30 Traumatic Events in the Bible
Trauma is defined as "any disturbing experience that results in significant fear, helplessness, dissociation, confusion, or other disruptive feelings intense enough to have a long-lasting negative effect on a person’s attitudes, behavior, and other aspects of functioning." These experiences can be first-hand or second-hand experiences. As a historical record, the Bible records real, raw human experiences. It doesn't use the modern term "trauma," but we can read about seemingly countless traumatic events the people in Scripture endured. There are many more than the ones listed, but these thirty are a good place to start when trying to visualize the experience of what trauma looked like in the Bible.
Lot was captured by armies when they raid his home and took his possessions (Gen.14)
Israel was attacked by the Amalekites and forced to fight for their lives (Ex.17:8-15).
Israel attacked the Midianites and took the women, children, all the herds and flocks as plunder and burned all their towns and camps (Num.31:1-18).
Israel destroyed the inhabitants of Canaan (Joshua).
All Israel stoned their brother Achan (Joshua 7).
Civil war between Israel and the tribe of Benjamin killed 25,000 Benjamites (Judge 20). 2 Sam.2-4; 13-18; 2 Chr.13).
Israel is ensalved by Pharoah (Ex.1:8-11)
The Exodus from Egypt meant the destruction of Egypt, the impending death of Israel, and the drowning of Egyptian soldiers (Ex.4-14)
Famine (2 Sam.21:1; 1 Ki.18:2; 2 Ki.4:38; 2Ki.6:25)
The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple (2 KI.25)
Pharaoh slaughtered Israelite baby boys (Ex.1:22).
Herod slaughtered boys two years old and under by Herod (Matt 2:16-18).
Elijah led the mass murder of 400 prophets of Baal (1Ki. 18).
Abimelech murders his 70 brothers "on one stone" (Judges 9).
Levites killed 3,000 of their brothers, friends, and neighbors with the sword (Ex.32:25-29).
Joseph was captured by his brothers and sold (Gen.37:12-36).
Jospeh was wrongly accused and imprisoned (Gen. 38).
Jacob's only daughter Dinah was raped (Gen.34:2)
Daivd's daughter Tamar was raped by her step-brother (2 Sam 13).
A Levite’s Concubine was murdered by gang-rape (Judges 19-21).
Job endured the loss of his sons, daughters, property, and physical health (Job).
David slept with Bathsheba and then murdered her husband (2 Sam.11).
John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded (Matt.14:1-10).
Jesus was mocked, flogged, and crucified (Matt. 27:27-56).
Peter, Paul, and Silas was imprisoned (among others) (Acts 12:5-17; 16:14-40).
The Church endured widespread persecution (Acts 8:1-3).
Paul was stoned, flogged, endured sleepless nights, and hunger (2 Cor. 11:23-27).
King Saul slaughtered 70 priests, their families, and town (1 Sam.22).
Absalom raped 10 of his father David's concubines (1 Sam. 16:20-23)
