th
cursed without the camp." Then one official stands at the door of the
court of justice with a flag in his hand, and another is stationed on
horseback at such a distance as to be able to see the former. If,
meanwhile, one comes and declares before the court, "I have something
further to urge in defense of the prisoner," the man at the door waves
his flag, and the mounted official rides forward and stops the
procession. Even if the criminal himself says, "I have yet something to
plead in my defense," he is to be brought back, even four or five times
over, provided there is something of importance in his deposition. If
the evidence is exculpatory, he is discharged; if not, he is led out to
be stoned. As he proceeds to the place of execution, a public crier goes
before him and proclaims, "So-and-so, the son of So-and-so, goes out to
be stoned because he has committed such-and-such a crime, and So-and-so
and So-and-so are the witnesses. Let him who knows of anything that
pleads in his defense come forward and state it." When about ten yards
from the stoning-place, the condemned is called upon to confess his
guilt. (All about to be executed were urged to confess, as by making
confession every criminal made good a portion in the world to come; for
so we find it in the case of Achan, when Joshua said unto him (Josh.
vii. 19), "My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel,
and make confession unto him," etc. "And Achan answered Joshua and said,
Indeed I have sinned." But where are we taught that his confession was
his atonement? Where it is said (Ibid., v. 25), "And Joshua said, Why
hast thou troubled us? The Lord shall trouble thee this day;" as if to
say, "This day thou shalt be troubled, but in the world to come thou
shalt not be troubled.") About four yards from the stoning-place they
stripped off the criminal's clothes, covering a male in front, but a
female both before and behind. These are the words of Rabbi Yehudah; but
the sages say a man was stoned naked, but not a female.

The stoning-place was twice the height of a man, and this the criminal
ascended. One of the witnesses then pushed him from behind, and he
tumbled down upon his chest. He was then turned over upon his back: if
he was killed, the execution was complete; but if not quite dead, the
second witness took a heavy stone and cast it upon his chest; and if
this did not prove effectual, then the stoning was completed by all
present joining in t