There were several sorts of punishments in
use among the Jews which are mentioned in the Scripture. 1. The
punishment of the cross. (See _Cross_.) 2. Suspension, Esther vii, 10;
Joshua viii, 29; 2 Samuel xxi, 12. 3. Stoning. 4. Fire. This punishment
was common, Gen. xxxviii, 24; Leviticus xxi, 9. 5. The rack or tympanum,
mentioned Heb. xi, 35. Commentators are much divided about the meaning
of this punishment; but most of them are of opinion that the bastinado,
or the punishment of the stick, is intended, and that the Apostle
alludes to the cruelties exercised upon old Eleazar; for, in 2 Mac. vi,
19, where his martyrdom is spoken of, it is said that he came to the
tympanum. 6. The precipice, or throwing persons headlong from a rock,
with a stone tied about the neck, 2 Chron. xxv, 12. 7. Decapitation,
Gen. xl, 19; Judges ix, 5; 2 Kings x, 7; Matt. xiv, 8. 8. The punishment
of the saw, or to be cut asunder in the middle, Heb. xi, 37. This
punishment was not unknown to the Hebrews. Some think it was originally
from the Persians or Chaldeans. 9. Plucking out the eyes, Exod. xxi, 24.
Some think this punishment was seldom executed, but the offender was
made to suffer in his property rather than in his person: yet there are
some instances on record, Judges xvi, 21; 1 Sam. xi, 2; 2 Kings xxv, 7.
10. The cutting off the extremities of the feet and hands, Judges i,
5–7; 2 Sam. iv, 12.
use among the Jews which are mentioned in the Scripture. 1. The
punishment of the cross. (See _Cross_.) 2. Suspension, Esther vii, 10;
Joshua viii, 29; 2 Samuel xxi, 12. 3. Stoning. 4. Fire. This punishment
was common, Gen. xxxviii, 24; Leviticus xxi, 9. 5. The rack or tympanum,
mentioned Heb. xi, 35. Commentators are much divided about the meaning
of this punishment; but most of them are of opinion that the bastinado,
or the punishment of the stick, is intended, and that the Apostle
alludes to the cruelties exercised upon old Eleazar; for, in 2 Mac. vi,
19, where his martyrdom is spoken of, it is said that he came to the
tympanum. 6. The precipice, or throwing persons headlong from a rock,
with a stone tied about the neck, 2 Chron. xxv, 12. 7. Decapitation,
Gen. xl, 19; Judges ix, 5; 2 Kings x, 7; Matt. xiv, 8. 8. The punishment
of the saw, or to be cut asunder in the middle, Heb. xi, 37. This
punishment was not unknown to the Hebrews. Some think it was originally
from the Persians or Chaldeans. 9. Plucking out the eyes, Exod. xxi, 24.
Some think this punishment was seldom executed, but the offender was
made to suffer in his property rather than in his person: yet there are
some instances on record, Judges xvi, 21; 1 Sam. xi, 2; 2 Kings xxv, 7.
10. The cutting off the extremities of the feet and hands, Judges i,
5–7; 2 Sam. iv, 12.