Topical Encyclopedia
The act of stabbing, as referenced in the Bible, often involves the use of a sharp weapon, such as a sword or spear, to pierce or wound an individual. This action is typically associated with violence, warfare, or judgment. The Bible provides several instances where stabbing is depicted, each carrying significant theological and moral implications.
Old Testament References1.
Ehud and Eglon: One of the most notable accounts of stabbing in the Old Testament is the account of Ehud, a judge of Israel, who delivered the Israelites from Moabite oppression. In
Judges 3:21-22 , it is recorded, "And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon’s belly. Even the handle sank in after the blade, and Eglon’s fat closed over it, so that Ehud did not withdraw the sword from his belly." This act of stabbing was a divinely sanctioned deliverance, demonstrating God's intervention in liberating His people.
2.
Phinehas and the Midianite Woman: In
Numbers 25:7-8 , Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, took a spear and stabbed an Israelite man and a Midianite woman who were engaging in idolatrous and immoral behavior. "When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand, and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear through both of them—through the Israelite and into the woman’s belly." This act stopped a plague among the Israelites and was commended by God as an act of zeal for His holiness.
3.
Abner and Asahel: In
2 Samuel 2:23 , during a battle between the forces of David and Saul, Abner, the commander of Saul's army, reluctantly killed Asahel, the brother of Joab, by stabbing him with the butt of his spear. "But Asahel refused to turn aside, so Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot." This incident highlights the tragic consequences of personal ambition and the complexities of civil conflict.
New Testament References1.
Jesus' Side Pierced: In the New Testament, the act of stabbing is most poignantly seen in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
John 19:34 states, "Instead, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out." This act fulfilled Old Testament prophecy and symbolized the outpouring of grace and the establishment of the New Covenant through the sacrificial death of Christ.
Theological ImplicationsThe act of stabbing in the biblical narrative often serves as a means of divine judgment or deliverance. It underscores the seriousness of sin, the necessity of justice, and the sovereignty of God in the affairs of humanity. In the case of Christ's crucifixion, the piercing of His side is a profound symbol of His atoning sacrifice, offering redemption and reconciliation to all who believe.
Moral and Ethical ConsiderationsFrom a moral and ethical standpoint, the biblical accounts of stabbing call for a reflection on the nature of violence and justice. While certain acts of stabbing in the Bible are depicted as divinely ordained, they also serve as a reminder of the fallen state of humanity and the need for divine intervention and redemption. The ultimate resolution to the problem of violence is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who, through His death and resurrection, offers peace and reconciliation.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
imp. & p. p.) of Stab.
Library
A New Pretender
... "Did"do you say that Philadelphusstabbed"you"in the back?" she asked, speaking
slowly.... Her husband hadstabbed this man in the back! Because of her? No!...
False Professors Solemnly Warned
... Caesar wept not until Brutusstabbed him; then it was that he was overcome, and
exclaimed, "Et tu, Brute!" And thou, "Hast thoustabbed me?" So, my hearers...
The Betrayal
... Well had infernal malice selected the Savior's trusted friend to be his treacherous
betrayer, for thus hestabbed at the very center of his broken and bleeding...
Gherardi Sat for Two or Three Minutes in Absolute Silence. ...
... Gherardi, looking furtively under his eyelids at Leigh's strong lithe figure, and
classic head, felt he could have willingly poisoned orstabbed him....
He Blesses God for the Faith of his Little Girl
... Her husband, out of work, maddened with drink and made desperate, hadstabbed her
because she did not provide him with a supper that was not in the house....
A Few Days Later the Fashionable World of Europe was Startled by...
... other talked and whispered and commented, the story of Angela's own private suffering
began to eke out bit by bit,"how she had been brutallystabbed m her...
The Life of Mr. John Blackadder.
... Theystabbed the beds with their swords, and threatened to roast the children on
the fire, and caused one of them to run near half a mile in a dark night in...
Healing for the Wounded
...Stabbed in the most vital part by the hand of our original parent, and from head
to foot disabled by our own sin, we yet remain insensible as steel, careless...
Of Passages from the Holy Scriptures, and from the Apocrypha...
... of which I am endeavouring to give your Majesty an account, has been condemned by
the suffrages of all the estates, and was long agostabbed again and again by...
The Altar. The Rings. The Laver.
... There was a time, when, upon this ascent, one prieststabbed another priest with
his knife, while they strove who should first get up to the altar....
Thesaurus
Stabbed (6 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Stabbed (6 Occurrences). Numbers 35:20 If he thrust him
of hatred, or hurled at him, lying in wait, so that he died, (See RSV).
...Stability (6 Occurrences)
Ish-bosheth (14 Occurrences)
... having Mahanaim, on the east of Jordan, as his capital (2 Samuel 2:9). After a troubled
and uncertain reign he was murdered by his guard, whostabbed him while...
Ishbosheth (13 Occurrences)
... having Mahanaim, on the east of Jordan, as his capital (2 Samuel 2:9). After a troubled
and uncertain reign he was murdered by his guard, whostabbed him while...
Assassins (2 Occurrences)
... This they did chiefly when they mingled with the populace at the festivals, and,
hiding short daggers in their garments,stabbed with them those that were...
Stab (1 Occurrence)
Maccabaeus
... In the battle of Bethzacharias (163 BC), in which the Jews for the first time met
elephants in war, hestabbed from below the elephants on which he supposed...
Maccabees
... In the battle of Bethzacharias (163 BC), in which the Jews for the first time met
elephants in war, hestabbed from below the elephants on which he supposed...
Resources
What does the Bible say about backstabbing? | GotQuestions.orgDoes the Bible record the death of the apostles? How did each of the apostles die? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Joab in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgStabbed: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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