[sphinx]

My point is, does anyone find it odd that the Old Testament prophets would write about this form of punishment when, in fact, in their world stoning was the typical means of capital punishment?

I don't know if crucifixion was common in the ancient middle east, though my guess is that the Greeks and Romans probably copied it from someone else. The ancients were pretty creative in their modes of execution. I'm not inclined to put much weight to put on the Old Testament references to crucifixion. The prophets might have written that Jesus would be stoned. Or beheaded. Or burned. Or struck by lightning. Or whatever. The important thing is not the particular mode of death; the important thing is that the prophets called it ahead of time.

[LS]

“Cursed is he who hangs on a tree” was pretty specific.