King James Bible Dictionary

ROB'BER, noun

1. In law, one that takes goods or money from the person of another by force or menaces, and with a felonious intent.

2. In a looser sense, one who takes that to which he has no right; one who steals, plunders or strips by violence and wrong.

General references
Proverbs 1:11-16

Dens of
Jeremiah 7:11

Bands of
Hosea 6:9; Hosea 7:1
Robbery; Theft

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 Corinthians 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).

Forbidden
Leviticus 19:13; Isaiah 61:8

Punished with death
Ezekiel 18:10; Ezekiel 18:13

Forgiven
Ezekiel 33:15

Instances of
Judges 9:25; Luke 10:30
Robbers; Theft

Robbery has ever been one of the principal employments of the nomad tribes of the East. From the time of Ishm'l to the present day the Bedouin has been a "wild man," and a robber by trade. (Genesis 16:12) The Mosaic law on the subject of theft is contained in (Exodus 2:2) There seems no reason to suppose that the law underwent any alteration in Solomon's time. Man-stealing was punishable with death. (Exodus 21:16; 24:7) Invasion of right in land was strictly forbidden. (27:17; Isaiah 5:8; Micah 2:2)

ROB'BERY, noun

1. In law, the forcible and felonious taking from the person of another any money or goods, putting him in fear, that is, by violence or by menaces of death or personal injury. robbery differs from theft, as it is a violent felonious taking from the person or presence of another; whereas theft is a felonious taking of goods privately from the person, dwelling, etc. of another. These words should not be confounded.

2. A plundering; a pillaging; a taking away by violence, wrong or oppression.