To kill or exclude?

Today’s question is about Witchcraft!

Shalom, Im a Christian Trying to understand and converse the old scripts to understanding today, my question is how Should i understand exodus 22.18
”“You shall not allow a woman who practices sorcery to live.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭22:18‬ ‭AMP‬‬
Today many Sorcerers live in my country and in exodus 20 it says do not kill.
How do you

Question from Gabriel

I have always understood that Exodus 22:18 isn’t about killing witches (although I am not going to touch on that the translation for witch/sorcerers may be wrong) but rather not including them within the community and stopping providing for them.

If we read the original Hebrew text מְכַשֵּׁפָ֖ה לֹ֥א תְחַיֶּֽה׃ ס you will find it translates to not sustain them. To me, this means not providing employment, food and much more. Some people will even translate it by saying to not live from sorcery.

Overall from how I see the text – don’t kill witches, it isn’t your choice to make. Instead, exclude them or educate them although please don’t confuse witches with Wicca and other religions like that.

Reference Me

Kyle ben Avraham Avinu (קייל בן אברהם אבינו) (2022) To kill or exclude?. [online] Ask a Jew. Available at: https://askajew.co.uk/question/to-kill-or-exclude/ [Accessed 19 Mar 2024]