Retribution

The principle of retribution

; ;

See also ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

Divine retribution is just

Genesis 18:25 AFAT

חָלִלָה לְּךָ מֵעֲשֹׂת כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה לְהָמִית צַדִּיק עִם־רָשָׁע וְהָיָה כַצַּדִּיק כָּרָשָׁע חָלִלָה לָּךְ הֲשֹׁפֵט כָּל־הָאָרֶץ לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט׃

See also ; ; ; ; ;

Natural retribution

;

Examples of retribution by the state

; ; ;

National retribution

; ; 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 Newberry Interlinear

διοτι εστησεν ημεραν εν η μελλει κρινειν την οικουμενην εν δικαιοσυνη εν ανδρι ω ωρισεν πιστιν παρασχων πασιν αναστησας αυτον εκ νεκρων

See also

Retribution is often built into the nature of wrongdoing

Psalm 7:15–16 AFAT

בּוֹר כָּרָה וַיַּחְפְּרֵהוּ וַיִּפֹּל בְּשַׁחַת יִפְעָל׃ יָשׁוּב עֲמָלוֹ בְרֹאשׁוֹ וְעַל קָדְקֳדוֹ חֲמָסוֹ יֵרֵד׃

See also ; ; ; ; ; ;

Retribution is placed in the hands of governments

; 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;

See also ; ;

Private retribution is forbidden

Proverbs 24:29 AFAT

אַל־תֹּאמַר כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה־לִי כֵּן אֶעֱשֶׂה־לּוֹ אָשִׁיב לָאִישׁ כְּפָעֳלוֹ׃

See also ;

Prayer for retribution

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;

See also ; ; ;

The final retribution

Revelation 20:13 Newberry Interlinear

και εδωκεν η θαλασσα τους εν αυτη νεκρους και ο θανατος και ο αδης εδωκαν τους εν αυτοις νεκρους και εκριθησαν εκαστος κατα τα εργα αυτων

See also ; ;

Examples of direct divine retribution on people

In the fall

;

See also ;

In the flood

Genesis 6:5–7 AFAT

וַיַּרְא יהוה כִּי רַבָּה רָעַת הָאָדָם בָּאָרֶץ וְכָל־יֵצֶר מַחְשְׁבֹת לִבּוֹ רַק רַע כָּל־הַיּוֹם׃ וַיִּנָּחֶם יהוה כִּי־עָשָׂה אֶת־הָאָדָם בָּאָרֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּב אֶל־לִבּוֹ׃ וַיֹּאמֶר יהוה אֶמְחֶה אֶת־הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָאתִי מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה מֵאָדָם עַד־בְּהֵמָה עַד־רֶמֶשׂ וְעַד־עוֹף הַשָּׁמָיִם כִּי נִחַמְתִּי כִּי עֲשִׂיתִם׃

Upon all the nations

Obadiah 15–16 AFAT

כִּי־קָרוֹב יוֹם־יהוה עַל־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ יֵעָשֶׂה לָּךְ גְּמֻלְךָ יָשׁוּב בְּרֹאשֶׁךָ׃ כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר שְׁתִיתֶם עַל־הַר קָדְשִׁי יִשְׁתּוּ כָל־הַגּוֹיִם תָּמִיד וְשָׁתוּ וְלָעוּ וְהָיוּ כְּלוֹא הָיוּ׃

On Jerusalem

This judgment came on Jerusalem in a.d. 70.

Upon persecutors and unbelievers

1 Thessalonians 2:14–16 Newberry Interlinear

υμεις γαρ μιμηται εγενηθητε αδελφοι των εκκλησιων του Θεου των ουσων εν τη Ιουδαια εν Χριστω Ιησου οτι ταυτα επαθετε και υμεις υπο των ιδιων συμφυλετων καθως και αυτοι υπο των Ιουδαιων των και τον Κυριον αποκτειναντων Ιησουν και τους ιδιους προφητας και υμας εκδιωξαντων και Θεω μη αρεσκοντων και πασιν ανθρωποις εναντιων κωλυοντων ημας τοις εθνεσιν λαλησαι ινα σωθωσιν εις το αναπληρωσαι αυτων τας αμαρτιας παντοτε εφθασεν δε επ αυτους η οργη εις τελος

At the Tower of Babel

See also

On Sodom and Gomorrah

Genesis 19:24 AFAT

וַיהוה הִמְטִיר עַל־סְדֹם וְעַל־עֲמֹרָה גָּפְרִית וָאֵשׁ מֵאֵת יהוה מִן־הַשָּׁמָיִם׃

In the ten plagues on Egypt

; ;

On the Israelites in the wilderness

Exodus 32:35 AFAT

וַיִּגֹּף יהוה אֶת־הָעָם עַל אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֶת־הָעֵגֶל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אַהֲרֹן׃

See also

On the heathen nations

;

On the rebellious nation of Israel

;

On idolatrous Judah

; ;

On Babylon

; ;

Examples of divine retribution on individuals

Acts 12:23 Newberry Interlinear

παραχρημα δε επαταξεν αυτον αγγελος Κυριου ανθ ων ουκ εδωκεν την δοξαν τω Θεω και γενομενος σκωληκοβρωτος εξεψυξεν

See also ; ; ; ; ; ;

Examples of divine retribution through human beings

; ;

Through Jehu upon the house of Ahab:

; ;