Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp
To show that he had no part nor lot in Israel, and that he was unworthy to be a member of their civil community, or of their church state; and, besides, the place of stoning, or where malefactors suffered any kind of death, was without the camp, as afterwards without the city, see ( Hebrews 13:12 Hebrews 13:13 ) ; let all that heard [him] lay their hands upon his head;
the Targum of Jonathan adds,
``and the judges;''so Jarchi remarks, that they that "heard him" are the witnesses, and the word "all" comprehends the judges: Maimonides says F5 the same, and observes that hands were laid on no malefactor but the blasphemer; and this was done to show that the one had bore a faithful testimony, and the other had pronounced a righteous sentence on him; and that he had brought this guilt and punishment upon himself by his sin; wherefore it was usual for them to say, as the same writers observe,
``thy blood be upon thine own head, and we not punished for thy death, which thou hast been the cause of to thyself:''and let all the congregation stone him;