Definition and Context
Pillage refers to the act of looting or plundering, especially during war or conflict. In biblical times, pillage was a common practice during military conquests, where victors would seize goods, livestock, and other valuables from the defeated. This act was often seen as a right of the conquerors, though it was not without moral and ethical implications.

Biblical Instances of Pillage

1. The Conquest of Ai
In the book of Joshua, the Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, conquered the city of Ai. After their victory, God permitted the Israelites to take the spoils of the city. "You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves" (Joshua 8:2). This instance highlights a divinely sanctioned pillage, where the spoils were considered a reward for obedience and victory.

2. The Amalekites and David
In 1 Samuel 30, the Amalekites raided Ziklag, a city where David and his men were staying, and took captives and plundered the city. David sought the Lord's guidance and pursued the Amalekites. "David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. Nothing was missing, young or old, son or daughter, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back" (1 Samuel 30:18-19). This narrative demonstrates the recovery of pillaged goods through divine assistance and military action.

3. The Siege of Jerusalem
The Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem is a significant event involving pillage. In 2 Kings 25, the Babylonians, led by King Nebuchadnezzar, besieged Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and carried off its treasures. "The Chaldeans broke up the bronze pillars, the stands, and the bronze Sea in the house of the LORD, and they carried the bronze to Babylon" (2 Kings 25:13). This act of pillage was part of God's judgment on Judah for their disobedience.

Moral and Ethical Considerations

The Bible presents pillage in various lights, often depending on the context and divine instruction. While some instances of pillage were permitted or even commanded by God, others were acts of judgment or consequences of disobedience. The ethical implications of pillage are complex, as they involve questions of justice, divine sovereignty, and human morality.

Prohibitions and Warnings

The Bible also contains warnings against unjust pillage and plunder. In the prophetic books, God often condemns nations for their greed and violence. For example, in Habakkuk 2:8, God pronounces judgment on Babylon: "Because you have plundered many nations, the remnant of the peoples will plunder you—because of your bloodshed against man and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers" . This reflects a divine principle that unjust pillage leads to eventual retribution.

Conclusion

While pillage is a recurring theme in the biblical narrative, it is always framed within the larger context of God's justice and sovereignty. The Bible provides both examples of divinely sanctioned pillage and warnings against unjust plunder, emphasizing the importance of aligning human actions with divine will.1. (n.) Open robbery; warlike plunder.

2. (n.) That which is taken from another or others by open force, particularly and chiefly from enemies in war; plunder; spoil; booty.

3. (v. i.) To strip of money or goods by open violence; to plunder; to spoil; to lay waste; as, to pillage the camp of an enemy.

4. (v. i.) To take spoil; to plunder; to ravage.

724. harpage -- pillage, plundering
... pillage, plundering. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: harpage Phonetic
Spelling: (har-pag-ay') Short Definition: the act of plundering, plunder ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/724.htm - 6k899. beged -- treachery
... From bagad; a covering, ie Clothing; also treachery or pillage -- apparel,
cloth(-es, ing), garment, lap, rag, raiment, robe, X very (treacherously), vesture ...
/hebrew/899.htm - 5k

8154. shasah -- to spoil, plunder
... root Definition to spoil, plunder NASB Word Usage despoiled (1), pillage (1), plunder
(1), plundered (3), plunderers (2), plundering (1), taken spoil (1). ...
/hebrew/8154.htm - 6k

6563. pereq -- parting of ways, plunder
... Word Origin from paraq Definition parting of ways, plunder NASB Word Usage
fork of the road (1), pillage (1). crossway, robbery. ...
/hebrew/6563.htm - 6k

962. bazaz -- to spoil, plunder
... root Definition to spoil, plunder NASB Word Usage booty (1), completely despoiled
(1), despoiled (1), looted (3), pillage (1), plunder (11), plunder of those ...
/hebrew/962.htm - 6k

898. bagad -- to act or deal treacherously
... A primitive root; to cover (with a garment); figuratively, to act covertly; by
implication, to pillage -- deal deceitfully (treacherously, unfaithfully), offend ...
/hebrew/898.htm - 6k

Comenius and the Hidden Seed, 1627-1672.
... The whole land, said Comenius, was now in a state of disorder. The reign of justice
had ended. The reign of pillage had begun. The plot of the book is simple. ...
/.../hutton/history of the moravian church/chapter xvi comenius and the.htm

Affairs in the West
... Thorismund and Walamir in full armour by his side, burst at midnight through the
Salarian Gate of Rome, and delivered over the city to three days of pillage. ...
/.../chapter lxx affairs in the.htm

Index.
... pillaged by the Goths, 324; restored by Pope Vigilius, 325; unmentioned by later
Church annals, 327; discovered in 1578, 328; their wholesale pillage, 329; the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lanciani/pagan and christian rome/index 2.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
... Revolution in Elam"Attack on Indabigash"Tammaritu restored to power"Pillage and
destruction of Susa"Campaign against the Arabs of Kedar and the ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria.htm

Set at Liberty.
... off to the old, grim fortress, which, like one of those ruined castles on the Rhine,
had been for many years the scene of brigandage, pillage, and bloodshed. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/meyer/john the baptist/xiv set at liberty.htm

See Where we were when the Republic Arose: Happy was it that the ...
... The Revolution would have been a pillage, the Republic a scaffold, the dynasty of
the People a deluge of blood. But there was no such thing. God was there. ...
/.../lamartine/atheism among the people/xvi see where we were.htm

The Travelers
... The conservatives are either dead or fled; pillage and disorder are the main motives
of all that are left. And Titus advances with four legions. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the city of delight/chapter iv the travelers.htm

Epistle x. --Against Bishop Germanus.
... [857] For my part, as God knows, I took them at first to be robbers who had come
to plunder and pillage us; and remaining on the bedstead on which I was lying ...
/.../dionysius/the works of dionysius/epistle x against bishop germanus.htm

Storming the Battlements
... Could our eyes once behold the storming of a city, the sacking of a town, the pillage
of the soldiery, the barbarous deeds of fury, when the blood is up and ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/storming the battlements.htm

A Fit and Auspicious Day was Sought Out for the Accomplishment of ...
... The books of the Holy Scriptures were found, and they were committed to the flames;
the utensils and furniture of the church were abandoned to pillage: all was ...
/.../lactantius/of the manner in which the persecutors died/chap xii a fit and.htm

Pillage (5 Occurrences)
... 3. (vi) To strip of money or goods by open violence; to plunder; to spoil; to lay
waste; as, to pillage the camp of an enemy. ...Pillage (5 Occurrences). ...
/p/pillage.htm - 8k

Plunder (118 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To take the goods of by force, or without right; to pillage; to spoil;
to sack; to strip; to rob; as, to plunder travelers. ... See Pillage. ...
/p/plunder.htm - 37k

Pill
... bald. 4. (vt) To peel; to make by removing the skin. 5. (vt & i.) To rob;
to plunder; to pillage; to peel. See Peel, to plunder. ...
/p/pill.htm - 8k

Ransack (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (vt) To plunder; to pillage completely. 3. (vt) To violate; to ravish; to deflower. ...
5. (n.) The act of ransacking, or state of being ransacked; pillage. ...
/r/ransack.htm - 7k

Spoil (140 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To plunder; to strip by violence; to pillage; to rob; -- with of before
the name of the thing taken; as, to spoil one of his goods or possession. ...
/s/spoil.htm - 40k

Sack (15 Occurrences)
... 10. (n.) The pillage or plunder, as of a town or city; the storm and plunder
of a town; devastation; ravage. 11. (vt) To plunder ...
/s/sack.htm - 12k

Loot (15 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (v.) To plunder; to steal; to pillage. 2. (n.) Plunder;
booty; especially, the boot taken in a conquered or sacked city. ...
/l/loot.htm - 11k

Foray (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) A sudden or irregular incursion in border warfare; hence, any irregular
incursion for war or spoils; a raid. 2. (vt) To pillage; to ravage. Int. ...
/f/foray.htm - 7k

Rapine (5 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The act of plundering; the seizing and carrying
away by force; spoliation; pillage; plunder. 2. (n.) Ravishment; rape. ...
/r/rapine.htm - 8k

Rob (27 Occurrences)
... It is sometimes mixed with honey or sugar. 2. (vt) To take (something) away from
by force; to strip by stealing; to plunder; to pillage; to steal from. ...
/r/rob.htm - 15k

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