Bible

The Bible has served as the moral foundation of many societies, and it contains several references regarding the moral aspects of deception. The book provides laws, parables, and principles about deception that have served as a guideline for generations. The complex legal code developed within the Bible returns to this prohibition time and again. The Bible also features stories of deception, evasion, manipulation, and self-deception, all of which conclude with lessons that these actions are discouraged because of their consequences. The books of Psalms and Proverbs feature several verses regarding the offense of lying and how people should strive to avoid it. For thousands of years, the Bible's moral tradition has instilled in its readers the attitude that deception is wrong.

The Hebrew Bible has served as the foundation for the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Academic sources indicate that it was written between 1200 and 100 b.c.e., with the latter texts progressively added until it was developed into a full canon. Based on the discovery of several ancient versions of the text, including the recent uncovering of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Bible is said to have reached its current edition around the 2nd century c.e. It is almost completely written in Hebrew, aside from several passages in Aramaic, which is the language that the Jews adopted once Hebrew became phased out as their colloquial language through the Diaspora.

Because the Bible has influenced many different societies, its impact on beliefs about deception is massive. The canon contains the stories of Creation, the Patriarchs, and Moses; the giving of the Torah, the religious and legal code that the Israelites were told to follow; a historical look at the Hebrew nation as it conquered and settled Israel and developed its religious framework; and poetic and theological texts. Together, these scriptures have influenced the followers of these religions in several aspects because of the diversity of their text. Literature, law, cultic practices, and history can all be derived from the writings within the Bible. Because of the canon's multi-faceted nature, its outlook toward deception has pervaded the attitudes of its followers since it was written. Traditional Jewish methods of biblical analysis set the precedent for future religious interpretation, particularly in how moral lessons are derived from the law, principles, and parables.