Thematic Bible: Cruelty to
Thematic Bible
Animals » Cruelty to
When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she crouched down under Balaam. So he became furious and beat the donkey with his stick.
but even the merciful acts of the wicked are cruel.
David captured 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers from him, and he hamstrung all the horses and kept 100 chariots.
David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers from him, hamstrung all the horses, and kept 100 chariots.
Animals » Cruelty to » Houghing horses
David captured 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers from him, and he hamstrung all the horses and kept 100 chariots.
David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers from him, hamstrung all the horses, and kept 100 chariots.
Animals » Cruelty to » balaam
But God was incensed that Balaam was going, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand on the path to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him. When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing on the path with a drawn sword in His hand, she turned off the path and went into the field. So Balaam hit her to return her to the path. Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow passage between the vineyards, with a stone wall on either side. read more.
The donkey saw the Angel of the Lord and pressed herself against the wall, squeezing Balaam's foot against it. So he hit her once again. The Angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or the left. When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she crouched down under Balaam. So he became furious and beat the donkey with his stick. Then the Lord opened the donkey's mouth, and she asked Balaam, "What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?" Balaam answered the donkey, "You made me look like a fool. If I had a sword in my hand, I'd kill you now!" But the donkey said, "Am I not the donkey you've ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?" "No," he replied. Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the path with a drawn sword in His hand. Balaam knelt and bowed with his face [to the ground]. The Angel of the Lord asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you, because what you are doing is evil in My sight. The donkey saw Me and turned away from Me these three times. If she had not turned away from Me, I would have killed you by now and let her live."
The donkey saw the Angel of the Lord and pressed herself against the wall, squeezing Balaam's foot against it. So he hit her once again. The Angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or the left. When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she crouched down under Balaam. So he became furious and beat the donkey with his stick. Then the Lord opened the donkey's mouth, and she asked Balaam, "What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?" Balaam answered the donkey, "You made me look like a fool. If I had a sword in my hand, I'd kill you now!" But the donkey said, "Am I not the donkey you've ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?" "No," he replied. Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the path with a drawn sword in His hand. Balaam knelt and bowed with his face [to the ground]. The Angel of the Lord asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you, because what you are doing is evil in My sight. The donkey saw Me and turned away from Me these three times. If she had not turned away from Me, I would have killed you by now and let her live."
Captive » Cruelty to » Putting to death
Samuel said, "Bring me Agag king of Amalek." Agag came to him trembling, for he thought, "Certainly the bitterness of death has come." Samuel declared: As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women. Then he hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.
He hung the body of the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take his body down from the tree. They threw it down at the entrance of the city gate and put a large pile of rocks over it, which remains to this day.
Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Get up and kill us yourself, for a man is judged by his strength.” So Gideon got up, killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.
The Israelites took the Midianite women and their children captive, and they plundered all their cattle, flocks, and property. Then they burned all the cities where the Midianites lived, as well as all their encampments, and took away all the spoils of war and the captives, both human and animal. read more.
They brought the prisoners, animals, and spoils of war to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the Israelite community at the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan [across from] Jericho. Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp. But Moses became furious with the officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, who were returning from the military campaign. "Have you let every female live?" he asked them. "Yet they are the ones who, at Balaam's advice, incited the Israelites to unfaithfulness against the Lord in the Peor incident, so that the plague came against the Lord's community. So now, kill all the male children and kill every woman who has had sexual relations with a man, but keep alive for yourselves all the young females who have not had sexual relations. "You are to remain outside the camp for seven days. All of you and your prisoners who have killed a person or touched the dead are to purify yourselves on the third day and the seventh day. Also purify everything: garments, leather goods, things made of goat hair, and every article of wood."
They brought the prisoners, animals, and spoils of war to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the Israelite community at the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan [across from] Jericho. Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp. But Moses became furious with the officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, who were returning from the military campaign. "Have you let every female live?" he asked them. "Yet they are the ones who, at Balaam's advice, incited the Israelites to unfaithfulness against the Lord in the Peor incident, so that the plague came against the Lord's community. So now, kill all the male children and kill every woman who has had sexual relations with a man, but keep alive for yourselves all the young females who have not had sexual relations. "You are to remain outside the camp for seven days. All of you and your prisoners who have killed a person or touched the dead are to purify yourselves on the third day and the seventh day. Also purify everything: garments, leather goods, things made of goat hair, and every article of wood."
When the Lord your God hands it over to you, you must strike down all its males with the sword.
“When you go to war against your enemies and the Lord your God hands them over to you and you take some of them prisoner, and
Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal. Now the five [defeated] kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah. It was reported to Joshua: "The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah." read more.
Joshua said, "Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and station men by it to guard the kings. But as for the rest of you, don't stay there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Don't let them enter their cities, for the Lord your God has handed them over to you." So Joshua and the Israelites finished inflicting a terrible slaughter on them until they were destroyed, although a few survivors ran away to the fortified cities. The people returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. No one could say a thing against the Israelites. Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings to me out of there." That is what they did. They brought the five kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon to Joshua out of the cave. When they had brought the kings to him, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the military commanders who had accompanied him, "Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings." So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks. Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid or discouraged. Be strong and courageous, for the Lord will do this to all the enemies you fight." After this, Joshua struck them down and executed them. He hung their bodies on five trees and they were there until evening. At sunset Joshua commanded that they be taken down from the treesand thrown into the cave where they had hidden. Then large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave, and the stones are there to this day. On that day Joshua captured Makkedah and struck it down with the sword, including its king. He completely destroyed it and everyone in it, leaving no survivors. So he treated the king of Makkedah as he had the king of Jericho. Joshua and all Israel with him crossed from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah. The Lord also handed it and its king over to Israel. He struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword, and left no survivors in it. He treated Libnah's king as he had the king of Jericho. From Libnah, Joshua and all Israel with him crossed to Lachish. They laid siege to it and attacked it. The Lord handed Lachish over to Israel, and Joshua captured it on the second day. He struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah. At that time Horam king of Gezer went to help Lachish, but Joshua struck him down along with his people, leaving no survivors in it. Then Joshua crossed from Lachish to Eglon and all Israel with him. They laid siege to it and attacked it. On that day they captured it and struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword. He completely destroyed it that day, just as he had done to Lachish. Next, Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it. They captured it and struck down its king, all its villages, and everyone in it with the sword. Just as he had done at Eglon, he left no survivors. He completely destroyed Hebron and everyone in it. Finally, Joshua turned toward Debir and attacked it. And all Israel was with him. He captured it-its king and all its villages. They struck them down with the sword and completely destroyed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. He treated Debir and its king as he had treated Hebron and as he had treated Libnah and its king. So Joshua conquered the whole region-the hill country, the Negev, the Judean foothills, and the slopes-with all their kings, leaving no survivors. He completely destroyed every living being, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.
Joshua said, "Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and station men by it to guard the kings. But as for the rest of you, don't stay there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Don't let them enter their cities, for the Lord your God has handed them over to you." So Joshua and the Israelites finished inflicting a terrible slaughter on them until they were destroyed, although a few survivors ran away to the fortified cities. The people returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. No one could say a thing against the Israelites. Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings to me out of there." That is what they did. They brought the five kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon to Joshua out of the cave. When they had brought the kings to him, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the military commanders who had accompanied him, "Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings." So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks. Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid or discouraged. Be strong and courageous, for the Lord will do this to all the enemies you fight." After this, Joshua struck them down and executed them. He hung their bodies on five trees and they were there until evening. At sunset Joshua commanded that they be taken down from the treesand thrown into the cave where they had hidden. Then large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave, and the stones are there to this day. On that day Joshua captured Makkedah and struck it down with the sword, including its king. He completely destroyed it and everyone in it, leaving no survivors. So he treated the king of Makkedah as he had the king of Jericho. Joshua and all Israel with him crossed from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah. The Lord also handed it and its king over to Israel. He struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword, and left no survivors in it. He treated Libnah's king as he had the king of Jericho. From Libnah, Joshua and all Israel with him crossed to Lachish. They laid siege to it and attacked it. The Lord handed Lachish over to Israel, and Joshua captured it on the second day. He struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah. At that time Horam king of Gezer went to help Lachish, but Joshua struck him down along with his people, leaving no survivors in it. Then Joshua crossed from Lachish to Eglon and all Israel with him. They laid siege to it and attacked it. On that day they captured it and struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword. He completely destroyed it that day, just as he had done to Lachish. Next, Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it. They captured it and struck down its king, all its villages, and everyone in it with the sword. Just as he had done at Eglon, he left no survivors. He completely destroyed Hebron and everyone in it. Finally, Joshua turned toward Debir and attacked it. And all Israel was with him. He captured it-its king and all its villages. They struck them down with the sword and completely destroyed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. He treated Debir and its king as he had treated Hebron and as he had treated Libnah and its king. So Joshua conquered the whole region-the hill country, the Negev, the Judean foothills, and the slopes-with all their kings, leaving no survivors. He completely destroyed every living being, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.
They struck down everyone in it with the sword, completely destroying them; he left no one alive. Then he burned down Hazor.
They captured Oreb and Zeeb, the two princes of Midian; they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb, while they were pursuing the Midianites. They brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon across the Jordan.
This is what you should do: Completely destroy every male, as well as every female who has slept with a man.”
He also defeated the Moabites, and after making them lie down on the ground, he measured them off with a cord. He measured every two cord lengths of those to be put to death and one length of those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute.
and Hazael asked, “Why is my lord weeping?”
He replied, “Because I know the evil you will do to the people of Israel. You will set their fortresses on fire. You will kill their young men with the sword. You will dash their little ones to pieces. You will rip open their pregnant women.”
He replied, “Because I know the evil you will do to the people of Israel. You will set their fortresses on fire. You will kill their young men with the sword. You will dash their little ones to pieces. You will rip open their pregnant women.”
At Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes, and he also slaughtered all Judah’s nobles.
Captive » Cruelty to » Enslaved
Aram had gone on raids and brought back from the land of Israel a young girl who served Naaman’s wife.
But you may take the women, children, animals, and whatever else is in the city—all its spoil—as plunder. You may enjoy the spoil of your enemies that the Lord your God has given you.
You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks to remove them far from their own territory.
Captive » Cruelty to » Ripping women with child
The Lord says:
I will not relent from punishing the Ammonites
for three crimes, even four,
because they ripped open
the pregnant women of Gilead
in order to enlarge their territory.
for three crimes, even four,
because they ripped open
the pregnant women of Gilead
in order to enlarge their territory.
and Hazael asked, “Why is my lord weeping?”
He replied, “Because I know the evil you will do to the people of Israel. You will set their fortresses on fire. You will kill their young men with the sword. You will dash their little ones to pieces. You will rip open their pregnant women.”
He replied, “Because I know the evil you will do to the people of Israel. You will set their fortresses on fire. You will kill their young men with the sword. You will dash their little ones to pieces. You will rip open their pregnant women.”
At that time, starting from Tirzah, Menahem attacked Tiphsah, all who were in it, and its territory. Because they wouldn’t surrender, he attacked it and ripped open all the pregnant women.
Captive » Cruelty to » Ravished
Women are raped in Zion, virgins in the cities of Judah. Princes are hung up by their hands; elders are shown no respect. Young men labor at millstones; boys stumble under [loads of] wood.
I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for battle. The city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women raped. Half the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be removed from the city.
Captive » Cruelty to » Tortured under saws and harrows
He removed the people who were in the city and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and to labor at brickmaking. He did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then he and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.
He brought out the people who were in it and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes. David did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then he and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.
Captive » Cruelty to » Blinded
The Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes. They brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles, and he was forced to grind grain in the prison.
Then he blinded Zedekiah and put him in bronze chains to take him to Babylon.
Captive » Cruelty to » Twenty thousand, by amaziah
Amaziah strengthened his position and led his people to the Valley of Salt. He struck down 10,000 Seirites, and the Judahites captured 10,000 alive. They took them to the top of a cliff where they threw them off, and all of them were dashed to pieces.
Captive » Cruelty to » Robbed
When I vent My jealous rage on you, they will deal with you in wrath. They will cut off your nose and ears, and your descendants will fall by the sword. They will seize your sons and daughters, and your descendants will be consumed by fire. They will strip off your clothes and take your beautiful jewelry.
Captive » Cruelty to » Confined in pits
he will not die and go to the Pit,
and his food will not be lacking.
Captive » Cruelty to » Maimed
When Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes. Adoni-bezek said, "Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up [scraps] under my table. God has repaid me for what I have done." They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
Prisoners » Cruelty to
So they took Jeremiah and dropped him into the cistern of Malchiah the king’s son, which was in the guard’s courtyard, lowering Jeremiah with ropes. There was no water in the cistern, only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.
They dropped me alive into a pit and threw stones at me. Water flooded over my head, and I thought: I'm going to die!
Servant » Bond » Cruelty to » The israelites
Now a man from the family of Levi married a Levite woman. The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son; when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with asphalt and pitch. She placed the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. read more.
Then his sister stood at a distance in order to see what would happen to him.
Then his sister stood at a distance in order to see what would happen to him.
I have observed the oppression of My people in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to rescue them. And now, come, I will send you to Egypt.
A new king, who had not known Joseph, came to power in Egypt. He said to his people, "Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and powerful than we are. Let us deal shrewdly with them; otherwise they will multiply [further], and if war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country." read more.
So the Egyptians assigned taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. They built Pithom and Rameses as supply cities for Pharaoh. But the more they oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. They worked the Israelites ruthlessly and made their lives bitter with difficult labor in brick and mortar, and in all kinds of fieldwork. They ruthlessly imposed all this work on them. Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, "When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them as they deliver. If the child is a son, kill him, but if it's a daughter, she may live." The Hebrew midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live. So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you done this and let the boys live?" The midwives said to Pharaoh, "The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife can get to them." So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very numerous. Since the midwives feared God, He gave them families. Pharaoh then commanded all his people: "You must throw every son born to the Hebrews into the Nile, but let every daughter live."
So the Egyptians assigned taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. They built Pithom and Rameses as supply cities for Pharaoh. But the more they oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. They worked the Israelites ruthlessly and made their lives bitter with difficult labor in brick and mortar, and in all kinds of fieldwork. They ruthlessly imposed all this work on them. Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, "When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them as they deliver. If the child is a son, kill him, but if it's a daughter, she may live." The Hebrew midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live. So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you done this and let the boys live?" The midwives said to Pharaoh, "The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife can get to them." So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very numerous. Since the midwives feared God, He gave them families. Pharaoh then commanded all his people: "You must throw every son born to the Hebrews into the Nile, but let every daughter live."
He dealt deceitfully with our race and oppressed our ancestors by making them leave their infants outside, so they wouldn’t survive.