Through human authorities in ancient Israel, God sometimes had capital punishment carried out. (Ex. 32:27, 28; Num. 25:1-11)

Human authorities frequently have classed murder as a capital offense. What does God’s law say about it? “You must not murder,” states one of the Ten Commandments. (Deut. 5:17)

Surely, the all-wise Life-Giver weighed every essential factor when he originally stated his immutable law involving murder and capital punishment.

But God’s just law required that a malicious witness pay with the very thing he schemed to take from the accused. Viewed properly, Jehovah’s decree that ‘life go for life’ does not indicate disregard for life, but magnifies God’s high evaluation of it.​—Deut. 19:15-21.

While considering deliberate murder a capital offense, God’s law to Israel made provision for merciful treatment of the unintentional manslayer. He was granted safety within one of the nation’s cities of refuge, but only after responsible men had determined that the death was accidental. The unintentional manslayer was not imprisoned, but was required to do useful work that benefited himself and others.​—Num. 35:9-34.

Jehovah’s law given to the Israelites also required capital punishment for criminal negligence and certain acts of wrongdoing that were extremely injurious physically, mentally and spiritually. God thus showed loving concern for the people in general. If adhered to, his regulations would have elevated Israel above pagan nations, steeped in such corrupt practices as incest, sodomy and bestiality. (Ex. 21:29; Lev. 18:6-30; 20:10-23) Capital punishment removed grossly immoral wrongdoers from the scene and with them the possibility that they might cause others to follow them into degradation. Furthermore, execution of wanton killers prevented their depriving still others of life.

Some may ask, “Does capital punishment really deter crime?” God, who knows well the makeup of man, says it does. Concerning the apostate, we are told: “You must stone him with stones, and he must die, because he has sought to turn you away from Jehovah your God . . . Then all Israel will hear and become afraid, and they will not do anything like this bad thing again.”​—Deut. 13:6-11.

We must conclude, then, that capital punishment for deliberate murder was part of divine law that applies to all mankind. In ancient Israel, when God’s decrees were followed strictly and the death penalty was justly imposed for certain serious crimes, this was not due to the cold, cruel whim of a loveless deity. Capital punishment served as a deterrent to crime and was a protection for the people.