Topical Bible: Captive: Other Indignities To

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In the biblical context, captives often faced numerous indignities and harsh treatments, reflecting the brutal realities of ancient warfare and societal norms. The Scriptures provide various accounts of the indignities suffered by captives, illustrating both the physical and psychological hardships they endured.

One of the most poignant examples is found in the treatment of the Israelites during their captivity. In 2 Kings 25:7, the fate of King Zedekiah is described: "Then they put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon." This act of blinding and binding symbolizes the complete subjugation and humiliation of a defeated king, a common practice to prevent any future rebellion or claim to power.

The prophet Isaiah also speaks to the indignities faced by captives, particularly in the context of the Babylonian exile. Isaiah 47:2-3 describes the humiliation of Babylon itself, using imagery that reflects the shame often imposed on captives: "Take millstones and grind flour; remove your veil, strip off your skirt, bare your thigh, wade through the streams. Your nakedness will be uncovered, and your shame will be exposed." This passage metaphorically illustrates the stripping away of dignity and the exposure to public shame that captives often experienced.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul references the concept of captivity in a spiritual sense, yet the imagery he uses draws from the physical realities of being a captive. In Ephesians 4:8, Paul writes, "When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men." Here, the notion of leading captives away reflects a triumphal procession, a common practice where victors would parade their captives as a display of power and dominance.

The indignities of captivity are further highlighted in the Psalms, where the emotional and spiritual anguish of the captives is expressed. Psalm 137:3-4 recounts the taunting of the Israelites by their captors: "For there our captors requested a song; our tormentors demanded songs of joy: 'Sing us one of the songs of Zion.' How can we sing a song of the LORD in a foreign land?" This request for songs of joy in the midst of suffering underscores the psychological torment and mockery faced by those in captivity.

Throughout the biblical narrative, the treatment of captives serves as a stark reminder of the fallen state of humanity and the consequences of sin and rebellion against God. The indignities suffered by captives are not only physical but also deeply emotional and spiritual, reflecting the comprehensive nature of their subjugation and the profound need for divine redemption and restoration.

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Isaiah 20:4
So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.
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Library

The Captive Christ and the Circle Round Him
... THE CAPTIVE CHRIST AND THE CIRCLE ROUND HIM. ... lessons and warnings are obvious, but
this other may be ... of the love which submitted to these indignities, and on ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/the captive christ and the.htm

Fourth Sunday after Trinity Redemption of the Creatures.
... and every other created thing is captive to the ... from the bondage of corruption."
In other words, creation ... in addition suffer all sorts of indignities from that ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/fourth sunday after trinity redemption.htm

Sermon for the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
... a certain sign that they are held captive by the ... an idle word, or witness any other
little failing ... themselves all manner of hardships and indignities, that the ...
/.../vii sermon for the fourth.htm

They Feared the Lord, and Served their Own Gods. 2 Kings 17:33.
... ten tribes of Israel were carried away captive by the ... early and late about the news
and other worldly topics ... as cool as ice at all the indignities thrown upon ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/they feared the lord and.htm

"But if Ye have Bitter Envying and Strife in Your Hearts, Glory ...
... and beaten their brains to no other purpose, than ... who would not deliver his soul
a captive to truth ... any received, and to whom the greatest indignities were done ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon iv but if ye.htm

Christianity in Rome.
... and Peter, and who, "through many indignities and tortures ... For this and other
interesting information about the ... of those whom Pompey had carried captive to Rome ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 36 christianity in rome.htm

'As Sodom'
... the far north, would be full of indignities arid of ... company on one hand; and, on
the other, there attended ... The savage practice of blinding captive kings, so as ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/as sodom.htm

India's Ills and England's Sorrows
... fate have been compared with the indignities they have ... out of casinos, low theatres,
and other houses of ... women and her children carried away captive, and her ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/indias ills and englands sorrows.htm

Abraham, his Trial in Egypt; his Humility
... more than alms or martyrdom, [44]189, [45]190; the way to perfection, [46]190; if
fully practised would remove all evils, [47]191; superior to other virtues in ...
/.../abraham his trial in egypt.htm

The Seven Trumpets.
... and spared the lives of the captive multitude." "Attila ... It occurs only in two other
passages:"in Rom.8:7, to ... and public manner in which indignities should be ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the seven trumpets.htm