What does the Bible say about assassination?
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The Bible condemns the taking of innocent life and calls God’s people to uphold justice, while recognizing that God sovereignly judges evil. Exodus 20:13 forbids murder, and Deuteronomy 27:25 pronounces a curse on one who accepts payment to kill an innocent person. Judges 3:15-26 records Ehud’s killing of the oppressive Moabite king as part of God’s deliverance of Israel, not as a general permission for private violence. Such narratives describe God’s providential acts in Israel’s history rather than providing a pattern for personal revenge. Christians are therefore to honor lawful authority, pursue peace, entrust judgment to God, and remember that Christ will finally reveal and execute perfect justice.
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- Deuteronomy 27:25
Cursed be he who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person. All the people shall say, Amen.
- Judges 3:20-24
[20] Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, I have a message from God to you. He arose out of his seat. [21] Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body: [22] and the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn't draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind. [23] Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them. [24] Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, Surely he is covering his feet in the upper chamber.
- Exodus 20:13
"You shall not murder.
- Judges 3:15-26
[15] But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised them up a savior, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. [16] Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his clothing on his right thigh. [17] He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man. [18] When he had made an end of offering the tribute, he sent away the people who bore the tribute. [19] But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand to you, king. He said, Keep silence. All who stood by him went out from him. [20] Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, I have a message from God to you. He arose out of his seat. [21] Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body: [22] and the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn't draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind. [23] Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them. [24] Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, Surely he is covering his feet in the upper chamber. [25] They waited until they were ashamed; and, behold, he didn't open the doors of the upper room: therefore they took the key, and opened [them], and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. [26] Ehud escaped while they waited, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped to Seirah.
- Revelation 1:1
This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John,
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