Jury
Summary
In ancient Israelite justice, groups of elders or witnesses who participated in judicial proceedings; Scripture describes both smaller groups of ten men and the larger council of seventy elders.
☩Judicial Procedures
While ancient Israel did not have juries in the modern sense, judicial decisions involved groups of witnesses and elders. Boaz assembled ten men of the elders of the city to witness his transaction regarding Ruth (Ruth 4:2). Moses, at Jethro's advice, appointed judges for different levels of cases (Numbers 11:16-17, 24-25). The law required two or three witnesses to establish any charge (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15), and the witnesses served as the first executioners (Deuteronomy 13:9; Acts 7:58). Local courts usually held sessions on Monday and Thursday of each week.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Witness," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IV (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Courts, Judicial (adapted)," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).