I was asked recently about Exodus 20:13 at another forum and promised to consider the matter here in order to keep the other thread on topic.
Why is one preferable to the other and is it OK to translate the word involved as murder? I looked up the word in the Hebrew lexicon and it turns out that the word can be translated as murder instead of kill. Since translating it as "kill" would be nonsensical in view of God's commandments to kill those who disobeyed certain of his laws as well as to kill animals for sacrifice and wage warfare against certain Caananites, translating the word as "murder" is the correct translation. One thing to keep in mind is that writers of the Bible weren't stupid or prone to say one thing on one page and a completely opposite thing on the next. So translating word as "kill" is illogical on the part of the translator and makes one wonder what his or her motives were in translating it that way. Any comments?
Below is some info:
Translations using "murder" instead of "kill".
Exodus 20: 13
(New Living Translation)
(New International Reader's Version)
(Amplified Bible)
(English Standard Version)
(New International Version)
(New King James Version)
(Holman Christian Standard Bible)
(Contemporary English Version)
(New International Version - UK)
(The New World Translation)
The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon
Strong's Number: 07523
Original Word Word Origin
xcr a primitive root
Transliterated Word TDNT Entry
Ratsach TWOT - 2208
Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech
raw-tsakh' Verb
Definition
to murder, slay, kill (Qal) to murder, slay premeditated accidental as avenger slayer (intentional) (participle) (Niphal) to be slain (Piel) to murder, assassinate murderer, assassin (participle)(subst) (Pual) to be killed
</TD
King James Word Usage - Total: 47
slayer 16, murderer 14, kill 5, murder 3, slain 3, manslayer 2, killing 1, slayer + (0310) 1, slayeth 1, death 1
http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/...23&version=kjv
BTW
The New KIng James Version renders the word as "murder" not "Kill" as the original King James Version does.