Stoning is a form of capital punishment mentioned frequently in the Bible, primarily within the context of the Mosaic Law. It was a communal method of execution, where the community participated in carrying out the sentence, symbolizing collective responsibility for upholding the law and purging evil from among the people.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, stoning is prescribed as a punishment for various offenses, particularly those considered to be severe violations of God's commandments. The Law of Moses outlines specific crimes that warranted stoning, including:

1. Idolatry: Worshiping other gods was a grave sin, as it violated the first commandment. Deuteronomy 17:2-5 states, "If a man or woman among you in one of your towns that the LORD your God will give you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God and transgressing His covenant by going to worship other gods and bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden—and if it is reported to you and you hear about it, you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true and confirmed that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, you must bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing, and stone that person to death."

2. Blasphemy: Speaking against the name of the LORD was considered a capital offense. Leviticus 24:16 states, "Whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD must surely be put to death. The whole congregation must stone him. Whether he is a foreigner or a native, if he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death."

3. Adultery: Both parties involved in adultery were subject to stoning. Deuteronomy 22:22-24 prescribes, "If a man is found lying with another man's wife, both the man who lay with the woman and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel. If there is a virgin pledged in marriage to a man, and another man encounters her in the city and sleeps with her, you must take both of them out to the gate of that city and stone them to death."

4. Rebellion and Disobedience: A stubborn and rebellious son who would not heed his parents' discipline could be stoned. Deuteronomy 21:18-21 describes, "If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and does not listen to them when disciplined, his father and mother are to take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his city. They will say to the elders, 'This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he does not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.' Then all the men of his city will stone him to death. So you must purge the evil from among you, and all Israel will hear and be afraid."

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, stoning is mentioned in the context of Jewish law and practice during the time of Jesus and the early church. The most notable instance is the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, as recorded in Acts 7:58-60: "They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' And after he had said this, he fell asleep."

Jesus Himself addressed the issue of stoning in the account of the woman caught in adultery. In John 8:3-11, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus, citing the Law of Moses that commanded her to be stoned. Jesus responded, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her" (John 8:7). This incident highlights the themes of mercy and forgiveness, contrasting the strict application of the law with the grace offered through Christ.

Theological Implications

Stoning in the biblical context underscores the seriousness with which God views sin and the importance of holiness among His people. It reflects the communal nature of the covenant community in Israel, where the entire community was responsible for maintaining the purity and obedience to God's laws. The New Testament, while acknowledging the law, emphasizes the transformative power of grace and forgiveness through Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the law and offered a new covenant based on love and redemption.2 Corinthians 11:25
Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
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Acts 7:59
And they stoned Stephen, calling on God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
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Acts 14:19
And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
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Joshua 7:25
And Joshua said, Why have you troubled us? the LORD shall trouble you this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
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Numbers 15:36
And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.
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Exodus 19:13
There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mount.
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Hebrews 11:37
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
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1 Kings 21:13
And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
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Stoning

[PUNISHMENTS]

Stoning

Was a punishment much in use among the Hebrews, and the rabbins reckon all crimes as being subject to it, which the law condemns to death without expressing the particular mode. They say that when a man was condemned to death, he was led out of the city to the place of execution, and there exhorted to acknowledge and confess his fault.

He was then stoned in one of two ways; either stones were thrown upon him till he died, or he was thrown headlong down a steep place, and a large stone rolled upon his body. The former was the usual mode; and the witnesses were required to cast the first stones, De 17:5-7; for which purpose they sometimes threw off their outer garments, Acts 7:58. To the latter mode it is supposed there is a reference in Matthew 21:44. So also in Luke 4:29, where compare NAZARETH.

A form of punishment (Leviticus 20:2; 24:14; Deuteronomy 13:10; 17:5; 22:21) prescribed for certain offences. Of Achan (Joshua 7:25), Naboth (1 Kings 21), Stephen (Acts 7:59), Paul (Acts 14:19; 2 Corinthians 11:25). (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Stone.STONING

ston'-ing. See PUNISHMENTS.

3036. lithoboleo -- to pelt with stones, to stone
... lithoboleo Phonetic Spelling: (lith-ob-ol-eh'-o) Short Definition: I stone, cast
stones at Definition: I stone, cast stones (at), kill by stoning. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3036.htm - 7k

2642. katalithazo -- to cast stones at
... 2642 (an intensified form of 3034 , "to stone") -- properly, stone a person () to ;
to or kill by stoning (note the force of the prefix, 2596 , ""). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2642.htm - 7k

3034. lithazo -- to throw stones, to stone
... Word Origin from lithos Definition to throw stones, to stone NASB Word Usage stone
(4), stoned (4), stoning (1). stone. From lithos; to lapidate -- stone. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3034.htm - 7k

4742. stigma -- a bed of leaves or rushes
... 4742 ("brand-mark") refers to the literal scars on Paul from the lictor's
rods at Pisidian Antioch, the stoning at Lystra, etc. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4742.htm - 6k

5619. saqal -- to stone, put to death by stoning
... 5618, 5619. saqal. 5620 . to stone, put to death by stoning. Transliteration:
saqal Phonetic Spelling: (saw-kal') Short Definition: stone. Word Origin a prim ...
/hebrew/5619.htm - 6k

7275. ragam -- to stone, kill by stoning
... 7274, 7275. ragam. 7276 . to stone, kill by stoning. Transliteration: ragam
Phonetic Spelling: (raw-gam') Short Definition: stone. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/7275.htm - 6k

Acts XVI
... On the occasion of Paul's former visit to Lystra, we learned that while he lay dead,
as was supposed, after the stoning, "the disciples stood around him ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xvi.htm

The Death of the Master and the Death of the Servant
... It was the place of stoning, or of public execution, and there in all probability,
on the very ground where Christ's Cross was fixed, His first martyr saw 'the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/the death of the master.htm

Deified and Stoned
... cities.'. No note is given of the time between the attempted sacrifice and
the accomplished stoning, but probably some space intervened. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/deified and stoned.htm

Climbing Towards the Climax.
... of the accused woman and the conscience-stricken leaders[35] is followed by a yet
more bitter discussion and by the first passionate attempt at stoning.[36]. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on johns gospel/climbing towards the climax.htm

Whom Moses Saw.
... If it were not true, it was blasphemous, and their law required stoning. ... Another
time He said, "I and the Father are one," provoking another stoning. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks about jesus/whom moses saw.htm

The Story of the Adulteress.
... woman, and without a detailed accusation.] 5 Now in the law Moses commanded us to
stone such [It was a case under verse 22 of Deuteronomy 22.Stoning was the ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lxxix the story of the.htm

The Ugly Thread in the Weaving.
... Him "a Samaritan," and accusing Him of being possessed with "a demon." And then
the terrible climax is reached in the enraged passionate attempt of stoning. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on johns gospel/the ugly thread in the.htm

The vineyard and Its Keepers
... The hostility of the husbandmen grows with indulgence. From beating they go on
to killing, and stoning is a specially savage form of killing. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the vineyard and its keepers.htm

The Martyrdom of James, who was Called the Brother of the Lord.
... And while they were thus stoning him one of the priests of the sons of Rechab, the
son of the Rechabites, [509] who are mentioned by Jeremiah the prophet, [510 ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter xxiii the martyrdom of james.htm

Preaching among the Heathen
... They determined that the apostles should have no opportunity to vindicate themselves
and that the mob should interfere by stoning Paul and Barnabas, thus ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 18 preaching among the.htm

Stoning (16 Occurrences)
... (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Stone. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. STONING. ston'-ing.
See PUNISHMENTS. Multi-Version Concordance Stoning (16 Occurrences). ...
/s/stoning.htm - 12k

Putting (278 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Matthew 21:35 And the workmen made an attack on his servants, giving blows
to one, putting another to death, and stoning another. (BBE). ...
/p/putting.htm - 35k

Adultery (49 Occurrences)
... It would seem that in the days of Jesus the manner of death was interpreted to mean
stoning ("Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such," John 8:5, said ...
/a/adultery.htm - 32k

Punishments (31 Occurrences)
... 1 Peter 2:14 the King James Version)): A court could inflict for a crime against
the person, a sentence of (1) death in the form of stoning, burning, beheading ...
/p/punishments.htm - 36k

Killing (41 Occurrences)
... Matthew 23:37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that art killing the prophets, and stoning those
sent unto thee, how often did I will to gather thy children together, as a ...
/k/killing.htm - 19k

Willing (152 Occurrences)
... Matthew 23:37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that art killing the prophets, and stoning those
sent unto thee, how often did I will to gather thy children together, as a ...
/w/willing.htm - 35k

Myself (395 Occurrences)
... YLT NIV). Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, putting to death the prophets,
and stoning those who are sent to her! Again and again ...
/m/myself.htm - 37k

Bird (65 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Bird (65 Occurrences). Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
putting to death the prophets, and stoning those who are sent to her! ...
/b/bird.htm - 28k

Takes (380 Occurrences)
... it. (BBE). Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, putting to death the prophets,
and stoning those who are sent to her! Again and ...
/t/takes.htm - 34k

Stony (8 Occurrences)

/s/stony.htm - 9k

What does the Bible say about stoning? | GotQuestions.org

The stoning of Stephen - Why were the Jews allowed to stone Stephen but had to go through Pilate to kill Jesus? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Paul in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Stoning: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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