Comments on: Regarding the cross, trees and gibbets http://heissufficient.com/2008/08/20/regarding-the-cross-trees-and-gibbets/ Searching for wit and wisdom in a wilderness of words... Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:51:30 +0000 hourly 1 By: ElShaddai Edwards http://heissufficient.com/2008/08/20/regarding-the-cross-trees-and-gibbets/comment-page-1/#comment-3096 ElShaddai Edwards Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:22:21 +0000 http://heissufficient.net/?p=827#comment-3096 It's an old English word for the "gallows", the (typically wooden) structure used to hang people. I think the question really is what was meant in the Hebrew context - did they hang people in the sense we're thinking of or did "you hang him on a gibbet" mean something else? The Jewish Study Bible with the JPS Tanakh translates the verse from Deuteronomy as "<em>If a man is guilty of a capital offense and is put to death, and you impale him on a stake [...]</em>". The study notes say: <blockquote><strong>22:</strong> <em>Impale him on a stake:</em> The Hebrew phrase may also mean death caused by hanging from a tree or gallows, or suspending someone who has already been executed from a pole or gallows. (Josh. 10.26; Esth. 9.11-14).</blockquote> The NLT Study Bible notes both possibilities, but hastens to add that this phrase does not refer to the method of execution, but rather "<em>a shameful display of those put to death for capital offenses probably to show the Lord's hatred of sin and to deter others who might commit such acts.</em>" It’s an old English word for the “gallows”, the (typically wooden) structure used to hang people. I think the question really is what was meant in the Hebrew context – did they hang people in the sense we’re thinking of or did “you hang him on a gibbet” mean something else?

The Jewish Study Bible with the JPS Tanakh translates the verse from Deuteronomy as “If a man is guilty of a capital offense and is put to death, and you impale him on a stake [...]“. The study notes say:

22: Impale him on a stake: The Hebrew phrase may also mean death caused by hanging from a tree or gallows, or suspending someone who has already been executed from a pole or gallows. (Josh. 10.26; Esth. 9.11-14).

The NLT Study Bible notes both possibilities, but hastens to add that this phrase does not refer to the method of execution, but rather “a shameful display of those put to death for capital offenses probably to show the Lord’s hatred of sin and to deter others who might commit such acts.“

]]> By: Traditional Life http://heissufficient.com/2008/08/20/regarding-the-cross-trees-and-gibbets/comment-page-1/#comment-3087 Traditional Life Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:14:21 +0000 http://heissufficient.net/?p=827#comment-3087 what does the word gibbet mean then? what does the word gibbet mean then?

]]> By: Stan McCullars http://heissufficient.com/2008/08/20/regarding-the-cross-trees-and-gibbets/comment-page-1/#comment-3068 Stan McCullars Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:35:15 +0000 http://heissufficient.net/?p=827#comment-3068 For the record, I had to look up “gibbet” the first time I came across it. For the record, I had to look up “gibbet” the first time I came across it.

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