Punishment, legal aspects of

The law sets out details of penalties which may be imposed upon people as a result of their committing of offences.

Just punishments

Banishment

Genesis 3:23 See also 2 Samuel 14:13–14; Ezra 7:26; Job 18:18; Jeremiah 16:15, Jeremiah 23:8, Jeremiah 29:14; Zechariah 5:3

Therefore the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.

Beating

Deuteronomy 25:2–3

If the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall have him lie down and be flogged in his presence with the number of lashes his crime warrants. He may receive no more than forty lashes, lest your brother be beaten any more than that and be degraded in your sight.

Burning

Genesis 38:24 See also Leviticus 20:14, Leviticus 21:9; Daniel 3:6

About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!”

Confiscation of property

Esther 8:1 See also Ezra 10:8

That same day King Xerxes awarded Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai entered the king’s presence because Esther had revealed his relation to her.

Hanging

Joshua 8:29 See also Deuteronomy 21:22–23; Joshua 10:26; 1 Samuel 31:8–10; 2 Samuel 4:122SA 2 Samuel 17:23; Matthew 27:5 2 Samuel 21:9–10; Galatians 3:13

He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take down the body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And over it they raised a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.

Impaling

Ezra 6:11 See also Genesis 40:19–22EST Genesis 2:23, Esther 5:14

I also decree that if any man interferes with this directive, a beam is to be torn from his house and raised up, and he is to be impaled on it. And his own house shall be made a pile of rubble for this offense.

Stoning

Exodus 19:12–13 See also Exodus 21:29; Leviticus 20:2, Leviticus 20:27LEV Leviticus 24:14, Leviticus 24:16, Leviticus 24:23 Numbers 15:36; Deuteronomy 13:10, Deuteronomy 17:5, Deuteronomy 21:21, Deuteronomy 22:21, Deuteronomy 22:24; Joshua 7:25; 1 Kings 21:13–15

And you are to set up a boundary for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful not to go up on the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows — whether man or beast, he must not live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”

Unjust punishments and persecutions

Banishment

Acts 18:2

Beating

Matthew 27:26 parallels Mark 15:15, John 19:1 See also Isaiah 53:5; Acts 16:37; 2 Corinthians 11:24

So Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.

Beheading

Matthew 14:9–10 parallel Mark 6:27 See also Mark 6:16; Acts 12:2; Revelation 20:4

The king was grieved, but because of his oaths and his guests, he ordered that her wish be granted and sent to have John beheaded in the prison.

Being thrown to wild animals

Daniel 6:16; 1 Corinthians 15:32

Hanging

Acts 5:30 See also Acts 10:39

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree.

Imprisonment

Acts 5:18 See also Genesis 39:20–22; 1 Kings 22:27; Jeremiah 37:15, Jeremiah 38:6; Acts 12:4, Acts 16:23, Acts 23:35, Acts 26:10; 2 Corinthians 11:23; Hebrews 11:36

and arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.

Stoning

Acts 7:59 See also 1 Kings 12:18 parallel 2 Chronicles 10:18; Lamentations 3:53; Matthew 21:35; Acts 14:19; 2 Corinthians 11:25; Hebrews 11:37

While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Confiscation of property

1 Kings 21:15–16 See also 2 Samuel 16:4

When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, who refused to give it to you for silver. For Naboth is no longer alive, but dead.” And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.