Cruelty
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible [1]
Cruelty . The word ‘cruelty’ has nearly disappeared from our Bibles. The RV [Note: Revised Version.] has introduced ‘rigour’ and ‘violence’ in its stead. However, many instances of cruelty remain in the OT records, and some of these seem to have the sanction of Scripture. Such passages as Deuteronomy 20:17 , Joshua 6:21 , 2 Samuel 12:31 no longer trouble the devout student of the Bible as they once did. He now recognizes the fact that in the Bible we have a faithful record of the slow evolution of spiritual ideals, and that the revelation of the NT brands as un-Christian and inhuman many things that were written by the ancient scribes and some things that were done by ancient saints. The spirit of Elijah may not be the spirit of Christ ( Luke 9:55 ). Cruelty is un-Christian; kindness is the law of the Christian life.
D. A. Hayes.
King James Dictionary [2]
CRUELTY, n. L.
1. Inhumanity a savage or barbarous disposition or temper, which is gratified in giving unnecessary pain or distress to others barbarity applied to persons as the cruelty of savages the cruelty and envy of the people. 2. Barbarous deed any act of a human being which inflicts unnecessary pain any act intended to torment, vex or afflict, or which actually torments or afflicts, without necessity wrong injustice oppression.
With force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. Ezekiel 34 .
Webster's Dictionary [3]
(1): (n.) A cruel and barbarous deed; inhuman treatment; the act of willfully causing unnecessary pain.
(2): (n.) The attribute or quality of being cruel; a disposition to give unnecessary pain or suffering to others; inhumanity; barbarity.
