Topical Encyclopedia In biblical times, prisons were not as systematically organized as modern correctional facilities. However, various forms of confinement and detention are mentioned throughout the Scriptures, reflecting the judicial and punitive practices of ancient societies. The Bible provides several instances and types of imprisonment, each serving different purposes and reflecting the cultural and legal contexts of the time.1. Types of Prisons and Confinement: · Houses of Confinement: In some instances, individuals were confined in private homes or specific rooms designated for detention. This is seen in the case of the prophet Jeremiah, who was imprisoned in the house of Jonathan the scribe, which had been converted into a prison (Jeremiah 37:15-16). · Pits and Cisterns: Another form of imprisonment involved being cast into pits or cisterns, often used as makeshift holding cells. Jeremiah was also thrown into a cistern, where he sank into the mud, highlighting the harsh conditions of such confinement (Jeremiah 38:6). · Public Prisons: More formalized prisons existed, often associated with royal or governmental authority. The New Testament mentions the imprisonment of the apostles in a public jail, from which they were miraculously freed by an angel (Acts 5:18-19). · Stocks and Chains: Physical restraints such as stocks and chains were commonly used to secure prisoners. Paul and Silas were placed in stocks in the inner cell of a prison in Philippi, demonstrating the use of such devices to prevent escape (Acts 16:24). 2. Mentioned State: · Egypt: The account of Joseph provides an early example of imprisonment in Egypt. After being falsely accused by Potiphar's wife, Joseph was confined in the king's prison, where he eventually gained favor and was put in charge of the other prisoners (Genesis 39:20-23). · Israel and Judah: The kingdoms of Israel and Judah had their own systems of imprisonment. King Zedekiah of Judah imprisoned Jeremiah for prophesying the fall of Jerusalem, illustrating the use of imprisonment for political and religious reasons (Jeremiah 32:2-3). · Roman Empire: During the New Testament period, the Roman Empire's legal system included various forms of imprisonment. The apostle Paul frequently encountered Roman prisons during his missionary journeys, as seen in his imprisonments in Philippi, Caesarea, and Rome (Acts 23:35; 28:16). 3. Purpose and Conditions: Prisons in biblical times served multiple purposes, including punishment, detention before trial, and coercion. The conditions of these prisons were often harsh, lacking basic amenities and subjecting inmates to physical and psychological distress. The narratives of Joseph, Jeremiah, and Paul highlight the suffering endured by prisoners, as well as the potential for divine intervention and deliverance. The biblical accounts of imprisonment underscore themes of justice, persecution, and redemption, reflecting the broader spiritual and moral teachings of the Scriptures. Torrey's Topical Textbook Jeremiah 37:21Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison. Torrey's Topical Textbook Genesis 39:20 Library Of Hell The Puritan Conflict. How a Man's Conduct Comes Home to Him That the Self-Existent Being must be All-Powerful. Church Abuses. The Doctrine of Non-Resistance to Evil by Force Has Been Professed ... Introduction to Oration ii. The New Evangelism: and Its Relation to Cardinal Doctrines On Reconciling Religious Dissensions among Christians The Fourth Book Resources What is the National Association of Evangelicals? | GotQuestions.orgWho are the Gideons International, and what do they believe? | GotQuestions.org What is Awana? | GotQuestions.org Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Prisons used for Confining: Condemned Persons Till Executed Prisons used for Confining: Debtors Till They Paid Prisons used for Confining: Enemies Taken Captive Prisons used for Confining: Persons Accused of Crimes Prisons used for Confining: Persons Accused of Heresy Prisons used for Confining: Persons Under the King's Displeasure Prisons used for Confining: Suspected Persons Prisons were Under the Care of a Keeper Prisons: Bondage to Sin and Satan Prisons: Confinement In, Considered a Severe Punishment Prisons: Confinement In, often Awarded As a Punishment Prisons: Keepers of Often Used Severity Prisons: Keepers of Put to Death If Prisoners Escaped Prisons: Keepers of Responsible for the Prisoners Prisons: Keepers of Sometimes Acted Kindly Prisons: Keepers of Sometimes Entrusted the Care of the Prison To Prisons: Keepers of Strictly Guarded the Doors Prisons: Kinds of, Mentioned: Common Prisons: Kinds of, Mentioned: State Prisons: Magistrates had Power to Commit To Prisons: Magistrates had Power to Release From Prisons: Persons Confined in Clothed in Prison Dress Prisons: Persons Confined in Fed on Bread and Water Prisons: Persons Confined in Might Have Their Condition Ameliorated by the King Prisons: Persons Confined in Often Bound With Fetters Prisons: Persons Confined in Often Chained to Two Soldiers Prisons: Persons Confined in Often Executed In Prisons: Persons Confined in Often Fastened in Stocks Prisons: Persons Confined in Often Kept to Hard Labour Prisons: Persons Confined in Often Placed in Dungeons Prisons: Persons Confined in Often Subjected to Extreme Suffering Prisons: Persons Confined in Said to be in Hold Prisons: Persons Confined in Said to be in Ward Prisons: Persons Confined in Sometimes Allowed to be Visited by Their Friends Prisons: Places Used as Court of the King's House Prisons: Places Used as House of the Captain of the Guard Prisons: Places Used as House of the King's Scribe Prisons: Places Used as Prisoner's own House, where he Was Kept Bound to a Soldier Prisons: The King had Power to Commit To Prisons: The King had Power to Release From Related Terms |
    |