And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.

And thou shalt speak to the children of Israel: the man that curseth his God, shall bear his sin:

And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Every one when he revileth his God shall bear his sin.

And unto the sons of Israel thou dost speak, saying, When any man revileth his God, then he hath borne his sin;

And say to the children of Israel, As for any man cursing God, his sin will be on his head.

Ad filios Israel loqueris, dicendo: Homo qui maledixerit Dec sue, portabit scelus suum.

And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. Hence it now more clearly appears that the object of the Third Commandment was that God's holy name should be honored with the respect and veneration which it deserves, since the insult whereby it is violated is condemned to capital punishment. By the expression "cursing," Moses designates all profane and impure words which tend to brand it with dishonor; as if any one should accuse God either of injustice or cruelty; or should assail Him with blasphemies; or designedly detract from His glory either in anger or wantonness, since many, when exasperated, launch forth horrible blasphemies, whilst others make a parade of their audacity by scoffing at Him. The second verb, which is twice repeated in the next verse, nqv, nakab, [1] means in Hebrew to hollow out or perforate, and metaphorically to unfold, thus the Latins say that what is thoroughly brought out is "enucleated." The source of the metaphor as applied to contumely is not very dissimilar. The translation "he who shall have expressed," which some give, is lame; to me the word "transfix" seems to be very suitable in the present passage, nor are the Latin phrases proscindere or lacerate very different. As to the meaning there is tolerable agreement, i.e., that God would not have His holy name disrespectfully traduced; and assuredly it is insupportably impious when the tongue of mortal man, which was created to celebrate the praises of God, is employed in insulting Him. The kind of death is also appointed, when He commands the offender to be stoned by the whole people, so that all may learn from the sight that such a monster should be annihilated as contaminating the earth. God also would prove the zeal of His people, by calling them all forth in defense of His glory, and arming them for vengeance. Moreover, He did not subject to this punishment the Jews only, who professed to be His worshippers, but also strangers who were dwelling in the land in the exercise of their business; viz., that they might more severely punish the crime in His own servants who were less excusable.

Footnotes

1 - Here C. again gives an opinion as to the best way of rendering nqv in this passage, for which he is not indebted to S.M.; and modern lexicographers have given their sanction to C.'s view. -- W

Whosoever curseth his God - יקלל אלהיו yekallel Elohaiv, he who makes light of him, who does not treat him and sacred things with due reverence, shall bear his sin - shall have the guilt of this transgression imputed to him, and may expect the punishment.

And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall (g) bear his sin.
(g) Shall be punished.

And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel,.... On this occasion, and gave them some laws and rules concerning the above affair, and other things:
saying, whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin; which some understand of anyone of another nation, that cursed the God he used to serve in his own country; but it can hardly be thought that a law should be made by the one only living and true God, to preserve the honour and credit of false gods, when he is so jealous of his own glory; and those are spoken of in Scripture with the greatest contempt, as dunghill deities, and are actually cursed, Jeremiah 10:11; but they are rather to be interpreted of judges and all civil magistrates, who, as Aben Ezra observes, are sometimes called Elohim or gods, Psalm 82:1; and the rather, as it is probable this man had cursed his judges, and so this is a distinct sin from what follows; and not only the manner of expressing it, but the punishment of it, seem to be different; for the phrase, "to bear his sin", is used where the punishment is not expressly declared, and is by Jarchi and others interpreted of cutting off from his people, but in what way is not certain; whereas the punishment of a blasphemer of God is before and after clearly expressed; see Leviticus 20:19.

Whosoever curseth his God - Speaketh of him reproachfully. Shall bear his sin - That is, the punishment of it; shall not go unpunished.