Dictionary of Bible Themes: 5493 retribution

5493 retribution

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 5200 Human civilisation » 5493 retribution

Recompense for evil. In Scripture this is the prerogative of God and of the authorities ordained by God, and never of individuals.

The principle of retribution

Exodus 20:5-6; Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30 See also Deuteronomy 32:35; Exodus 32:33-34; Leviticus 26:23-25; Deuteronomy 7:9-10; Deuteronomy 32:41-43; Job 34:11; Proverbs 24:12; Isaiah 1:24; Nahum 1:2

Divine retribution is just

Genesis 18:25 See also Deuteronomy 32:3-4; 2 Chronicles 12:1-6; Psalm 58:10-11; Jeremiah 5:7-9,26-29; Hosea 4:6

Retribution is often built into the nature of wrongdoing

Psalm 7:15-16 See also Psalm 37:14-15; Proverbs 1:18; Proverbs 26:27; Proverbs 28:10; Ecclesiastes 10:8; Matthew 26:52; Galatians 6:7-8

Retribution is placed in the hands of governments

Genesis 9:6; Exodus 21:23-25 This “lex talionis” (law of exacting like for like) was not for private retribution. It insisted that justice be fair and not out of proportion to the crime ; Romans 13:4 See also Leviticus 24:17-22; Numbers 35:16-25; 1 Peter 2:14

Private retribution is forbidden

Proverbs 24:29 See also Matthew 5:38-39; Romans 12:19

Prayer for retribution

Psalm 28:4 Christians can agree with these prayers, hating all that opposes the Lord and goodness, and gladly anticipating the ultimate vindication of God's glory. Christians leave judgment in God's hands, but nonetheless grieve over the world's pain and over the death of every unrepentant sinner ; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 See also Psalm 79:10; Psalm 94:1-2; Psalm 137:8-9; Lamentations 3:64-66

The final retribution

Revelation 20:13 See also Psalm 62:11-12; John 5:28-29; Romans 2:5-11

Examples of direct divine retribution on people

In the fall

Genesis 3:14,17 See also Genesis 3:15-16,18-19

In the flood

Genesis 6:5-7

At the Tower of Babel

See also Genesis 11:5-7

On Sodom and Gomorrah

Genesis 19:24

In the ten plagues on Egypt

Exodus 7:16-17; Exodus 11:1; Exodus 12:29

On the Israelites in the wilderness

Exodus 32:35 See also 1 Corinthians 10:6-10

On the heathen nations

Leviticus 18:25; Deuteronomy 9:4

On the rebellious nation of Israel

Leviticus 18:28; Deuteronomy 28:47-48

On idolatrous Judah

Isaiah 65:6-7; Isaiah 66:6; Ezekiel 5:11-13

On Babylon

Jeremiah 51:6,24,56

Upon all the nations

Ob 15-16

On Jerusalem

Matthew 23:35-36 This judgment came on Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

Upon persecutors and unbelievers

1 Thessalonians 2:14-16

Examples of divine retribution on individuals

Examples of divine retribution through human beings

Judges 1:7; Judges 9:56-57; 2 Samuel 18:17

Through Jehu upon the house of Ahab:

2 Kings 9:7,24,30-33

Natural retribution

Romans 1:27; 2 Timothy 3:13

Examples of retribution by the state

National retribution

Joshua 10:13-14; Judges 11:36; Esther 9:5 The special case of God's dealings with the nation of Israel and her enemies is not a basis on which to argue for a concept of a war, just or otherwise. A just war has to be in defence of the nation or of the defenceless, and involve a minimum of suffering.

Warnings of future retribution

Acts 17:31 See also Matthew 25:31-32