pun'-ish-ments ('awon, "fault," "iniquity," "punishment for iniquity," "sin" (Ge 4:13; Le 26:41; Job 19:29; Ps 149:7; La 4:22; Eze 14:10 margin; Am 1:3,6,9,11,13; 2:1,4,6), `onesh, "tribute," "fine," "punishment" (La 3:39), chaTa'ah, or chaTTa'th, "sin" and its retribution, "penalty," "expiation" (Zec 14:19); kolasis, "punishment," "torment" (Mt 25:46), epitimia, "poll tax," hence, "penalty" (2Co 2:6), timoria, "vindication," hence, "penalty" (Heb 10:29), ekdikesis, "vindication," "retribution" (1Pe 2:14 the King James Version)): A court could inflict for a crime against the person, a sentence of (1) death in the form of stoning, burning, beheading, or strangling, etc.; (2) exile to one of the cities of refuge in case of manslaughter (Nu 35:1-34); or (3) stripes, not to exceed 40, in practice 39 or less (De 25:3; 2Co 11:24). Offences against property (theft, fraudulent conversion of deposit, embezzlement, robbery) were punished by exacting more than the value of the things taken (Lu 19:8), the excess going to the injured party, thus differing from a fine, which goes into the treasury of the community. The housebreaker was liable to be slain with impunity (Ex 22:2). A fine in the modern sense is unknown in the Scriptures, unless Le 5:6-19 be interpreted as referring to such.
1. History of the Hebrew Law concerning Punishment:
The earliest theory of punishment seems to have been that of retaliation--"blood for blood"--and to some extent this principle appears even in the Law of Moses (Le 21:19-20; Mt 5:38). Early in the history of the race, punishment was administered for sin and crime. Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden, and Cain, the first murderer, though not executed in retaliation for his deed, had a mark set on him. The words of Lamech (Ge 4:24) indicate that death was regarded as the fitting punishment for murder, and the same thought apparently was in the minds of the brethren of Joseph (Ge 42:21). Judah, as head of his family, seems to have had power of life and death (Ge 38:24), and Abimelech threatens his people with the extreme punishment in case they injure or insult Isaac or his wife (Ge 26:11). Similar power is ascribed to Pharaoh (Ge 41:13).
⇒Topical Bible outline for "Punishments."
2. The Mosaic Law concerning Punishment:
Under the Law of Moses, the murderer was to be put to death without mercy. Even if he took refuge at the altar in a sanctuary or in an asylum city, he would not be immune from arrest and execution, and the same principle was applied in the case of an animal (Ex 21:12,14,23,28,36 parallel). But punishment under the Mosaic Law was not to be entailed or transmitted (De 24:16), as was the case among the Chaldeans (Da 6:24) and the kings of Israel (1Ki 21:1-29; 2Ki 9:26).
⇒See a list of verses on PUNISHMENT in the Bible.
It has been noted that capital punishment is extensively prescribed by the Mosaic Law, and undoubtedly the Law was carried out. This circumstance has been explained by reference to the fact that the nation consisted of newly emancipated slaves, and therefore required harsh measures to keep them in check.
Under the Mosaic Law, the offenses that made one liable to the punishment of death were: (1) striking or reviling a parent (Ex 21:15,17); (2) blasphemy (Le 24:14,16,23; 1Ki 21:10; Mt 26:65-66); (3) Sabbath-breaking (Ex 31:14; 35:2; Nu 15:32-36); (4) witchcraft and false pretension to prophecy (Ex 22:18; Le 20:27; De 13:5; 18:20; 1Sa 28:9); (5) adultery (Le 20:10; De 22:22); (6) unchastity: (a) before marriage, but detected afterward (De 22:21), (b) in case of a woman with someone other than her betrothed (De 22:23), (c) in a priest's daughter (Le 21:9); (7) rape (De 22:25); (8) incestuous and unnatural connections (Ex 22:19; Le 20:11,14,16); (9) man-stealing (Ex 21:16); (10) idolatry, actual or virtual, in any form (Le 20:2; De 13:6; 17:2-7); (11) false witness in capital cases (De 19:16,19).
⇒See the definition of punishment in the KJV Dictionary
A large number of offenses come under the law of punishment by cutting off from the people, the meaning of which expression has led to some controversy. It may signify excommunication or death, and occurs in connection with the following offenses: (1) breach of morals, such as willful sin in general (Nu 15:30-31); incestuous or unclean connections (Le 18:29; 29:9-21); (2) breach of covenant, brought about through uncircumcision (Ge 17:14; Ex 4:24), neglect of Passover (Nu 9:13), Sabbath-breaking (Ex 31:14), neglect of Atonement Day (Le 23:29), work done on the Atonement Day (Le 23:30), children offered to Molech (Le 20:3), witchcraft (Le 20:6), anointing an alien with holy oil (Ex 30:33); (3) breach of ritual, committed by eating leavened bread during Passover (Ex 12:15,19), eating fat of sacrifices (Le 7:25), eating blood (Le 7:27; 17:14), eating sacrifices while unclean (Le 7:20-21; 22:3-4,9), offering too late (Le 19:8), making holy ointment for private use (Ex 30:32-33), making perfume for private use (Ex 30:38), general neglect of purification (Nu 19:13,20), not bringing offering after slaying a beast for food (Le 17:9), slaying the animal at a place other than the tabernacle door (Le 17:4), touching holy things illegally (Nu 4:15,18,20).
Of capital punishments that are properly regarded as of Hebrew origin, we note:
⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia.
(1) Stoning
Stoning, which was the ordinary mode of execution (Ex 19:13; Le 20:27; Jos 7:25; Lu 20:6; Ac 7:58; 14:5). The witnesses, of whom there were at least two, were required to cast the first stone (De 13:9 f; Joh 8:7). If these failed to cause death, the bystanders proceeded to complete the sentence, whereupon the body was to be suspended until sunset (De 21:23).
(2) Hanging
Hanging is mentioned (Nu 25:4; De 21:22), probably not as a mode of execution, but rather of exposure after death. It may have been a Canaanitish punishment, since it was practiced by the Gibeonites on the sons of Saul (2Sa 21:6,9).
(3) Burning
Burning, before the age of Moses, was the punishment of unchastity (Ge 38:24). The Law prescribes it as a punishment in the case of a priest's daughter (Le 21:9), and in case of incest (Le 20:14), but it is also mentioned as following death by other means (Jos 7:25), and some believe it was never used except after death. That it was sometimes used as a punishment on living persons among the heathen is shown by Da 3:1-30.
(4) The Sword or Spear
The sword or spear as an instrument of punishment is named in the Law (Ex 19:13; 32:27; Nu 25:7 ff). It occurs frequently in monarchic and post-Bab times (Jg 9:5; 1Sa 15:33; 2Sa 20:22; 1Ki 19:1; Jer 26:23; Mt 14:8,10), but among these cases, there are some of assassination rather than of punishment.
(5) Strangling
Strangling as a form of punishment has no Scripture authority, but according to tradition was frequently employed, and is said to have been performed by immersing the convict in clay or mud, and then strangling him by a cloth tied around the neck.
3. Punishments of Foreign Origin:
Besides these, which are to be regarded as the ordinary capital punishments, we read of some that were either of foreign introduction or of an irregular kind, such as: (1) crucifixion (which see); (2) drowning (Mt 18:6 parallel); (3) sawing asunder or crushing (2Sa 12:31; Heb 11:37); (4) torturing (1Ch 20:3; Heb 11:35); (5) precipitation (2Ch 25:12; Lu 4:29); (6) suffocation (2 Macc 13:4-8). The Persians are said to have filled a high tower a great way up with ashes, and then to have thrown the criminal into it, and continually stirred up the ashes by means of a wheel till he was suffocated (Rawlinson, Ancient Monarchy, III, 246).
See also HEROD,II , 100.
Secondary forms of punishment not heretofore mentioned are to be noted as follows:
(1) Blinding or Putting Out of Eyes
Blinding or putting out of eyes in the case of captives (Jg 16:21; 1Sa 11:2; 2Ki 25:7).
(2) Chaining
Chaining by means of manacles or fetters of copper or iron, similar to our handcuffs fastened on the wrists and ankles and attached to each other by a chain (Jg 16:21; 2Sa 3:34; 2Ki 25:7); also alluded to in the life of Paul (Ac 28:20; Eph 6:20; 2Ti 1:16); and in the case of Peter (Ac 12:6).
(3) Confiscation of Property
Confiscation of property that had fallen under the ban, i.e. had been singled out for destruction by the special decree of Yahweh, as in Nu 21:2; Jos 6:17; or had been reserved for the use of the army (De 2:35; 20:14; Jos 22:8); or given over to the priesthood (Jos 6:19). The term may be extended to include all things vowed or sanctified and those irrevocably devoted or consecrated to God (Le 27:21,28). The idea is applied with special emphasis to those things which, because of their uncleanness, must not be used by the Israelites, though, through their warfare with the heathen, they might have come into possession of them (De 7:26; 1Sa 15:16-23).
(4) Dashing in Pieces (Psalms 2:9; Isaiah 13:18).
(5) Divine Visitation.
See VISITATION.
(6) Exposure to Wild Beasts (Le 26:22; 1Sa 17:46; Da 6:1-28).
(7) Flaying
(Rawlinson, Ancient Monarchy, I, 478; Nineveh and Babylon; mentioned figuratively in Mic 3:3).
(8) Forfeiture (Ezra 10:8).
(9) Gallows
Gallows in the modern sense probably were unknown to the ancients. Where the word occurs in Es 5:14; 6:4; 7:9-10; 9:13,15, it probably refers to a beam or pole on which the body was impaled and then elevated to a height of 50 cubits as an object of warning to the people (see "Hanging").
(10) Imprisonment
Imprisonment is frequently referred to in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, indicating that this was a common mode of punishment among both the Israelites and other nations (Ge 40:3; 42:17; Le 24:12; Nu 15:34; 1Ki 22:27; Jer 37:15,21; Lu 3:20; Ac 4:3,10; 23:10; and the Epistles of Paul).
See PRISON.
(11) Indignities.
In this term may be included all those outbursts of vengeance or other evil dispositions that were practiced in times or under circumstances when liberties with the prisoner were permitted on the part of bystanders or those who had charge beyond the execution of the judicial decree. Instances are found in the life of Christ (Mt 26:59,67; Lu 22:63 ff; Joh 18:22); also in the life of Paul (Ac 23:2).
(12) Mutilation (Jg 1:6-7; Eze 23:25; 2 Maccabees 7).
The Law was opposed to thus treating any Israelite, and Samuel, when referring to the arbitrary power of the future king (1Sa 8:10 ff), does not say that he would thus treat "their sons." It was a barbarous custom of the East (see EUNUCH; POLYGAMY), evidently regarded, among the Hebrews, as a heinous practice (De 23:1). The only act authorizing mutilation (except in retaliation) is mentioned in De 25:11.
(13) Plucking Off the Hair
Plucking off the hair is alluded to as a mode of punishment in Ne 13:25; Isa 50:6.
(14) Prison Garments
Prison garments were in vogue to mark the convicts (Jer 52:33).
(15) Restitution
Restitution has been alluded to in the general introduction to this topic.
(16) Retaliation
Retaliation was recognized by Moses as a principle, but the application of it was left to the judge (Le 24:19-22). A fine example of it is found in the law of De 19:19.
(17) Scorpions, Chastising with.
Probably the use of thongs armed with pointed pieces of lead or other metal (1Ki 12:11; 2Ch 10:14).
See SCORPIONS.
(18) Scourging.
See separate article.
(19) Slavery.
See separate article.
(20) Stocks.
See PRISON.
Frank E. Hirsch