Strangling, as a method of execution or death, is referenced in various contexts within the Bible. It is important to understand the cultural and historical backdrop of this practice in biblical times, as well as its symbolic implications in Scripture.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, the act of strangling is not explicitly detailed as a common method of execution among the Israelites. However, the concept of death by asphyxiation or constriction can be inferred in certain passages. For instance, the law given to Noah and his descendants prohibits the consumption of blood, which is closely related to the life force (Genesis 9:4). This command underscores the sanctity of life and the seriousness of taking life, whether by strangling or other means.

The Mosaic Law prescribes various methods of capital punishment, such as stoning (Leviticus 20:2, Deuteronomy 22:24), but does not specifically mention strangling. However, the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism, later discusses strangulation as one of the four methods of execution used by Jewish courts, indicating that it may have been practiced in post-biblical times.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, strangling is mentioned in the context of dietary laws. During the Jerusalem Council, the apostles and elders addressed the issue of Gentile believers and the Mosaic Law. They concluded that Gentile Christians should abstain from certain practices, including consuming meat from animals that had been strangled (Acts 15:20, 29). The prohibition against eating strangled animals is linked to the broader command to abstain from blood, reflecting continuity with the Noahic covenant and the respect for life.

Symbolic Implications

Strangling, as a form of death, can also carry symbolic meaning in Scripture. It represents a violent and unnatural cessation of life, often associated with judgment or curse. In a metaphorical sense, the act of being spiritually "choked" or "strangled" can describe the suffocation of one's faith or spiritual vitality due to sin or worldly concerns. Jesus uses a similar metaphor in the Parable of the Sower, where the seed sown among thorns is choked by the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth (Matthew 13:22).

Cultural and Historical Considerations

Understanding the cultural and historical context of strangling in biblical times is crucial. While the Bible does not provide extensive details on this method of execution, it is clear that the sanctity of life and the prohibition against consuming blood were significant concerns for the Israelites and early Christians. These principles reflect a broader theological understanding of life as a gift from God, to be respected and preserved.

In summary, while strangling is not a prominent theme in the Bible, its mention in dietary laws and its symbolic implications provide insight into the biblical worldview on life, death, and spiritual health.(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Strangle.STRANGLING

stran'-g'-ling.

See PUNISHMENTS.

4267. machanaq -- strangling, suffocation
... 4266, 4267. machanaq. 4268 . strangling, suffocation. Transliteration: machanaq
Phonetic Spelling: (makh-an-ak') Short Definition: suffocation. ... strangling. ...
/hebrew/4267.htm - 6k

6060. anaq -- a necklace, neck pendant
... strand (1). chain. From anaq; a necklace (as if strangling) -- chain. see
HEBREW anaq. 6059, 6060. anaq. 6061 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/6060.htm - 6k

Death of Valentinian the Younger, Emperor in Rome, through ...
... Book VII. Chapter XXII."Death of Valentinian the Younger, Emperor in Rome, through
Strangling. The Tyrant Eugenius. Prophecy of John, the Monk of Theba??s. ...
/.../chapter xxii death of valentinian the.htm

Pride Catechized
... should go back to the despair which, at one time, was so heavy upon us that we could
sympathize with Job when be said, "My soul chooseth strangling, and death ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 46 1900/pride catechized.htm

Letter cxliii. To Alypius and Augustine.
... In this letter Jerome congratulates Alypius and Augustine on their success in
strangling the heresy of C??lestius, the co-adjutor of Pelagius, and states that ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxliii to alypius and.htm

Those in the Palace.
... recording only that Dorotheus and Gorgonius, [2522] with many others of the royal
household, after varied sufferings, ended their lives by strangling, and bore ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter vi those in the palace.htm

Letter ccii. (AD 419. )
... I have always done, from a deep sense of your worth, but now especially because
your co-operation and your leadership have succeeded in strangling the heresy ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter ccii a d 419.htm

Heathen Worshippers under the Power of the Demon.
... For, under the guise of some injury, or love, or anger, or grief, or strangling
you with a rope, or drowning you, or throwing you from a precipice, or by ...
/.../unknown/the clementine homilies/chapter xv heathen worshippers under the.htm

Whether Sins of Commission and Omission Differ Specifically?
... specific difference, which are nevertheless formally in the same species of sin,
because they are directed to the one same end: thus strangling, stoning, and ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether sins of commission and.htm

The Revocation of the Rulers.
... [2605] He who held the second place ended his life by strangling, [2606] suffering
thus according to a certain demoniacal prediction, on account of his many ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter xvii the revocation of the.htm

Blessed be that First Day of Thine, Lord, Wherewith this Day of ...
... them the whole world. As for Iscariot, that escaped from His nets, the
strangling halter fell upon his neck! His all-quickening ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn iii blessed be that.htm

The Events which Preceded the Persecution in Our Times.
... [2495] Of this Dorotheus we know only what is told us here and in chap. 6, below,
where it is reported that he was put to death by strangling. ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter i the events which preceded.htm

Strangling (4 Occurrences)
... & vb. n.) of Strangle. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. STRANGLING. stran'-g'-ling.
See PUNISHMENTS. Multi-Version Concordance Strangling (4 Occurrences). ...
/s/strangling.htm - 8k

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

Strangled (4 Occurrences)

/s/strangled.htm - 9k

Strap (4 Occurrences)

/s/strap.htm - 8k

Nearly (13 Occurrences)
... had that servant gone out, than he met with one of his fellow servants who owed
him 100 shillings; and seizing him by the throat and nearly strangling him he ...
/n/nearly.htm - 10k

Instructions (47 Occurrences)
... let us send them written instructions to abstain from things polluted by connexion
with idolatry, from fornication, from meat killed by strangling, and from ...
/i/instructions.htm - 20k

Tearing (11 Occurrences)
... Nahum 2:12 The lion is tearing parts 'for' his whelps, And is strangling for his
lionesses, And he doth fill 'with' prey his holes, And his habitations 'with ...
/t/tearing.htm - 9k

Rapine (5 Occurrences)
... Nahum 2:12 The lion is tearing parts 'for' his whelps, And is strangling for his
lionesses, And he doth fill 'with' prey his holes, And his habitations 'with ...
/r/rapine.htm - 8k

Exclaimed (45 Occurrences)
... had that servant gone out, than he met with one of his fellow servants who owed
him 100 shillings; and seizing him by the throat and nearly strangling him he ...
/e/exclaimed.htm - 19k

Met (118 Occurrences)
... had that servant gone out, than he met with one of his fellow servants who owed
him 100 shillings; and seizing him by the throat and nearly strangling him he ...
/m/met.htm - 37k

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