In biblical times, prisons were often used as places of confinement for individuals who had fallen out of favor with the ruling monarch. These prisons were not only for common criminals but also for those who were perceived as threats to the king's authority or who had incurred his wrath. The Bible provides several instances where individuals were imprisoned due to the king's displeasure, reflecting the absolute power monarchs held over their subjects.

Joseph in Egypt

One of the earliest examples of imprisonment due to royal displeasure is found in the account of Joseph. After being falsely accused by Potiphar's wife, Joseph was cast into prison. Genesis 39:20 states, "So Joseph’s master took him and had him thrown into the prison where the king’s prisoners were confined." Despite his innocence, Joseph's imprisonment was a direct result of Potiphar's anger, illustrating how personal vendettas could lead to incarceration.

Jeremiah the Prophet

The prophet Jeremiah also experienced imprisonment due to the king's displeasure. During the reign of King Zedekiah, Jeremiah was imprisoned for prophesying the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. Jeremiah 37:15 records, "The officials were angry with Jeremiah, and they beat him and put him in jail in the house of Jonathan the scribe, for it had been made into a prison." Jeremiah's imprisonment highlights the tension between prophetic truth and royal authority.

Micaiah the Prophet

Another prophet, Micaiah, was imprisoned by King Ahab of Israel. Micaiah had prophesied defeat for Ahab in battle, contrary to the favorable predictions of other prophets. In response, Ahab ordered Micaiah's imprisonment, as recorded in 1 Kings 22:27 : "This is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’" Micaiah's case underscores the risks faced by those who spoke truth to power.

John the Baptist

In the New Testament, John the Baptist was imprisoned by Herod Antipas. John had publicly criticized Herod for marrying Herodias, his brother's wife, which led to his arrest. Mark 6:17 states, "For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married." John's imprisonment and subsequent execution demonstrate the peril of challenging royal immorality.

The Apostles

The apostles of Jesus also faced imprisonment due to the displeasure of the authorities. In Acts 5:18 , it is recorded, "They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail." The apostles' imprisonment was a result of their bold proclamation of the gospel, which threatened the religious and political status quo.

Paul and Silas

Paul and Silas were imprisoned in Philippi after casting out a spirit from a slave girl, which angered her owners. Acts 16:23-24 recounts, "And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely. On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks." Their imprisonment was a consequence of economic and social disruption caused by their ministry.

Throughout the biblical narrative, imprisonment often served as a tool for monarchs and authorities to suppress dissent, punish perceived insubordination, and maintain control. These accounts reveal the vulnerability of individuals to the whims of those in power and the potential for abuse within systems of authority.1 Kings 22:27
And say, Thus said the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Chronicles 16:10
Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Mark 6:17
For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold on John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Introduction to Oration ii.
... or rather the term would be used in a ... be preserved, and the Trinity of Persons confessed,
each ... I pass over the persecutions, councils, prisons, bonds, accusers ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/introduction to oration ii.htm

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