Deuteronomy 25:1

Deuteronomy 25:1

If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.

a. NLT: “Suppose two people take a dispute to court, and the judges declare that one is right and the other is wrong. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, and the judges judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: 'When there is a strife between men, and they have come nigh unto the judgment, and they have judged, and declared righteous the righteous, and declared wrong the wrong-doer, [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: If there is a controversy between men, and they come into court and the judges decide between them, justifying the innocent and condemning the guilty, [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: And if there should be a dispute between men, and they should come forward to judgment, and [the judges] judge, and justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked:

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: When there will be a grievance between people, and they approach the court, and they judge them, and they vindicate the righteous one and find the wicked one guilty.  [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

1. “If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment…”

a. If [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

b. [there] be [Strong: 1961 hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

c. [a] controversy [Strong: 7379 riyb reeb or rib {reeb}; from 7378; a contest (personal or legal):--+ adversary, cause, chiding, contend(-tion), controversy, multitude (from the margin), pleading, strife, strive(-ing), suit.]

d. between [Strong: 996 beyn bane (sometimes in the plural masculine or feminine); properly, the constructive form of an otherwise unused noun from 995; a distinction; but used only as a prep, between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...or:--among, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), + from (the widest), X in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.]

e. men [Strong: 582 'enowsh en-oshe' from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain, chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age, husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some ( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in apposition with another word .]

f. [and they] come [Strong: 5066 nagash naw-gash' a primitive root; to be or come (causatively, bring) near (for any purpose); euphemistically, to lie with a woman; as an enemy, to attack; relig. to worship; causatively, to present; figuratively, to adduce an argument; by reversal, to stand back:--(make to) approach (nigh), bring (forth, hither, near), (cause to) come (hither, near, nigh), give place, go hard (up), (be, draw, go) near (nigh), offer, overtake, present, put, stand.]

g. unto [Strong: 413 'el ale (but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el}); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).]

h. judgment [Strong: 4941 mishpat mish-pawt' from 8199; properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style:--+ adversary, ceremony, charge, X crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right, sentence, usest, X worthy, + wrong.]

2. “...that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.”

a. [that the judges may] judge [them] [Strong: 8199 shaphat shaw-fat' a primitive root; to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by extenssion, to govern; passively, to litigate (literally or figuratively):--+ avenge, X that condemn, contend, defend, execute (judgment), (be a) judge(-ment), X needs, plead, reason, rule.]

b. [then they shall] justify [Strong: 6663 tsadaq tsaw-dak' a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) right (in a moral or forensic sense):--cleanse, clear self, (be, do) just(-ice, -ify, -ify self), (be turn to) righteous(-ness).]

c. [Strong: 853 'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

d. righteous [Strong: 6662 tsaddiyq tsad-deek' from 6663; just:--just, lawful, righteous (man).]

e. [and] condemn [Strong: 7561 rasha` raw-shah' a primitive root; to be (causatively, do or declare) wrong; by implication, to disturb, violate:--condemn, make trouble, vex, be (commit, deal, depart, do) wicked(-ly, -ness).]

f. [Strong: 853 'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

g. wicked [Strong: 7563 rasha` raw-shaw' from 7561; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person:--+ condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did wrong.

1). The Apostle Paul cited this punishment in his list of things he experienced because of his following Christ.

a). 2 Corinthians 11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

2). These incidents of getting beaten by the Jewish authorities is not in the record of Acts. What we can take from this record is that during Paul’s journeys, probably the early ones, Paul ministered to Jewish synagogues and constantly ran into persecution. I personally believe between the time he fled from Jerusalem and sent to Tarsus in Acts 9:30, and the time Barnabas came to Tarsus to bring him to Antioch in Acts 11:25, 26, that Saul experienced many of these incidents.

3). William M. Ramsay who wrote Saint Paul the Traveler and the Roman Citizen, theorizes that Saul spent at least 8 years in Tarsus. Given the zeal that he had before he was sent to Tarsus to protect his life, I don’t believe that Saul remained idle and silent. While in Arabia, probably on Mt. Sinai Paul received either a large portion of the New Covenant or all of it, (Galatians 1:15-17; Galatians 4:25). He received it directly from Jesus, Galatians 1:11, 12. The revelation he received fueled his zeal to the point during the first three years of his Christian experience Saul had to flee for his life at least twice. But I don’t believe trying to kill Saul was the first reaction to Saul’s message, which from their Jewish perspective, was heresy. The Jewish community tries to follow the law and in light of that I believe their first reaction to Saul’s message was that he needs to be disciplined according to the law first. I think that all of the “five times” getting 39 stripes from the Jews is referring to this. Where and when exactly all this happened I don’t know, but my reasoning I believe is sound.