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Robbery

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(breaking, riving). Oppression, pillage, and thievery formed almost an employment among nomad tribes (Gen. 16:12¹²And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. (Genesis 16:12); Judg. 2:14¹⁴And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. (Judges 2:14); Luke 10:30³⁰And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. (Luke 10:30); John 18:40⁴⁰Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. (John 18:40)).

From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

Job 12:6⁶The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly. (Job 12:6). The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure.

Robbery has from a very early period of history been a common occupation of lawless men, and has also often proved a profitable employment, as intimated by the text. Whole tribes, and in some instances entire nations, adopted it as a means of livelihood. The Sabeans stole Job’s oxen and asses, and “the Chaldeans made out three bands and fell upon the camels” (Job 1:15,17¹⁵And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. (Job 1:15)
¹⁷While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. (Job 1:17)). The Shechemites “set liers in wait” for Abimelech “in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them” (Judg. 9:25²⁵And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech. (Judges 9:25)). The robbery mentioned in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30³⁰And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. (Luke 10:30)) frequently found its counterpart in facts, and at the present day travelers are sometimes robbed by predatory bands.

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