father did not directly murder the Son. That’s not what I was trying to say. I was saying that the Romans directly murdered the Son (with the Israelites indirectly murdering him)

I never have implied that the Father murdered the Son. The question of responsibility was already
established by Christ in Matthew 23, and unwittingly acknowledged by the religious leaders.

That generation was already cursed, so it is certain
they were held to their oath, as if they were acknowledging their own guilt.
Mathew 26:25 And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”
Matthew 23:
34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,
35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous
Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.