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589. Punishment of Criminals

From: Manners and Customs of the Bible

By: James M. Freeman

Narrator: Chris Genthree

• 1 min. read • grade level: 10

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Daniel 2:5⁵The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. (Daniel 2:5). Ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.

See also chapter 3:29.

Cutting into pieces was a punishment common to many ancient nations. It was known to the Hebrews, and was inflicted by Samuel upon Agag. See 1 Samuel 15:33³³And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal. (1 Samuel 15:33). Some think that dichotomy, or sawing asunder, is the punishment here referred to. See note on Hebrews 11:37³⁷They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Hebrews 11:37) (#883).

According to Babylonian customs the house in which the criminal lived was sometimes destroyed, and the very land on which his dwelling stood considered cursed forever. The custom was also known among the Persians. See the decree of Darius in Ezra 6:11¹¹Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this. (Ezra 6:11). It was likewise practiced at Athens. There were many spots in the midst of that populous city which were kept perpetually vacant by reason of a decree similar to that referred to in the text.

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Manners and Customs of the Bible

• 570. The Inkhorn

• 571. Marks of Consecration

• 572. Unstable Walls

• 573. Pillows - Kerchiefs

• 574. Babes Salted

• 575. Pitfalls

• 576. Scepters

• 577. Smiting the Hands

• 578. Three Modes of Divination

• 579. Assyrian Garments

• 580. Mural Sculptures

• 581. Mutilations

• 582. Weapons Buried

• 583. Writing on Rods

• 584. The Bath

• 585. The Maneh

• 586. The Cor

• 587. Temple Treasures

• 588. Babylonian Mode of Living

• 589. Punishment of Criminals

• 590. Musical Instruments

• 591. Hour Burning Alive

• 592. "Mighty Men"

• 593. Various Garments

• 594. The Use of Metal

• 595. Prayer

• 596. Court Etiquette - Irreversible Edicts

• 597. Divination by Rods

• 598. Snares for Birds

• 599. The Yoke