Biblical Passage on Killing as God's Work

The concept of "killing as God's work" in biblical texts encompasses various scenarios, from divine judgment and capital punishment to the sacrificial system, while simultaneously upholding a strong prohibition against murder. The Hebrew Bible uses different terms for killing, distinguishing between unlawful murder and other forms of taking life ^[14].

One prominent aspect of killing as God's work is seen in divine judgment. The book of Job attributes perishing and consumption to "the breath of God" and "the blast of his anger" ^[1]. Similarly, Job 40:19 describes a creature as "the first of God’s actions; the one who made him furnishes it with his sword," implying a divine prerogative over life and death ^[9]. The Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin interprets calamities, even those inflicted by human agents like the Sabeans who robbed Job, as ultimately orchestrated by God's pleasure and contributing to the execution of His judgments ^{[13, 16]}. This perspective suggests that God "holds the helm" even when human or satanic actions are involved ^[13].

Capital punishment for murder is explicitly presented as a divine mandate, rooted in the creation of humanity in God's image. Genesis 9:6 states, "For God made human beings in his own image," establishing a theological basis for the death penalty for murder ^[11]. The destruction of a person made in God's image is considered a blasphemous act, requiring the ultimate penalty ^{[11, 12]}. This principle is echoed in Leviticus 24:17, which links murder to the life of God himself and mandates the same penalty as oral blasphemy ^[12]. While personal revenge is discouraged, the justice administered by governing authorities is seen as established by God ^[11].

The Mosaic Law, while forbidding murder (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17), distinguishes it from other forms of killing ^{[8, 14]}. Murder is defined as intentional killing for personal reasons, with premeditation, hatred, or by lying in wait ^{[8, 14]}. The Sixth Commandment, "You shall not murder," is understood to prohibit malice in all its forms, as expounded by Jesus in Matthew 5:21-22 ^{[14, 17]}. However, the law also outlines circumstances where killing is not considered murder, such as killing a thief in the day (Exodus 22:3) ^[8].

The sacrificial system in Leviticus provides another context where killing is part of religious practice, albeit ritualistic and symbolic. For sin offerings, the offerer was to lay their hand on the head of the animal and "kill the sin offering" in a designated place ^{[4, 5, 7]}. This act of killing was a prescribed part of atonement, performed by humans but within a divinely ordained framework.

Rabbinic tradition also grapples with the concept of God's work in relation to human actions and consequences. Midrash Rabbah on Ecclesiastes 7:13, "See the work of God, for who can mend what He has warped?", interprets God's creation as beautiful and exemplary, with a warning to Adam not to ruin or destroy the world, lest he cause death to the righteous ^[15]. This highlights a divine concern for the preservation of creation and life. Another passage in Midrash Rabbah on Deuteronomy 2:30 describes God instructing Moses to provide refuge for unintentional murderers, allowing them hope for a new life, just as the sun rises daily ^[18]. This demonstrates a divine provision for mercy even in cases of unintentional killing.

Biblical names also reflect the idea of "God's work." Names like Asiel, Jaasiel, Elpaal, and Maaseiah all carry the meaning "the work of God" or "God's work" ^{[2, 3, 6, 10]}. While not directly related to killing, these names broadly affirm the idea that various aspects of life and human experience are ultimately attributable to divine agency.

Sources

Job “By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger are they consumed. -- Job 4:9”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Asiel — the work of God”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jaasiel — God's work”
Leviticus “He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill the sin offering in the place of burnt offering. -- Leviticus 4:29”
Leviticus “He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering. -- Leviticus 4:33”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Elpaal — God's work”
Leviticus “He shall lay his hand on the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before Yahweh. It is a sin offering. -- Leviticus 4:24”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Murder — Forbidden by Mosaic law -- Ex 20:13; De 5:17. Why forbidden by God -- Ge 9:6. The law made to restrain -- 1Ti 1:9. Described as killing With premeditation. -- Ex 21:14. From hatred. -- Nu 35:20,21; De 19:11. By lying in wait. -- Nu 35:20; De 19:11. By an instrument of iron. -- Nu 35:16. By the blow of a stone. -- Nu 35:17. By a hand weapon of wood. -- Nu 35:18. Killing a thief in the day, counted as -- Ex 22:3. Early introduction of -- Ge 4:8. Represented as a sin crying to heaven -- Ge 4:10; Heb 12:24; Re 6:10. The Jews often guilty of -- Isa 1:21. Persons ”
Job “Job 40:19 (LEB) — “It is the first of God’s actions; the one who made him furnishes it with his sword.”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Maaseiah — the work of the Lord”
Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 9:6: 9:6 For God made human beings in his own image: The death penalty has a theological basis. God’s image gives humans a unique status and authority within creation (1:26-28). Since murder destroys a person made in God’s image, the ultimate penalty must be imposed on a murderer. See also Exod 21:23-25. We are not to pursue personal revenge (Rom 12:17-19) but are to uphold the justice of the “governing authorities” that God has established (Rom 13:1-7).”
Leviticus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Leviticus 24:17: 24:17 Because human life was patterned after the life of God himself (Gen 1:26, 27), murder was a blasphemous act. It required the same penalty as oral blasphemy (Gen 9:6). For a similar law and its qualifiers, see Exod 21:12-14.”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 34: madness by despair. The Sabeans cruelly and wickedly make a sudden incursion to rob another of his goods. Job acknowledges that he was deprived of all his property, and brought to poverty, because such was the pleasure of God. Therefore, whatever men or Satan himself devise, God holds the helm, and makes all their efforts contribute to the execution of his Judgments. God wills that the perfidious Ahab should be deceived; the devil offers his agency for that purpose, and is sent with a definite command to be a lying spirit in the mo”
Exodus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Exodus 20:13: 20:13 murder: This is the correct rendering of the Hebrew word. There is another word that connotes mere killing. Taking human life is not prohibited, per se, but the intentional killing of another for personal reasons is prohibited. This principle tells us that God values our individual, physical lives. Jesus expanded on this command in Matt 5:21-26.”
Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Kohelet Rabbah 7:13:1: “See the work of God, for who can mend what He has warped?” (Ecclesiastes 7:13) “See the work of God, for who can mend what He has warped?” When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, He took him and showed him all the trees in the Garden of Eden, and He said to him: ‘See My creations, how beautiful and exemplary they are. Everything I created, I created for you. Make certain that you do not ruin and destroy My world, as if you destroy it, there will be no one to mend it after you. Moreover, you will cause death to that righteous one.’ 108”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 40: purpose of illustration, let us refer to the calamities brought upon holy Job by the Chaldeans. They having slain his shepherds, carry off his flocks. The wickedness of their deed is manifest, 172 172 The French adds, “Car quand nous voyons des voleurs, qui ont commis quelque meurtre ou larrecin, nous ne doutons point de leur imputer la faute, et de les condamner.”—For when we see robbers who have committed some murder or robbery, we hesitate not to impute the blame to them, and condemn them. as is also the hand of Satan, who, as t”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 48: § 10. The Sixth Commandment. Its Design. This commandment, as expounded by our Lord ( Matt. v. 21, 22 ), forbids malice in all its degrees and in all its manifestations. The Bible recognizes the distinction between anger and malice. The former is on due occasion allowable; the other is in its nature, and therefore always, evil. The one is a natural or constitutional emotion arising out of the experience or perception of wrong, and includes not only disapprobation but also indignation, and a desire in some way to redress or punish the wron”
Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Devarim Rabbah 2:30: “Then, Moses designated three cities beyond the Jordan toward the rising sun” – what is “toward the rising sun”? Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Cause the sun to shine for the murderer and give him refuge where he can be exiled, so that he will not be eradicated due to the iniquity of murder, just as the sun illuminates the world.’ 66 Just as the sun brings light to the world and rises each day even after having set the previous day, the unintentional murderer will have hope for a new life. “For the murderer to ”

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