Similarities Between The Bible And Hammurabi

Biblical and the Hammurabi code principles are two important documents that supports the use of capital punishment. Taking a look firstly at the biblical principles we can go to many scriptures. The bible sees the death penalty simply as an “eye for an eye” and a “tooth for a tooth”. One chapter in the bible found in Exodus states “Exodus 21:23-25 But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. “(Bible). This being said when a murderer has killed anyone they were then punished with the same crime as the one whom they had murdered. Another, biblical reference that has also been written in Exodus was “Exodus 21:12 Whoever strikes …show more content…
Also in the book of Leviticus it goes on about the similar method of ” an eye for an eye”. “Anyone who maims another shall suffer the same injury in return: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The injury he inflicted on another shall be inflicted on him”(Bible). From the repetitive of verses show that the bible does support the death penalty. It was seen as an “eye for an eye”. Hammurabi, was one of the Babylonian king, who reigned during the seventeenth century. He wanted to expand the city states of Babylon along the Euphrates river just to unite the southern Mesopotamia. He had enforced this code which was also known as the Hammurabi code. Hammurabi spoke that this code is meant to mean that; "If a man has destroyed the eye of a man of the gentleman class, they shall destroy his eye .... If he has destroyed the eye of a commoner ... he shall pay one mina of silver. If he has destroyed the eye of a gentleman's slave ... he shall pay half the slave's price"(Ancient Civilizations). Because of this code being on full effect as of today, if a man were to kill an individual they were than be punished with the same consequences as the way they have killed the murder