A form of capital punishment. Most of the offenses punished by stoning were crimes against the sovereignty of God: blasphemy (Lev 24:15-16; 1Kgs 21:13; Acts 7:11; Acts 7:58), incitement to worship other gods (Deut 13:6-10), worship of other gods (Deut 17:2-7), worship of Molech by child sacrifice (Lev 20:2-5), divination by mediums (Lev 20:27), violation of the Sabbath (Num 15:32-36), and violation of the taboo of devoted objects (Josh 7:25). Stoning is also specified in cases of adultery (Deut 22:21, Deut 22:24; John 8:3-7), filial insubordination (Deut 21:18-21), and homicide by a goring ox (Exod 21:28-29). The stoning usually took place outside the city (Lev 24:14; Num 15:35; Deut 17:5; Deut 22:24; 1Kgs 21:13; but cf. (Deut 22:21). The criminal probably was stripped (Ezek 16:39). The witnesses were the first to cast stones, followed by the entire community (Deut 13:10; Deut 17:7; John 8:7). Accounts of nonjudicial stoning are also recorded in (1Kgs 12:18; (2Chr 24:21). The custom continued into NT times, as attested by the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58; Acts 14:19; John 8:5; John 8:7).
