Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-05-07
CRIMINAL LAWS OF THE BIBLE
Punishment of Crime Practically Same
In Old Testament Time As Now.

Punishment OF Crime Practicaiiy Same
In Old Testament Time As Now.
Twenty-Five centuries ago the equiv
alent of the Missouri state statutes
governing capital offences were in
force in the Holy Land. Murderers
were hanged, those who committed
manslaughter suffered the same pen
alties that are enforced in Missouri
today, and some Of the chief defenses
to charges of murder and manslaugh-
ter that are figuring in criminal trials
now were recognized then-self-de-
fense, the "unwritten law" inevitable
accident and insanity.
The Book Of Exodus Is one of the
chief sources of information on Jewish
laws of the age when Roman triremes
swept the Mediterranean and Caesar
was yet unborn. "Whosoever smiteth
a man so that he die shall surely be
put to DEATH" says the Book Of Ex-
odus, chapter 81, verse IL. The next
two verses add that IF man lie not
in wait, but God deliver him into his
hands, then I shall appoint thee a
place whittier he shall fee. But II
man come presumptuously upon his
neighbor to slay him with guile, thou
shall take him away from my altar
so that he may die"
This. means that when the defen-
dant charged with murder could show
that he had killed his adversary in
sudden heat Of passion then he should
escape the death penalty If he could
flee to the horns Of the altar. If the
defendant had waylaid his adversary,
showing premeditation, then there
was no excuse from death. This is
pretty much the modern criminal
law.
Verses 1919 provide for the collec-
ton of money damages from one re-
sponsible for accidental injuries in
fiicted on another.
"And if men strive together and
one smite another with a stone. or
with his fist. and he die not, but
keepeth his bed; if he rise again, and
walk abroad upon his staff, then shall
he that smote him be quit; only he
shall pay for the loss of his time and
for his cure" Personal injury suits
were known to Roman civil law and
to the laws of the ancient Jews. Had
there been a United Railway company
in Jerusalem the provision in Exodus
would have covered the ground-the
company would have to pay for loss
of time and doctors bills and other
items usually specified in o suit for
damages.
The death penalty was not the only
one denounced against the murderer
by the ancient law. In Genesis ix.,
6, it is stated that Cain was not capi-
tally punished. The exceptions to the
rule. that death should be the penal
ty for taking the life of another,
forced themselves on the lawmakers,
There were certain situations that
could not be dealt with by the death
penalty rule. In Deuteronomy xix,
4, 5, 6, IL, ~, it is provided that
whose killeth his neighbor ignorant
ly, whom he hated not in time past,
as where a man claveth wood and the
ak fieth from the helve and killeth a
man, he shall fly to the city for re-
fuge." These exceptions were not
fully recognized and the "avenger of
blood" supposed to be the next heir
of the deceased, had the right to
avenge the killing of his kinsman by
Staying the one who had killed his
kinsman, if the slayer could be caught
before he had reached the horns of
the altar.
But if any man hate his neighbor.
and lie in wait for him. and rise up
against him and smite him mortally
so that he die and fieeth to the city
of refuge, the elder of his city shall
send and fetch him hence, and deliver
him into the hands of the avenger
of the blood, that he may die" This