Bribery in general was forbidden, Ex 23', Dt 16"*, and condemned, 2 Ch 19', Job 15", Ps 26'", Pr 6»= H'^, Is 1^ 33", Ezk 22'^. It was a vice to which rulers seem to have been addicted (1 S 8' 12' Am 5'").
Burglary. — See Robbery.
Deb[, while it might be a misfortune, could bo incurred so as to expose to penalty where the in- solvency was the result of fraud or neglect (Mt b" jjj-is-wj Perhaps punishment was inflicted to deter others, rather than as a vindictive act against the oliender. In Egypt he was subjected to the bastin- ado (Wilkinson, Ancient Eiji/jitians, 1854, ii. 211). See se[iarate article.
Divination. — See MAGIC and sep. art.
Drunkenness, a vice which, in view of its con- sequences, may be regarded as a crime (Is 28'-'*' 56"^, Ezk 23" RV). Religious abstinence from strong drink was viewed in the same liglit as refraining from unclean meats (W. R. Smith, 7i^' 465). Teetotal- ism was required of a Nazirite, Jg 13*, and com- mended, Jer 35'". Inebriety is forbidden in the Koran. See STRONG DitiNK and Drunkenness.
Fornication, a sexual vice that was common before the time of Moses, being grossly prevalent in Egypt, as shown in Gn 39' and tlie evidence of the monuments; also in Babylonia (Rawlinson, Ancient Monarchies, iii. 30). Prostitution, a hein- ous crime (Jos. Ant. IV. viii. 9), was not tolerated by the Sin. code, being an abomination in the sight of God (Lv 19», in 23"-i«). Its price could not be accepted in the sanctuary, Mic 1', and death by stoning was the penalty (or an unmarried woman who had concealed her crime, Dt 22*- "'. It would seem from the term ' strange woman,' in Pr 2'°, that harlots were procured from foreigners. By the Koran a courtesan was not allowed to testify, and, according to the Zendavesta, she might be killed without warrant, like a snake. Her vile methods and their terrible eflects are severely por- trayed in Pr 2'""' 5'"' 7''", and as arousing the dis- pleasure of God, Jer 5', Am 2' 7". Such excesses were very common among the heathen in the time of the apostles (I Co S'-'- '" 6", Gal 5'», Eph 5»). Terms for this vice are frequently used in a sym- bolical sense, the chosen nation being represented as a harlot or adulteress (Is l'", Jer 2*', Ezk 16, Hos F 3'). Idolatry itself is so designated (Jer 3>'-", Ezk le*'-" 23"). Fornication is a type of unholy alliances in the Bk. of Rev, especially in chs. 17, 18, and 19.
Homicide, which consists in taking human life without hatred or thirst of blood, or bj' mistake or accident, included cases like that of the owner ot an ox which gored a man when it was not known to bo vicious (Ex 21^) ; the slaying of a thief overtaken in the night (Ex 22^-'); taking life without pre- meditation, or by casting a stone or missile ut
random (Nu 35-'^''^), or by the slipping of an a.\< :''"■; " in 22
GOKL.
head from its helve (Dt 19'). See Dt 22" and ajt.
Idolatry. — See separate article.
Incest. — Carnal intercourse is treated as criminal when between a man and his mother, steii-mother, half-sister, grand-daughter, stepsister, aunt, wife of an uncle, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, step- daughter, step-graiid-daughter (Lv 18""'*) ; or hia niolJierinlaw (Dt 27-'"- '■''). Mention of an own sister is omitted as too gross to consider.
Infanticide. — See Murder.
522 CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS
Kidnapping was a mortal offence (Dt 24').
Lying, an attempt to deceive by speaking an un- trutli, was forbidden in the Mosaic law (Lv 19"), and includc'l in the category of sins against God. It was a common evil among Oriental people, but con- sidered very disgraceful {WUkinson, .i4 nc.j^(7y/)?ianj, 1854, ii. 207). The prophets especially fulminated against the efTort to lead the people astray by false teaching (Is 9i» 28"'- ", Jer 14" 27'"- >*• »• '», Ezk 21^, Mic 1", Zee 13^ and many other passages). Falsehood is severely rebuked m Ps 62* 119"", Pr j4t. a 196. »_ In NT it is regarded as a sin odious to God (Ac 5'-*) ; contrary to the essence of the gospel (1 Jn 1' 2^'- "') ; and disqualifying the perpe- trator for the new order (Rev 21''- » 22'»). It is associated with perjury (1 Ti 1">). See OATH, Witness, and Lying.
Malice, that was made apparent in tale-bearing, lying in wait for blood, secret hatred, and bearing a grudge, is condemned (Lv 19'"''*).
Murder, according to the divine word, is a crime against wliich all nature revolts (Gn 4"'-^- "). The sanctity of human life is founded on the fact that man was made in the image of God (Gn 9°). Murder may be instigated by hatred (Nu 35^- -') ; or by thirst for blood, prompted by premeditated design (Dt 19") ; or accomplished oy deceitful stratagem (Ex 21"). Assassination is an aggra- vated form in which life is destroyed by surprise or unexpected assault and treacherous violence (2 S 4'- '), and the following instances occur : Eglon, Jg 3«'-^ ; Ishbosheth, 2 § 4»- « ; Nadab, 1 K 15"- ^ ; Sennacherib, 2 K 19^', 2 Ch 32-i ; Gedaliah, Jer 41^. In the times of Felix and Festus there appeared a fanatical faction of Jewish patriots known as Sicarii, armed with daggers, sicc(E, who, flitting about unobserved among the crowds during festival seasons, removed opponents by assassination, and then feigned deep sorrow to avert suspicion. See Ac 21^ (Jos. Ant. XX. viii. 5, Wars, II. xiii. 3, II. xvii. 6, IV. vii. 2, ix. 5,vil. viii. 1, x. 1, xi. 1; Schiirer, IIJP I. ii. 178, 185). There is no mention of parricide and infanticide in the Mosaic code, as if these crimes were not known to exist or be possible. In Egypt the parent was doomed to embrace the corpse of the child for three days (Wilkinson, Anc. Egyp. ii. 209) ; and while the Koran condemned prenatal murder as well, E. H. Palmer states in a note to Koran vi. 137, that female children were buried alive in Arabia. The following cases of suicide appear : Saul and his armour-bearer, 1 S 31*- »; AluUiophel, 2 S 17**; Zimri, 1 K 16"; Judas Iscariot, Mt 27° ; also Ptolemy Macron, 2 Mac 10'^ and Razis, 2 Mac H"-"". It could be treated as a crime by the Jews (Jos. Wars, III. viii. 5), but there is no mention of penalty in the Scriptures. Murder in all its forms is forbidden in Ex 20", Dt 5". No sanctuary was to be allowed to the criminal (Ex 21'-, Lv24"--', Nu 35"'- '», Dt 19''», 1 K 2^*'). In poetic thought the voice of blood shed cried for vengeance until the murderer was punished (Gn 4'°). A woe is pronounced on the city that is regarded as guilty (Ezk 24'"*) ; and when unsuccessful, after the most diligent efforts, in detecting the criminal (Jos. Ant. IV. viii. 16), it must by an elaborate and impressive ceremony exonerate itself (Dt 21'"'). So sacred was tlie regard for human life, that the owner of an ox known to be vicious and causing death was held guilty of a capital crime, and the ox was stoned (Ex 21^). In Egypt, he who witnessed a murder without giving information of it was considered particeps criniini.i.