Capital Punishment In the Pentateuch

By Mark Berrier

  1. Murder – Gn 9:6; Ex 21:12; Dt 19:11ff
  2. Kidnapping – Ex 21:16; Dt 24:7
  3. Abusing a priest, judge or parent – Dt 17:12; Ex 21:15ff; Lv 20:9; Dt 21:18ff
  4. Negligent death [drunk driving?] – Ex 21:28f
  5. Idolatry – Lv 20:1ff; Dt 13; 17:2ff
  6. Sorcery [witchcraft, fortune telling, psychic reading, (using drugs?)] – Lv 19:26, 31; Ex 22:18; Lv 20:27 (1S 28:3 and Gl 5:20 [Greek text])
  7. False prophecy – Dt 18:10f, 20
  8. Blasphemy – Lv 24:15f
  9. Profaning Sabbath – Ex 31:14 (Dt 22:21)
  10. Adultery – Lv 20:10; Dt 22:21 and 22
  11. Consenting sex outside of engagement – Dt 22:23f
  12. Special immorality – Dt 22:13-21
  13. Sodomy – Lv 20:13
  14. Beastiality – Lv 20:15f
  15. Incest – Lv 20:11f, 14
  16. Rape - Dt 22:25-27 (but see Dt 22:28f)
  17. Making and using priests' perfume or incense – Ex 30:33 and 38
    ["Cut off" here, however, may simply mean ostracizing them.]