robbery Summary and Overview

Practised by the Ishmaelites (Gen. 16:12), the Chaldeans and Sabeans (Job 1:15, 17), and the men of Shechem (Judg. 9:25. See also 1 Sam. 27:6-10; 30; Hos. 4:2; 6:9). Robbers infested Judea in our Lord's time (Luke 10:30; John 18:40; Acts 5:36, 37; 21:38; 2 Cor. 11:26). The words of the Authorized Version, "counted it not robbery to be equal," etc. (Phil. 2:6, 7), are better rendered in the Revised Version, "counted it not a prize to be on an equality," etc., i.e., "did not look upon equality with God as a prize which must not slip from his grasp" = "did not cling with avidity to the prerogatives of his divine majesty; did not ambitiously display his equality with God." "Robbers of churches" should be rendered, as in the Revised Version, "of temples." In the temple at Ephesus there was a great treasure-chamber, and as all that was laid up there was under the guardianship of the goddess Diana, to steal from such a place would be sacrilege (Acts 19:37).

Robbery has ever been one of the principal employments of the nomad tribes of the East. From the time of Ishmael to the present day the Bedouin has been a "wild man," and a robber by trade. #Ge 16:12| The Mosaic law on the subject of theft is contained in #Ex 2:2| There seems no reason to suppose that the law underwent any alteration in Solomon's time. Man-stealing was punishable with death. #Ex 21:16; De 24:7| Invasion of right in land was strictly forbidden. #De 27:17; Isa 5:8; Mic 2:2|

Esteemed by the Ishmaelites as creditable (Genesis 16:12). Predatory incursions were frequent on the part of the Chaldaeans and Sabeans (Job 1:15; Job 1:17). The "liers in wait" of the men of Shechem are instances also, "robbing all that came along that way" (Judges 9:25). Also David plundering the Amalekites, etc. (1 Samuel 27:6-10); they made reprisals (1 Samuel 30). In Israel's disorganized state in the northern kingdom this evil was very prevalent (Hosea 4:2; Hosea 6:9; Micah 2:8). Owing to the corrupt administration of Roman governors, and the facility of collecting and hiding banditti in the natural caves of Israel, robbers infested Judaea much in our Lord's time and the age following (Luke 10:30; John 18:40; Acts 5:36-37; Acts 21:38; 2 Corinthians 11:26). (On the punishment of robbery, see Exodus 22.) (For "thieves" translated "robbers", see Matthew 27:38.)