Bible Dictionaries
Robbery

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Practised by the Ishmaelites (Genesis 16:12 ), the Chaldeans and Sabeans (Job 1:15,17 ), and the men of Shechem (Judges 9:25 . See also 1 Samuel 27:6-10; 30; Hosea 4:2; 6:9 ). Robbers infested Judea in our Lord's time (Luke 10:30; John 18:40; Acts 5:36,37; 21:38; 2 co 11:26 ). The words of the Authorized Version, "counted it not robbery to be equal," etc. (Philippians 2:6,7 ), are better rendered in the Revised Version, "counted it not a prize to be on an equality," etc., i.e., "did not look upon equality with God as a prize which must not slip from his grasp" = "did not cling with avidity to the prerogatives of his divine majesty; did not ambitiously display his equality with God."

"Robbers of churches" should be rendered, as in the Revised Version, "of temples." In the temple at Ephesus there was a great treasure-chamber, and as all that was laid up there was under the guardianship of the goddess Diana, to steal from such a place would be sacrilege (Acts 19:37 ).