Bible Dictionaries
Flogging
Holman Bible Dictionary
Punishment by repeated lashes or blows of a whip or rod(s). The Old Testament recognized flogging as a form of punishment (Deuteronomy 25:1-3 ) though limiting it to 40 blows so that the neighbor who was punished would not be degraded. Children were disciplined with rods (Proverbs 23:13-14 ). Floggings were sometimes inflicted unjustly (Proverbs 17:26; Isaiah 53:5 ). Jesus warned His disciples that they would face flogging (Matthew 10:17; beatings, Mark 13:9 ) in the synagogue. Paul had believers flogged in his days as a persecutor of the church (Acts 22:19-20 ). The apostles were flogged by order of the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:40 ). Paul received the “forty
lashes less one” at the hands of the synagogue five times (2 Corinthians 11:24 ). Paul was also beaten with rods three times (2 Corinthians 11:25 ), perhaps at the hands of Gentile officials as at Philippi (Acts 16:22-23 ).
Copyright Statement
These dictionary topics are from the Holman Bible Dictionary, published by Broadman & Holman, 1991. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Broadman & Holman.
Bibliography Information
Butler, Trent C. Editor. Entry for 'Flogging'. Holman Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hbd/f/flogging.html. 1991.