Reference: Captive
Easton
one taken in war. Captives were often treated with great cruelty and indignity (1Ki 20:32; Jos 10:24; Jg 1:7; 2Sa 4:12; Jg 8:7; 2Sa 12:31; 1Ch 20:3). When a city was taken by assault, all the men were slain, and the women and children carried away captive and sold as slaves (Isa 20; 47:3; 2Ch 28:9-15; Ps 44:12; Joe 3:3), and exposed to the most cruel treatment (Na 3:10; Zec 14:2; Es 3:13; 2Ki 8:12; Isa 13:16,18). Captives were sometimes carried away into foreign countries, as was the case with the Jews (Jer 20:5; 39:9-10; 40:7).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
When they brought out the kings to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him: Come near, put your feet on the back of the necks of (humiliate) (abase) these kings. They came near, and put their feet upon their necks.
And Adoni-bezek said: Seventy kings with their big toes cut off have gathered food scrapes under my table. God has repaid me for what I have done. So they brought him to Jerusalem where he died.
Gideon said: When Jehovah delivers Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
So they put on haircloth, and cords on their heads, and went to the king of Israel and said: Your servant Benhadad says: 'Let me now keep my life.' And he said: Is he still living? He is my brother.
A prophet of Jehovah named Oded was there. He went to meet the army coming home to Samaria. He said: Jehovah the God of your ancestors handed Judah over to you in his anger. You killed them in a rage that reaches up to heaven. Now you intend to enslave the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem. But are you not also guilty of sinning against Jehovah your God? read more. Listen to me. Return the prisoners you have captured from your relatives, because Jehovah is very angry with you. Then Azariah, son of Jehohan, Berechiah, son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah, son of Shallum, and Amasa, son of Hadlai, some leaders of Ephraim, opposed those coming home from the army. They said to the army: Do not bring the prisoners here. You will make us responsible for this sin against Jehovah. Do you intend to add to all our sins? Jehovah is very angry at Israel because we have already sinned. Thus the army left the prisoners and the loot in front of the leaders and the whole assembly. Then the men who were mentioned by name took charge of the prisoners and gave clothes from the loot to all the prisoners who were naked. They provided clothes for them, gave them sandals, gave them something to eat and drink, and let them bathe. They put everyone who was exhausted on donkeys and brought them to Jericho, the City of Palms, near their own people. Then they returned to Samaria.
Runners delivered letters to every division of the kingdom. They ordered the death and destruction of all Jews, young and old, little children and women, on the same day, even the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar, and the taking of all their goods by force.
You sell your people for almost nothing, and at that price you have gained nothing.
Their infant children will be dashed to pieces before their eyes. Their houses will be plundered and their wives raped.
And their bows will mow down the young men. They will not even have compassion on the fruit of the womb. Nor will they have compassion on children.
I will also hand over all the wealth of this city, all its produce and all its costly things. I will even give all the treasures of the kings of Judah to the hand of their enemies. They will plunder them and take them away to Babylon.
Finally Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, took away as prisoners to Babylon the people who were left in the city, together with those who had deserted to him. He left in the land of Judah some of the poorest people, who owned no property, and he gave them vineyards and fields.
All the army commanders and their men who were in the field heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, to govern the country and some of the country's poorest men, women, and children who had not been taken away to Babylon.
They cast lots for my people, and traded a boy for a prostitute, and sold a girl for wine, that they may drink.
She went into captivity and was exiled. Her children were smashed to death at every street corner. Soldiers tossed dice for her important men, and all her best men were bound in chains.
I will gather all nations to battle against Jerusalem! The city will be defeated. The houses will be plundered and the women raped! Half of the city will be taken into captivity. The remainder of the people will not be removed from the city.
Smith
Captive.
A prisoner of war. Such were usually treated with great cruelty by the heathen nations. They were kept for slaves, and often sold; but this was a modification of the ancient cruelty, and a substitute for putting them to death Although the treatment of captives by the Jews seems sometimes to be cruel, it was very much milder than that of the heathen, and was mitigated, as far as possible in the circumstances, by their civil code.