The purpose of punishment is doing justice, not undoing death. But Genesis 9:6 presents the sacredness of human life not as an objection to capital punishment, but as a reason for it. Capital punishment should be used only reluctantly, when no lesser punishment can defend society. By failing to employ capital punishment even when it is most obviously deserved, are we honoring the victims? But when we are too casual about the conditions for mercy, we discredit both justice and mercy itself.