Deuteronomy 25:4

"He may sentence him to no more than forty stripes. He shall not give more, lest if he should give more and beat him more than that many stripes, then your brother will be degraded in your sight."

Key Reflection

In Deuteronomy 25:4, Moses is providing legal guidelines for the administration of corporal punishment within Israelite communities. The maximum number of lashes was set at forty to prevent excessive violence that could lead to permanent disfigurement or death, thus preserving the dignity and worth of the individual as a "brother" in the community. This regulation aimed to ensure justice was meted out fairly while maintaining humane standards, reflecting the importance placed on both retribution and rehabilitation within ancient Israelite society.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Compare the marginal references. In other kinds of labor the oxen were usually muzzled. When driven to and fro over the threshing-floor in order to stamp out the grain from the chaff, they were to be allowed to partake of the fruits of their labors.

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