Topical Bible: Highways: Infested With: Robbers

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In biblical times, highways and roads were often fraught with danger, particularly due to the presence of robbers and bandits. The ancient Near East, with its rugged terrain and sparse policing, provided ample opportunity for such criminal activity. The Bible provides several references to the perilous nature of travel during this period, highlighting the constant threat posed by highwaymen.

One of the most well-known biblical accounts illustrating the dangers of travel is the Parable of the Good Samaritan, found in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus tells the account of a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho who "fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead" (Luke 10:30). This parable not only underscores the physical dangers of travel but also serves as a moral lesson on compassion and neighborly love.

The roads between major cities and regions were particularly notorious for such threats. The route from Jerusalem to Jericho, mentioned in the parable, was a steep and winding path through desert terrain, making it a prime location for ambushes. The isolation and lack of immediate help made travelers vulnerable to attacks.

In the Old Testament, the prophet Hosea references the prevalence of highway robbery as a symptom of societal decay. He laments, "As marauders lie in ambush for a man, so do bands of priests; they murder on the road to Shechem, committing shameful crimes" (Hosea 6:9). This passage not only highlights the physical threat of robbers but also serves as an indictment of the moral corruption among the people, including those in religious authority.

The Book of Judges also provides insight into the lawlessness of the period, describing a time when "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). This lack of centralized authority and justice contributed to the prevalence of banditry and violence on the highways.

Travelers often had to rely on caravans or travel in groups for protection against such threats. The presence of Roman soldiers and the establishment of the Pax Romana during the New Testament period eventually brought some measure of safety to the roads, but the threat of robbery never fully disappeared.

The constant danger of highway robbery in biblical times serves as a backdrop for many of the narratives and teachings found in Scripture. It reflects the broader themes of human sinfulness, the need for divine protection, and the call for righteous living in a fallen world.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 3:2
Lift up your eyes to the high places, and see where you have not been lien with. In the ways have you sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and you have polluted the land with your prostitutions and with your wickedness.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Luke 10:30-33
And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Off to vienna
... Great highways cut Europe from end to end; though there were tracts in Stanislaus'
country ... Sometimes they came to districts infested by robbers, and waited ...
/.../chapter iv off to vienna.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... do not exceed some thirty feet in height, while many of them may be regarded as
nothing more imposing than large bushes.* Muddy rivers, infested with crocodiles ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm