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 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). Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The act or practice of robbing; theft. 2. (n.) The crime of robbing. See Rob. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia ROBBER; ROBBERY rob'-er, rob'-er-i: "Robber" represents no particular Hebrew word in the Old Testament, but in the Apocrypha and the New Testament is always a translation of lestes (see THIEF). In the King James Version Job 5:5; Job 18:9, "robber" stands for the doubtful word tsammim, the Revised Version (British and American) "hungry" in J Obadiah 5:5 and "snare" in 18:9. The meaning is uncertain, and perhaps tseme'im, "thirsty," should be read in both places. Psalm 62:10, "Become not vain in robbery," means "put not your trust in riches dishonestly gained." RV's changes of the King James Version in Proverbs 21:7 Daniel 11:14 Nahum 3:1 are obvious. In Philippians 2:6 the King James Version reads "thought it not robbery to be equal with God." the English Revised Version has "a prize," while the English Revised Version margin and the American Standard Revised Version read "a thing to be grasped," the American Standard Revised Version rewording "counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped." The Greek here is harpagmos, a word derived from harpazo, "to ravish away," "carry off," "plunder" (compare "harpy"). Properly speaking, the termination -mos should give the derived noun an active sense, "the act of plundering," whence the King James Version's "robbery." The verse would then mean "who thought that being on an equality with God did not consist in grasping," and this translation gives good sense in the context and has some excellent scholarly support. But a passive significance is frequently found despite a -mos termination, giving to harpagmos the sense of "thing grasped," as in the Revised Version (British and American). Usually English commentators take "grasped" as meaning "clung to"-"did not think equality with God should be clung to tenaciously"-but "to cling to" seems unknown as a translation of harpazo. Hence, render "a thing to be grasped at"-did not seek equality with God by selfish methods but by humbling himself." It is to be noticed, naturally, that Paul is thinking of "equality with God" simply in the sense of "receiving explicit adoration from men" (Philippians 2:10, 11), and that the metaphysical relation of the Son to the Father is not at all in point. See also GRASP. Burton Scott Easton

Multi-Version Concordance Robbery (18 Occurrences) Matthew 23:25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness. (See NAS) Luke 11:39 The Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness. (See NAS) Philippians 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (KJV WBS YLT) Hebrews 10:34 for also with my bonds ye sympathised, and the robbery of your goods with joy ye did receive, knowing that ye have in yourselves a better substance in the heavens, and an enduring one. (YLT) Leviticus 6:2 "If anyone sins, and commits a trespass against Yahweh, and deals falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or has oppressed his neighbor, (WEB JPS ASV YLT NAS RSV) Leviticus 6:4 then it shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he has gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found, (WEB JPS ASV NAS RSV) Psalms 62:10 Don't trust in oppression. Don't become vain in robbery. If riches increase, don't set your heart on them. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) Proverbs 21:7 The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment. (KJV WBS) Isaiah 61:8 "For I, Yahweh, love justice, I hate robbery with iniquity; and I will give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV) Ezekiel 18:7 and has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment; (WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV) Ezekiel 18:12 has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination, (WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV) Ezekiel 18:16 neither has wronged any, has not taken anything to pledge, neither has taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment; (WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV) Ezekiel 18:18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he shall die in his iniquity. (See JPS DBY) Ezekiel 22:29 The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery; yes, they have troubled the poor and needy, and have oppressed the foreigner wrongfully. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV) Ezekiel 33:15 if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that which he had taken by robbery, walk in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. (WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV) Amos 3:10 For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces. (KJV JPS ASV WBS RSV) Nahum 3:1 Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies and robbery. The prey doesn't depart. (WEB KJV) Malachi 1:13 You say also,'Behold, what a weariness it is!' and you have sniffed at it," says Yahweh of Armies; "and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?" says Yahweh. (See NAS)