It is clear from this text that when used to avenge wrongdoing, killing is justified. .
War is another area where killing is justified in the Old Testament. In Deuteronomy, war and the subsequent killing that accompanies it is not only condoned, but in fact encouraged. When Moses says to the Israelites, "When the Lord your God brings you into the land which you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you," (Deuteronomy 7.1) he is referring to them invading (waging war against) other people. This entire chapter serves to prepare the Israelites to invade and wage war. When Moses says, "Not a man shall be able to stand against you, until you have destroyed them" (Deuteronomy 7.24) it is only two chapters after the Ten Commandments, including "You shall not kill" is outlined for the second time. Clearly in the Old Testament, in cases of war, the Sixth Commandment doe not apply.
In today's modern society, killing is also against the law. And there are indeed today, like in the Old Testament, exceptions to that law. Those exceptions however, prove to be very controversial in some cases. Capital punishment is one such exception. Long debated throughout the various states in the U.S over recent decades, capital punishment is considered by some murder and by others as justifiable killing. Even today, as this paper is written there is hot debate taking place over whether to execute the recently convicted sniper Lee Malvo, who is responsible for murdering many people in Maryland and Virginia last year. Advocates for capital punishment support this killing as a just consequence for the most severe and devastating crimes. Those opposed to capital punishment see it as murder that continues to perpetuate a cycle of inhumanity. When a convict is executed, there are often hundreds of demonstrators present outside the prison at the time of execution. Often times, these demonstrators are split between protesters against capital punishment, and advocates for it.