Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Court » Justice required of
and appointing judges throughout the land in all of the walled cities of Judah, city by city. He issued this reminder to the judges: "Pay careful attention to your duties, because you are judging not only for the sake of human beings but also for the LORD and he is present with you as you make your rulings. So let the fear of the LORD rest upon you, be on your guard, and act carefully, because with the LORD our God there is neither injustice, nor partiality, nor bribery." read more.
In Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat also appointed certain descendants of Levi, priests, and family leaders of Israel to render verdicts for the LORD and to decide difficult cases. Their offices were in Jerusalem. He issued this reminder to them: "You are to carry out your duties in the fear of the LORD, serving him faithfully with your whole heart. No matter what case comes before you from your fellow citizens who live in their own cities, whether it's a dispute between blood relatives or a dispute regarding the Law and the commands, statutes, or verdicts, you are to warn the parties so that they do not become guilty in the LORD's presence and so that anger does not come upon you and your fellow citizens.
In Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat also appointed certain descendants of Levi, priests, and family leaders of Israel to render verdicts for the LORD and to decide difficult cases. Their offices were in Jerusalem. He issued this reminder to them: "You are to carry out your duties in the fear of the LORD, serving him faithfully with your whole heart. No matter what case comes before you from your fellow citizens who live in their own cities, whether it's a dispute between blood relatives or a dispute regarding the Law and the commands, statutes, or verdicts, you are to warn the parties so that they do not become guilty in the LORD's presence and so that anger does not come upon you and your fellow citizens.
You are not to follow the majority in doing wrong, and you are not to testify in a lawsuit so as to follow the majority and pervert justice. You are not to show partiality to a poor man in his lawsuit.
"You are not to pervert justice for the poor among you in their lawsuits. Stay far away from a false charge, and don't kill the innocent or the righteous, because I won't acquit the guilty. You are not to take a bribe because a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and distorts the words of the righteous.
I charged your judges at that time, "When you hold a hearing between brothers, judge fairly between a man and his brother or between foreigners. When you hold a hearing, don't be partial in judgment toward the least important or toward the great. Never fear men, because judgment belongs to God. If the matter is difficult for you, bring it to me for a hearing.'
"When there is a conflict between individuals, let them come to court to judge the case, decide who is innocent, and condemn the guilty person.
Evidence » Laws concerning
The young man asked him, "Which ones?"
"If someone sins because he has failed to testify after receiving notice to testify as a witness regarding what he has observed or learned, he is to be held responsible."
"Take the one who cursed outside the camp. Everyone who heard him is to lay their hands on his head. Then the entire congregation is to stone him to death.
"Every murderer of a human being is to be executed only according to testimony given by multiple witnesses. A single witness is not to result in a death sentence.
But if he doesn't listen, take one or two others with you so that "every word may be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'
Anyone who violates the Law of Moses dies without mercy "on the testimony of two or three witnesses."
Don't testify against your neighbor without a cause, and don't lie when you speak.
"You are not to give false testimony against your neighbor.
"You are not to spread a false report, nor are you to join forces with the wicked to be a malicious witness.
Stay far away from a false charge, and don't kill the innocent or the righteous, because I won't acquit the guilty.
Based on the testimony of two or three witnesses, they must surely die. But they are not to die based on the testimony of one person. Let the witnesses be the first to begin executing them, then the rest of the people shall follow. By doing this you will purge evil from among you."
"The testimony of one person alone is not to suffice to convict anyone of any iniquity, sin, or guilt. But the matter will stand on the testimony of two or three witnesses. When a malicious witness takes the stand against a man and accuses him, then both must stand with their dispute in the LORD's presence, the priests, and the judges at that time. read more.
The judges will investigate thoroughly. If the false witness lies in testifying against his relative, do to him just as he intended to do to his relative. By doing this you will purge evil from your midst. When others hear of this, they will be afraid and will not do such an evil deed again in your midst. Your eyes must not show pity life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot."
The judges will investigate thoroughly. If the false witness lies in testifying against his relative, do to him just as he intended to do to his relative. By doing this you will purge evil from your midst. When others hear of this, they will be afraid and will not do such an evil deed again in your midst. Your eyes must not show pity life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot."
Execution » Who should not be executed according to the law
Stay far away from a false charge, and don't kill the innocent or the righteous, because I won't acquit the guilty.
"When a person has sexual relations with a woman servant who is engaged to another man, but she has not been completely redeemed nor has her freedom been granted to her, there is to be an inquiry, but they won't be put to death, since she has not been freed.
"If a man meets a girl in the country who is engaged to be married and then rapes her, the man alone the one who had sexual relations with her must die. As for the young lady, don't do anything to her. The young lady did nothing worthy of death. This case is similar to when a man attacks his countryman and kills him. Since he found her in the country, the engaged girl may have cried out, but there was no one to rescue her.
"Fathers must not be put to death on account of their children's sin; nor shall children die on account of their fathers' sin. Each person is to be put to death for his own sin.
but he did not execute the children of the murderers, in keeping with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, as the LORD had commanded: "Fathers must not be put to death because of their children's sin; nor are children to die because of their fathers' sin, for each person is to be put to death for his own sin."
but he did not execute their children in obedience to what is written in the Law, the writings of Moses, where the LORD commanded, "Fathers are not to die because of what their children do, nor are children to die because of what their fathers do, but each person is to die for his own sins."
This message came to me from the LORD: "Why do you cite this proverb when you talk about Israel's land: "The fathers eat sour grapes but it's their children's teeth that have become numb.' As long as I live," declares the LORD, "you won't use this proverb about Israel anymore. read more.
Look! Every living soul belongs to me the father's as well as the son's. So pay attention! The person who keeps on sinning is going to die." "If a person is righteous, and practices what's lawful and right, if he doesn't eat at mountain shrines, and doesn't look to the idols that have been erected in Israel's house, if he doesn't defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her time of menstrual separation, if he doesn't oppress anyone, but instead returns the debtor's security for his debt, if he doesn't rob anyone, but instead shares his food with the hungry and gives clothes to those who are naked, if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people, if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD. "Now suppose that person produces a son who's violent, a murderer, and practices any of these things, even though the father hasn't done any of these things. The son who eats at mountain shrines, defiles his neighbor's wife, oppresses the afflicted and the poor, robs others, doesn't return security for a debt, looks to idols, does detestable things, loans with usury, and exacts interest; will he live? He certainly will not! He has done all these detestable practices. He will certainly die, and his guilt will be his own fault." "Now suppose that he produced a son who practiced all of his father's sins, but then that son began to fear me and stopped doing all of these things. That is, suppose he doesn't eat at the mountain shrines, doesn't look to the idols of Israel's house, doesn't defile his neighbor's wife, doesn't oppress anyone, doesn't take possession of a debtor's pledge, or doesn't steal, but instead shares his food with the hungry, gives clothes to those who are naked, doesn't refuse to help the afflicted, or refuses to loan with usury or exact interest, but instead follows my ordinances and lives his life consistent with my statutes. He won't die because of his father's sin, will he? No! He'll certainly live. As for his father, watch out! If he wrongfully oppressed or robbed his brother and did what wasn't good among his people, he'll die because of his own sin." "Yet you keep asking, "Why wouldn't the son bear the punishment of his father's sin?' Because the son has done what was lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes and obeyed them, he's certainly going to live. The soul who sins dies. The son won't bear the punishment of his father's sin and the father won't bear the punishment of his son's sin. The righteous deeds of that righteous person will be attributed to him, while the wicked deeds of the wicked person will be charged against him.
Look! Every living soul belongs to me the father's as well as the son's. So pay attention! The person who keeps on sinning is going to die." "If a person is righteous, and practices what's lawful and right, if he doesn't eat at mountain shrines, and doesn't look to the idols that have been erected in Israel's house, if he doesn't defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her time of menstrual separation, if he doesn't oppress anyone, but instead returns the debtor's security for his debt, if he doesn't rob anyone, but instead shares his food with the hungry and gives clothes to those who are naked, if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people, if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD. "Now suppose that person produces a son who's violent, a murderer, and practices any of these things, even though the father hasn't done any of these things. The son who eats at mountain shrines, defiles his neighbor's wife, oppresses the afflicted and the poor, robs others, doesn't return security for a debt, looks to idols, does detestable things, loans with usury, and exacts interest; will he live? He certainly will not! He has done all these detestable practices. He will certainly die, and his guilt will be his own fault." "Now suppose that he produced a son who practiced all of his father's sins, but then that son began to fear me and stopped doing all of these things. That is, suppose he doesn't eat at the mountain shrines, doesn't look to the idols of Israel's house, doesn't defile his neighbor's wife, doesn't oppress anyone, doesn't take possession of a debtor's pledge, or doesn't steal, but instead shares his food with the hungry, gives clothes to those who are naked, doesn't refuse to help the afflicted, or refuses to loan with usury or exact interest, but instead follows my ordinances and lives his life consistent with my statutes. He won't die because of his father's sin, will he? No! He'll certainly live. As for his father, watch out! If he wrongfully oppressed or robbed his brother and did what wasn't good among his people, he'll die because of his own sin." "Yet you keep asking, "Why wouldn't the son bear the punishment of his father's sin?' Because the son has done what was lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes and obeyed them, he's certainly going to live. The soul who sins dies. The son won't bear the punishment of his father's sin and the father won't bear the punishment of his son's sin. The righteous deeds of that righteous person will be attributed to him, while the wicked deeds of the wicked person will be charged against him.
Justification » Who shall not be justified
Stay far away from a false charge, and don't kill the innocent or the righteous, because I won't acquit the guilty.
For it is not merely those who hear the Law who are righteous in God's sight. No, it is those who follow the Law, who will be justified.
Justification before God » The wicked shall not attain to
Stay far away from a false charge, and don't kill the innocent or the righteous, because I won't acquit the guilty.