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What the Bible says about Cruelty
(From Forerunner Commentary)

The words "cruel," "cruelty" and "cruelly" do appear in the Bible, yet surprisingly, they appear only twenty-five times in Scripture, including only once in the New Testament—and not really even that. The word "cruel" that appears in some of the more common English translations of Hebrews 11:36 is an implied addition, meaning that its Greek equivalent does not appear in the original text.

We are left, then, with just twenty-four occurrences, all in the Old Testament. They are translated from nine different Hebrew words. In taking a quick look at them, we should ask ourselves if we could be guilty of any of these:

» Qashah can mean cruel, hard, stiff-necked, grievous, severe, fierce, harsh, difficult, ill-treat, hard press, severe labor (especially of women), make burdensome, stubborn, and obstinacy.

» Qasheh is a similar word to qashah, and can mean cruel, stiff-necked, hard, rough, grievous, sore, churlish, hardhearted, heavy, severe, obstinate, difficult, fierce, intense, vehement, stubborn, and rigorous.

» 'Akzar, 'akzariy and 'akzeriyuwth are three related words which simply mean cruel, cruelty, fierce, or fierceness.

» Chamets is an interesting word that some may be familiar with because of its relationship to leavening. It means cruel, leavened, sour, embittered, grieved, oppress, or ruthless.

» Chamac is a word which may be related to chamets and means cruel, cruelty, violence, wrong, false, damage, injustice, oppressor, and unrighteous.

» Perek means cruelty, rigor, harshness, or severity.

» 'Osheq can mean cruelly, oppression, extortion, and injury.

Serious consideration of these words will give us a good overview of God's opinion of cruelty in all of its various stripes. It is obvious that He frowns upon it.

Staff
Don't Be Cruel!

Related Topics: Cruel | Cruelty


 

Genesis 49:5-7

Here in Jacob's last words to his sons, we read of two of them, Simeon and Levi, being singled out as cruel. By their actions, they had proved themselves cruel both to animals and to humans. God warns them through their father Jacob that this trait would likely be passed down to their descendants. Because of it, He would be forced to scatter them throughout the other tribes of Israel, diluting its ill effects within the larger nation.

It is interesting that, despite its inherent leanings toward cruelty, the family of Levi was chosen by God to serve Him in His Tabernacle, Temple, and through the Aaronic priesthood (Numbers 1:50). Perhaps by concentrating the members of this tribe on His work, God transferred their aggressive tendencies to a far better purpose.

Is it also possible that, although God softened him with His Holy Spirit and made him the meekest of men (Numbers 12:3), Moses—a Levite—inherited some of his tribe's proclivity towards cruelty? Did he not murder an Egyptian whom he caught beating one of his fellow-Israelite countrymen (Exodus 2:11-12)? Did not Moses' wife, Zipporah, call him a "bloody husband" or a "bridegroom of blood" (Exodus 4:25-26)? Yes, we know that she says this relative to the circumcision of their son, but was there perhaps more to her outburst than just this?

Later, after Moses had been on Mount Sinai for almost forty days, the Israelites persuaded Aaron to make an idol, the infamous Golden Calf, for them to worship. Seeing the idolatrous rites and perversions happening in the camp, God sent Moses down to deal with the situation. Not only did he break the two tablets on which God had inscribed the Ten Commandments (Exodus 32:19), "he took the calf which they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder; and he scattered it on the water and made the children of Israel drink it" (verse 20)! Incidentally, he afterward called for all those who were on the Lord's side to go throughout the camp to kill their idolatrous fellow Israelites—and the tribe of Levi rallied to him (verses 25-28)!

It seems that Moses had to keep his anger in check throughout his life. After he had brought Israel to Kadesh, just before the final push into the Promised Land, the children of Israel murmured due to the lack of water. In his impatience, anger, and frustration, Moses struck the rock rather than speaking to it as God had commanded (Numbers 20:7-11). Doing so destroyed his chance to enter the Promised Land with the people.

Staff
Don't Be Cruel!

Amos 1:3

Notice first that the Gentile nations are guilty of the same basic sins—that of gross and vicious cruelties in warfare. In sharp contrast, God charges Judah with commandment-breaking, specifically lying. Israel's sins largely involve national and personal deceitful faithlessness in social, economic, and cultural circumstances. This is not to say that other nations do not have some of these same characteristics or that Israelites have no vicious streak in them. However, Israelites have the Word of God and most especially God's commandments more generally available to them and thus have less excuse, so God holds them more accountable than any other people (Amos 3:2). To whom much is given much more is required (Luke 12:47-48). Israelites should know better.

John W. Ritenbaugh
The Seventh Commandment

Amos 1:13-15

The people of Ammon are guilty of wanton cruelty against the helpless, the expectant mother, and the unborn child. God is the defender of the helpless and the weak (Psalm 68:5). Pure and undefiled religion is to show kindness, warmth, and generosity and to care for the widow and the orphan in their affliction (James 1:27).

John W. Ritenbaugh
Prepare to Meet Your God! (The Book of Amos) (Part One)


Find more Bible verses about Cruelty:
Cruelty {Nave's}
 




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