Was the death sentence always carried out in the OT?

[TonyChanYT]

Moses prescribed death penalty for murder (Exodus 21:12), adultery (Leviticus 20:10), blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16), idolatry (Deuteronomy 17:2-5), and various forms of sexual immorality (Leviticus 20:13-16).

God forgave David's adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:13).

Num 35:

30 If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses. But no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness. 31 Moreover, you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall be put to death. 32 And you shall accept no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the high priest.

In other cases, ransoms were accepted. Wiki:

There is some question as to whether the death penalty was invariably or even usually implemented in ancient Israel, or whether this was even the intention of the Tanakh (c.f. Numbers 35:31). "It must be noted that the death penalty might also indicate the seriousness of the crime without calling for the actual implementation of it in every case. In fact, there is little evidence that many of these sanctions were ever actually carried out in ancient Israel. Only in the case of premeditated murder was there the added stricture of 'Do not accept a ransom for the life of the murderer who deserves to die' (Num 35:31). . . . Traditional wisdom, both in the Jewish and Christian communities, interpreted this verse in Numbers 35:31 to mean that out of the almost twenty cases calling for capital punishment in the Old Testament, every one of them could have the sanction commuted by an appropriate substitute of money or anything that showed the seriousness of the crime, but in the case of what we today call first-degree murder, there was never to be offered or accepted any substitute or bargaining of any kind: the offender had to pay with his or her life".[28]

[28] Walter Kaiser Jr., Peter H. Davids, F. F. Bruce, and Manfred T. Brauch, Hard Sayings of the Bible (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1996), p. 162. ISBN 0-8308-1423-X

 

[Josheb]

Moses prescribed death penalty for murder (Exodus 21:12), adultery (Leviticus 20:10), blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16), idolatry (Deuteronomy 17:2-5), and various forms of sexual immorality (Leviticus 20:13-16).

God forgave David's adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:13).

Num 35:


In other cases, ransoms were accepted. Wiki:


[28] Walter Kaiser Jr., Peter H. Davids, F. F. Bruce, and Manfred T. Brauch, Hard Sayings of the Bible (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1996), p. 162. ISBN 0-8308-1423-X

How many capital offenses do you think were committed in front of witnesses?

Are the implications of God requiring two witnesses revealing His tolerance of those offenses understood?

 

[Josheb]

There is some question as to whether the death penalty was invariably or even usually implemented in ancient Israel, or whether this was even the intention of the Tanakh (c.f. Numbers 35:31). "It must be noted that the death penalty might also indicate the seriousness of the crime without calling for the actual implementation of it in every case. In fact, there is little evidence that many of these sanctions were ever actually carried out in ancient Israel. Only in the case of premeditated murder was there the added stricture of 'Do not accept a ransom for the life of the murderer who deserves to die' (Num 35:31). . . . Traditional wisdom, both in the Jewish and Christian communities, interpreted this verse in Numbers 35:31 to mean that out of the almost twenty cases calling for capital punishment in the Old Testament, every one of them could have the sanction commuted by an appropriate substitute of money or anything that showed the seriousness of the crime, but in the case of what we today call first-degree murder, there was never to be offered or accepted any substitute or bargaining of any kind: the offender had to pay with his or her life".[28]


[28] Walter Kaiser Jr., Peter H. Davids, F. F. Bruce, and Manfred T. Brauch, Hard Sayings of the Bible (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1996), p. 162. ISBN 0-8308-1423-X

The New Testament shows people were often willing to mete out lethal stoning on Jesus. How, then, should we think that was not the case when men lesser than Jesus acted heretically?

 

[Tambora]

Moses prescribed death penalty for murder (Exodus 21:12), adultery (Leviticus 20:10), blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16), idolatry (Deuteronomy 17:2-5), and various forms of sexual immorality (Leviticus 20:13-16).

God forgave David's adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:13).

Num 35:


In other cases, ransoms were accepted. Wiki:


[28] Walter Kaiser Jr., Peter H. Davids, F. F. Bruce, and Manfred T. Brauch, Hard Sayings of the Bible (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1996), p. 162. ISBN 0-8308-1423-X

I would imagine King David had a lump in his throat and had to swallow hard every time one of his citizens were put to death for murder or adultery knowing that he was guilty of the same.

 

[Mr GLee]

The two edged sword cuts two ways The power of life and death.

Death sentences it seems are used as one way to protect the integrity of his living word. Like the man that gathered wood to to prepare the manna on the day it was to be eaten .He was stoned to death

Then the kind of sword that administers a sufferings as lifer . . no early parole a restless wanderer wishing he had eyes in the back of hid head

The mark of the sword Christ saying mark my words whatsoever I say will come to pass The old reliable "let there be" and "the good thing" did come.

Genesis 4:15 And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

No easy way out for Cain who now feared for his life begging for mercy in al the wrong places .Thinking they could reason together fulfilling his own prophecy

Genesis 4:13-14 And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

 

[atpollard]

Nope, not always.

For God’s “Position Statement” on the matter, see:

Ezekiel 18:21-32 [RSV]

"But if a wicked man turns away from all his sins which he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness which he has done he shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and does the same abominable things that the wicked man does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds which he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, he shall die.”​

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"Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die for it; for the iniquity which he has committed he shall die. Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is lawful and right, he shall save his life. Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?”​

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"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of any one, says the Lord GOD; so turn, and live."​

 

[Mr GLee]

Nope, not always.

For God’s “Position Statement” on the matter, see:

Ezekiel 18:21-32 [RSV]

"But if a wicked man turns away from all his sins which he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness which he has done he shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and does the same abominable things that the wicked man does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds which he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, he shall die.”​

​

"Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die for it; for the iniquity which he has committed he shall die. Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is lawful and right, he shall save his life. Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?”​

​

"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of any one, says the Lord GOD; so turn, and live."​

Clearly that does not mean never die. Its appointed for all dying flesh and blood to come to a end of sprit life . the wage of sin Ezekiel is simply saying each of us will be rewarded for his own hard work. We are yoked with Christ only God’s coworkers. We are in God’s garden, not ours; you are God’s temple, not ours.

 

[atpollard]

Clearly that does not mean never die. Its appointed for all dying flesh and blood to come to a end of sprit life . the wage of sin Ezekiel is simply saying each of us will be rewarded for his own hard work. We are yoked with Christ only God’s coworkers. We are in God’s garden, not ours; you are God’s temple, not ours.

The question being asked in BOTH the OP and the Hebrew audience hearing Ezekiel's word from God was ...

"Was the death sentence always carried out in the OT?"​

 

[Mr GLee]

The question being asked in BOTH the OP and the Hebrew audience hearing Ezekiel's word from God was ...

"Was the death sentence always carried out in the OT?"​

Its been being carried out from the moment they believed false prophecy They ate of the forbidding fruit. Making the word of God (sola scriptura) to no effect through the dying oral traditons of mankind

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Genis 2: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

From my experience simply dying mankind working to make the word of God (sola scriptura to no effect so they can kerp the opinions (heresies) of dying mankind