John 8:5

5 In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?" ¹

John 8:5 Meaning and Commentary

John 8:5

Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should, be
stoned
Not in ( Leviticus 20:10 ) ; for though according to the law there, an adulteress, one that was a married woman, and so an adulterer, that was a married man, were to be put to death; yet the death was not stoning, but strangling; for it is a rule with the Jews ^F7, that where death is simply mentioned (without restraining it to any particular kind) strangling is intended, and which rule they apply to this law: and accordingly in their Misna, or oral law, one that lies with another man's wife, is reckoned among those that are to be strangled ^F8: Kimchi indeed says ^F9, that adulteresses, according to the law, are to be stoned with stones; but then this must be understood of such as are betrothed, but not married; and such a person, Moses has commanded in the law, to be stoned, ( Deuteronomy 22:23 Deuteronomy 22:24 ) . And with this agree the traditions of the Jews ^F11;

``a daughter of Israel must be stoned, who is (hawvn alw) (howra) , "betrothed, but not married".''

And such an one we must believe this woman was; she was betrothed to a man, but not married to him, and therefore to be stoned: the Jews

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 have also a saying, that

``if all adulterers were punished with stoning, according to the law, the stones would be consumed; but they would not be consumed;''

adultery was so common with that people:

but what sayest thou?
dost thou agree with Moses, or not?

F7 Maimon. Hilchot Issure Bia, c. 1. sect. 6.
F8 Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 10. sect. 1.
F9 In Ezek. xvi. 40.
F11 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 51. 2.
F12 Apud Castell. Lex. Polyglott, col. 2180.

John 8:5 In-Context

3 The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught committing adultery, and they made her stand before them all.

4 "Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery.

5 In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?"

6 They said this to trap Jesus, so that they could accuse him. But he bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger.

7 As they stood there asking him questions, he straightened up and said to them, "Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her."

Cross References

• 1. 8.5Leviticus 20.10;Deuteronomy 22.22-24.