CAPITAL CRIMES IN MOSAISM
CAPITAL CRIMES IN MOSAISM
Virgil Warren, PhD
Adultery/Incest
10‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife, execute them both.’ Lev 20:10
22“If a man is caught lying with a married woman, both of them will die. That’s how you’re to remove evil from Israel.” Lev 20:10; Deut 22:22
23“If a virgin is engaged, and another man lies with her, 24take them both to the city gate and stone them to death—the girl, because she didn’t scream in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbor’s wife. That’s how you’re to remove evil from Israel.” Deut 22:23-24 (engaged woman)
25“If in the field the man finds the girl who is engaged and forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lies with her shall die.” Deut 22:25
Beastiality
19“Execute whoever has sexual relations with an animal.” Ex 22:19
15“Execute a man that lies with an animal, and kill the animal. 16Execute any woman that approaches an animal to mate with it, and kill the animal. They’ve committed a crime punishable by death.” Lev 20:15-16
Blasphemy Against God
10The son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian father, went out among the people. He and an Israelite man got into a fight in the camp. 11The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name and cursed. So they brought him to Moses. (His mother was Shelomith, daughter of Dibri, tribe of Dan.) 12They put him in custody till the LORD made his commandment clear to Moses.
13The LORD told Moses,
14“Take him outside the camp. The ones that heard him will put their hands on his head, and the congregation will stone him. 15Tell the people, ‘If anybody curses God, he’s considered guilty. 16The congregation is to stone anybody that blasphemes the LORD.’” Lev 24:10-16
False Prophet (worshiping other gods)
1“If a prophet or dreamer arises and gives you a sign or wonder 2that comes true, and uses it to say, ‘Let’s serve other gods,’ 3don’t listen to him. The LORD’s testing you to see if you love him with your whole heart and soul. 4Follow him, respect him, keep his commandments, listen to him, serve him, hold onto him. 5Execute that prophet or dreamer.” Deut 13:1-5
(Cursing) Father or Mother
17“Execute anybody that curses his father or mother.” Ex 21:17
9‘If anyone curses his father or mother, execute him. He has committed a crime punishable by death. Lev 20:9
18“If any man has a stubborn, rebellious son that won’t obey his parents or listen when they discipline him, 19they’re to grab him and take him to the elders in the gate of his home town. 20They’ll tell them, ‘Our son is stubborn and rebellious. He won’t obey us. He’s a glutton and a drunk.’ 21The men in the city are to stone him to death. That’s how you’re to remove evil from among you. All Israel will hear about it and show respect. Deut 21:18-21
(Striking) Father or Mother
15“Execute anybody that hits his father or mother.” Ex 21:15
Homosexual Behavior
13“A man that lies with a male like the ones that lie with a woman—both of them have committed a disgusting act. Execute them. They’ve committed a crime punishable by death. 14It’s immoral for a man to marry a woman and her mother. Burn them both so there won’t be immorality among you.” Lev 20:13-14
Human Sacrifice
2“Tell Israel, ‘Stone to death any man that gives his offspring to Molech. 3I’ll oppose him and exclude him from his people, because he’s defiled my sanctuary and my holy name. 4“If the people don’t execute him, 5I’ll oppose him and his family. I’ll exclude both him and the ones that carried on prostitution with him.” Lev 20:2-5
Incest
11“A man that lies with his father’s wife, has uncovered his father’s nakedness. Execute them both. Their bloodguiltiness is on them. 12If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, execute them both; they’ve committed incest. They’ve committed a crime punishable by death.” Lev 20:11-12
Kidnapping
16“If a man kidnaps a man and sells him or holds him in his possession, execute him.” Ex 21:16
7“If a man kidnaps a countryman and abuses him or sells him, execute him.” Deut 24:7
Marriage Proscriptions
14“It’s immoral for a man to marry a woman and her mother. Burn them both so there won’t be immorality among you.” Lev 20:14
Murder
12“If a man hits another man that dies, execute him. [13If he doesn’t lie in wait for him, but God lets him fall into his hand, then I’ll designate a place where he can flee.] 14If a man premeditates murder, take him even from the horns of my altar and execute him.” Ex 21:12-14
17“Execute any murderer.” Lev 24:17
21“Execute whoever murders another person.” Lev 24:21
22“If men are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she miscarries without further injury, fine him as her husband requires and the judges determine. 23But if there’s further harm, then you’ll penalize life for life, 24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.” Ex 21:22-25
16“If a slayer kills someone with an iron instrument, he’s a murderer; execute him. 17The same applies if he hits him with a stone 18or a wood weapon. 19The avenger will execute him when he finds him. 20If he pushes someone in hate, throws something at him in stealth, 21or hits him barehanded with enmity and kills him, he’s a murderer. The avenger will execute him when he finds him.” Num 35:16-21
29“These are permanent statutes wherever you live: 30whoever commits murder will be executed on the testimony of two or more witnesses. One witness isn’t enough for executing anyone.” Num 35:29-30
11“But it’s another thing if a man hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, attacks him so he dies, and then flees to one of these cities. 12The elders in his city are to send for him, bring him back, and deliver him to the avenger of blood to execute him.” Deut 19:11-12
Ox That Gores to Death
29“But if an ox had gored before and its owner was warned and didn’t pen it up, if it kills somebody, stone the ox and execute the owner. [30If a ransom is demanded from him, he’ll give whatever is demanded.] 31If it gores a son or daughter, the same rule applies.” Ex 21:29-32
(Acting Unqualified in a) Priestly Function
10“So appoint Aaron and his sons to keep their priesthood, but execute any layman that comes near.” Num 3:10
9Priests drinking wine or strong drink when coming into the Tent of Meeting Lev 10:9
Profaning the Israelites’ sacred gifts by the priests Num 18:32
38Moses, Aaron, and his sons camped east of the tabernacle and performed duties in the sanctuary for the obligation of Israel. Any layman that would come near would be executed. Num 3:38
7“But you and your sons will attend to your priesthood for everything around the altar and inside the curtain. I’m giving you the priesthood as a service; execute any outsider that comes near.” Num 18:7; Num 1:51
“Execute Levites approaching the sanctuary furnishings or altar Num 18:3, 8
‘Any layman that comes near will be executed.’ Num 1:51
Disobeying a Priest’s, Judge’s, or Leader’s Verdict
8“If a case is too hard for you to decide in your courts—between one kind of homicide and another, between one kind of lawsuit and another, between one kind of assault and another—go up to where the LORD has designated. 9Go to the Levitical priest or judge that’s in office, and lay the case in front of him. He’ll render a verdict. 10Carry out all its terms. 11Follow the law he teaches you in the verdict he gives. 12The man will die that doesn’t listen to the priest or judge. That’s how you’re to remove evil from Israel. 13Then the people will hear and show respect, and not act presumptuously again.” Deut 17:8-13
16They answered,
“We’ll do everything you’ve said. We’ll go wherever you go. 17We’ll obey you like we did Moses. The LORD be with you like he was with Moses! 18Whoever disobeys you will be executed. Be strong and courageous.” Josh 1:16-18
Profaning the holy objects
Going in to see the most holy objects Num 4:19
Prostitution (Woman’s Fornication?)
13‘If a man takes a wife and goes into her and then turns against her, 14and accuses her of shameful acts, publicly defames her, and says, ‘I took this woman, but when I came near her, I found out she wasn’t a virgin.’ Deut 22:13-14
20‘But if the accusation is true, 21they’ll take her out to the door of her father’s house. The men in her city will stone her to death because she committed an act of folly by serving as a prostitute in her father’s house. That’s how you’re to remove evil from among you.’ Deut 22:20-12
Ransoming a Proscribed Person
29“No proscribed person that’s been put under the ban among men can be ransomed. Execute him.” Lev 27:29
(Profaning the) Sabbath
14“The Sabbath is set aside for you. Execute anybody that profanes it. Exclude from his people whoever works on it.” Ex 31:14
2‘You can work for six days, but set the seventh day aside to the LORD as a complete rest. Whoever works on it, will be executed.’ Ex 35:2
32When Israel was in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath. 33They brought him to Moses, Aaron, and the congregation. 34They put him in custody because it hadn’t been specified what should happen to him. 35The LORD told Moses, “Execute him. Have the congregation stone him outside the camp.” 36So the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death. Num 15:32-36
Rape (engaged woman)
25‘But if the man finds an engaged girl in a field and rapes her, then only the man will die. 26Don’t do anything to her; there’s no sin in her that deserves death. This case is like a man that attacks his neighbor and murders him. 27When he found her in the field, she screamed, but there wasn’t anybody there to rescue her.’ Deut 22:25-27 (engaged woman)
Sorcery
18“Don’t let a sorceress live.’ Ex 22:18
27‘Stone to death a medium or spiritualist, man or woman. They’ve committed a crime punishable by death.’ Lev 20:27
Tabernacle
For going outside the tabernacle (Eleazar and Ithamar) or wailing over the death of a brother Lev 10:6-7
Virginity
A woman that is not a virgin and discovered to be so by the man that marries her Deut 22:20-21
Worshiping/Sacrificing/Bowing Down to Other Gods
20“Execute whoever sacrifices to any god but the LORD.’ Ex 22:20
[6“I’ve taken your fellow-Levites from among them. They’re a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD, to service the tent of meeting. 7But you and your sons will attend to your priesthood for everything around the altar and inside the curtain. I’m giving you the priesthood as a service;] execute any outsider that comes near.” Num 18:6-7
1While Israel was staying in Shittim, the people started carrying on prostitution with the daughters of Moab. 2They invited the people to the sacrifices to their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the LORD was angry with them. 4He told Moses, “Take the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight in front of the LORD, so his fierce anger will turn away from Israel.” 5So Moses told the judges, “Each of you slay his men that have joined themselves to Baal of Peor.”
6One Israelite brought a Midianite woman to his kin right in front of Moses and the congregation while they were crying at the door of the tent of meeting. 7When Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he got up from the assembly. He took a spear, 8and went after the man into the tent, and pierced both of them through. So the plague on Israel was checked. 924,000 had died from it. Num 25:1-9
6“If your brother, your son or daughter, the wife you love, your close friend tempts you privately, ‘Let’s serve other gods’ (7of people near or far, from one end of the earth to the other), 8don’t yield to them. Don’t show any mercy or cover it up. 9Execute him. Be the first to move against him, then the other people. 10Stone him to death, because he has tried to tempt you away from the LORD your God that brought you out of slavery in Egypt.
12-13“If you hear that some worthless men have tempted the people in their city, ‘Let’s serve other gods,’ 14investigate the matter thoroughly. If it’s true, 15strike them with the sword. Completely destroy the city, its people, and their cattle. 16Gather its spoils in its open square, and burn it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Make the city a permanent ruin; don’t rebuild it. 17Get rid of any devoted thing, so the LORD will turn his burning anger away, have mercy on you, and increase you—like he swore to your ancestors.” Deut 13:6-17 (cp. 13:1-5)
2-4“In any of your towns, if you hear about a man or woman that transgresses the covenant by serving other gods or worshiping the sun, moon or stars, verify that detestable thing thoroughly. 5Then take that person to your city gates, and stone him to death. 6You need the testimony of two or three witnesses to execute anyone. Don’t execute anybody on the word of one witness. 7The accuser needs to throw the first stone. Then the people will stone him. That’s how you’re to remove evil from among you.” Deut 17:2-7
Disobeying six of the Ten Commandments was a capital crime punishable by stoning:
Worshipping other gods (Deuteronomy 13:1-5; Exodus 22:20);
Using the Lord’s name in vain/blasphemy (Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 24:10-16; Deuteronomy
5:11);
Working on Sabbath (Exodus 31:24; 35:2; Numbers 15:32-36);
Not honoring father and mother/striking or cursing father or mother (Exodus 21:15, 17);
Committing murder (Exodus 21:12-14; 22:25; Leviticus 24:17, 21; Numbers 35:16-21, 29-30;
Deuteronomy 19:11-12);
Committing adultery (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22); rape (Deuteronomy 22:25) and
incest (Leviticus 20:11-12).
18 capital crimes
Additionally
Touching Sinai at the Exodus Time
‘Don’t go up on the mountain or touch it. Execute whoever touches it. 13Don’t touch him; stone him or shoot him. Man or animal won’t live.’ Ex 19:12-13
21“Go down and warn the people not to break through to the LORD to stare, and many of them perish. 22Have the priests that come near to the LORD, consecrate themselves so he doesn’t flare out against them.” Ex 19:21
Abusing a Widow or Orphan
22“Don’t abuse a widow or orphan. 23If you abuse such a person in any way and the person cries out to me, I’ll be listening. 24My anger will flare. I’ll kill you with the sword, and make your wives widows and your children orphans.
God’s Directly Destroying Rebellions of Various Sorts, for example:
Korah’s rebellion (Numbers 16:1-35; 250 consumed by fire from the Lord; the
households of Dothan and Abiram swallowed up by the earth)
Protest against Moses (Numbers 16:41-50; 14,700 died of a plague)
Plague of poisonous snakes (Numbers 21:4-9 < John 3:14-15)
Apostasy at Shittim (Number 25:1-18 > 1 Corinthians 10:8; 23,000/24,000 died)
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