Assassination
Assassination
a-sas-i-nashun.
1. Meaning of the Term
The language of Scripture distinguishes less clearly than the modern juridical between assassination and murder. Murderer = , roceah (Num 35:16-19, Num 35:21, Num 35:30, Num 35:31; 2Ki 6:32; Job 24:14); , horegh, from , haragh = to slay, kill, the King James Version translation murderer in Hos 9:13; but slayer in Eze 21:11. Where the Revised Version (British and American) renders slayers, we find , racah, in Num 35:11, Num 35:25-28; Deu 4:42; Deu 19:3, Deu 19:4, Deu 19:6; Jos 20:3, Jos 20:5, Jos 20:6; Jos 21:13, Jos 21:21, Jos 21:27, Jos 21:32, Jos 21:38, irrespective of whether willful, deliberate killing is spoken of, or hasty or merely accidental; and , nakhah = to strike, wound, kill, slay, in Num 35:24. The prohibition against killing is all-inclusive, even to suicide, placing the ban not only on deliberate, purposeful slaying (Exo 21:12, Exo 21:14, Exo 21:18), but on all endangering of life through negligence (Deu 22:8) or recklessness (Lev 19:14) or hatred, anger and revengefulness (Lev 19:17).
2. Punishment of the Act
The Mosaic law presupposes the punishment of all killing of human beings on the ground of Gen 9:6, and repeatedly reiterates it (Exo 21:12, Exo 21:14; Lev 24:17, Lev 24:21; Num 35:33; Deu 19:11), the reason assigned being that man is made in the image of God; hence to slay a man is paramount to lifting the hand against the Creator. And while the degrees of guilt are not indicated by the language, they are closely distinguished by the punishments prescribed. Not only notorious enmity against the slain and deliberate lying-in-wait on the part of the murderer (Exo 21:13; Num 35:20; Deu 19:4, Deu 19:11), but also the nature of the instrument was taken into account to determine the nature of the crime (Num 35:16). See CRIMES.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Assassination
David’s abhorrence of
2Sa 4:9-12
Laws prohibiting
Deu 27:24
Instances of:
– Of Eglon, by Ehud
Jdg 3:15-22
– Of Abner, by Joab
2Sa 3:27
– Of Ish-Bosheth, by the sons of Rimmon
2Sa 4:5-7
– Of Amnon, by Absalom
2Sa 13:28-29
– Of Amasa, by Joab
2Sa 20:9-10
– Of Joash, by his servants
2Ki 12:20
– Of Sennacherib, by his sons
2Ki 19:37; Isa 37:38