LAWS OF THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS
The book of Leviticus in the Bible contains the rules that governedthe Israelites after leaving Egypt. Violation of the rules in thebook had punishments including as death, exclusion, and a curse. Thelaws that had death penalty include the following:
When you curse your father or mother, their blood will be on your head (Leviticus 20:9)
Male homosexuality (Leviticus 20:13)
Sexual relations with an animal (Leviticus 20:15)
Blasphemy (Lev 24:14)
The book ofLeviticus defines the commission or omission of the act considered acrime against the society. It also defines the acts that are notcrimes against the society. For example, covetousness is a sinagainst God, but not necessarily a crime against the society unlessit leads to a crime against others (Wenham 1979).
Some rules inLeviticus, such as those against incest, should be reinstated toenhance moral behaviors in the modern society. The punishment forincest was exclusion from the public. Correction centers areappropriate for the excluded individual.
Capitalpunishments are effective since they deter an individual fromcommitting a crime. However, some penalty for crimes is notrestorative. Death penalties do not restore the criminal to thesociety. Those involved in the murder are taken to prison, correctioncenters, where are aligned with the moral values of the society(Marinello T J & Williams D. H. 2013). The criminals can beproductive again in the society after coming out of the correctivecenters.
Some of the lawsshould be introduced in the modern society but with a lesserpunishment. For example, the law against having sexual relations withanother man’s wife should be introduced with death penalty replacewith exclusion from the society for a specified period (Wenham 1979).
References
Marinello T. J. & Williams D. H. (2013), Not Weary ofWell-Doing: Essays in Honor of Cecil W. Stalnaker, WIPF and StockPublishers
Wenham G. J. (1979), The Book of Leviticus, Wm. B. EerdmansPublishing, Oct 5, 1979