Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5760 Human attitudes and behaviour  »  5823 cruelty  »  5824 cruelty, examples of

Scripture condemns cruelty, and gives examples of situations in which it was practised.

Cruelty is an expression of wickedness

Psalm 71:4; Romans 1:28-31 See also Psalm 35:16; Psalm 86:14; Proverbs 17:5; Ecclesiastes 4:1; Amos 5:12

Forms of cruelty

The cruel nature of war

2 Kings 8:12 See also 2 Kings 15:16; Isaiah 13:15,18; Hosea 10:14; Hosea 13:16; Nahum 3:10

The cruel nature of rape

Genesis 34:2 See also Judges 19:25; 2 Samuel 13:14; Zechariah 14:2

The cruel nature of words

Job 17:1-2; Psalm 42:10; Mark 15:31 See also 1 Samuel 1:6-7; Job 11:3; Psalm 22:7; Psalm 35:11; Psalm 89:50-51; Psalm 102:8; Jeremiah 20:7; Lamentations 3:14

Particular examples of cruelty

Genesis 37:23-24 Joseph's brothers; Genesis 49:5-7 Simeon and Levi; Exodus 1:22 Pharaoh; Judges 1:6 Judah's cruelty to a local king; Judges 4:2-3 Sisera; Judges 10:6-8 the Philistines and Ammonites; 2 Chronicles 16:10 Asa; Proverbs 5:8-9 the adulteress

Nebuchadnezzar:

Jeremiah 21:7; Daniel 3:13-20

The officials at Jerusalem:

Jeremiah 37:15; Jeremiah 38:6-7 Ezekiel 22:29 Israel; Nahum 3:18-19 the king of Assyria; Matthew 2:16 King Herod

Jesus Christ's torturers:

Matthew 27:26-31 pp Mark 15:15-20 pp John 19:15

Jesus Christ's executioners:

Luke 23:33-39 pp Matthew 27:35-44 pp Mark 15:24-32 pp John 19:18

See also

5040  murder
5281  crucifixion
5347  injustice
5436  pain
5446  poverty
5560  suffering
5782  agony
5789  anger
5972  unkindness
6178  hardness of heart
8790  oppression
8794  persecution