Charles Ellicott Commentary Leviticus 24:12

"And they put him in ward, that it might be declared unto them at the mouth of Jehovah." — Leviticus 24:12 (ASV)

And they put him in ward. —This means to keep him in safe custody until he had been tried. In the Mosaic legislation, confinement in a prison for a specific period as a punishment for an offense is not enacted anywhere.

That the mind of the Lord might be shewed them. —It is better rendered, that he might direct them according to the command of the Lord, as the Authorized Version renders this phrase in Exodus 17:1; Numbers 4:37; Numbers 4:41; Numbers 4:49; and others. Although this was a transgression of the third commandment, and although it was ordained that anyone who cursed his earthly parent should be put to death , yet no law existed regarding the exact punishment to be inflicted upon one who cursed his heavenly Father . It was also not known whether such an offender should be left to God Himself to execute the sentence.

For this reason, the criminal was detained until Moses had appealed to the Lord for instruction, so that he might direct the people accordingly. Similar instances of Moses appealing directly to the Lord for guidance in matters of law and judgment are found in Numbers 15:34; Numbers 28:1–5.