This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with [his] finger wrote on the ground, [as though he heard them not].
{G1161} This {G5124} they said {G3004}, tempting {G3985} him {G846}, that {G2443} they might have {G2192} to accuse {G2723} him {G846}. But {G1161} Jesus {G2424} stooped {G2955} down {G2736}, and with his finger {G1147} wrote {G1125} on {G1519} the ground {G1093}, as though he heard {G4364} them not {G3361}.
They said this to trap him, so that they might have ground for bringing charges against him; but Yeshua bent down and began writing in the dust with his finger.
They said this to test Him, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger.
And this they said, trying him, that they might have whereof to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground.
-
Jeremiah 17:13
O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, [and] they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters. -
Luke 10:25
¶ And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? -
Matthew 19:3
¶ The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? -
Ecclesiastes 3:7
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; -
Amos 5:10
They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. -
Psalms 38:12
¶ They also that seek after my life lay snares [for me]: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long. -
Psalms 38:14
Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth [are] no reproofs.
John 8:6 (KJV): "This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with [his] finger wrote on the ground, [as though he heard them not]."
Context
This verse is part of the famous account of the woman caught in adultery. Religious leaders (Scribes and Pharisees) brought the woman to Jesus in the temple courts, presenting him with a dilemma. According to the law of Moses (Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:22), the penalty for adultery was stoning. However, under Roman rule, Jewish authorities were restricted from carrying out capital punishment. If Jesus said to stone her, he could be accused of violating Roman law. If he said not to stone her, he could be accused of disregarding Mosaic law and undermining his own authority as a teacher who upheld the Scriptures. This verse explicitly states their motive: they were "tempting him, that they might have to accuse him."
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The Greek word translated "tempting" is peirazontes (πειράζοντες), which means to test, try, or tempt, often with a view to finding fault or proving guilty. This reinforces the adversarial nature of their question. The phrase "that they might have to accuse him" (κατηγορίαν σχῶσιν - katēgorian schōsin) points to their desire to find a legal basis for bringing charges against him.
Reflection
Jesus' response in John 8:6 is a powerful example of handling pressure and provocation with wisdom rather than immediate reaction. His stooping and writing could be seen as a moment of quiet reflection, a non-verbal deflection of their trap, or even a symbolic act (though the content of his writing is unknown). This action sets the stage for his brilliant response in the following verse (John 8:7), turning the tables on his accusers. It teaches us the value of pausing, not being drawn into others' traps, and responding with divine wisdom rather than human haste.