Deuteronomy 25:1-3

The Voice

25 Moses: If two people have a dispute and bring it to court, the judges there will decide the case and declare which one is innocent and which one is guilty. ² If the judges decide the guilty party should be punished with a beating, the judge will make him lie down and be beaten in front of the judge with the number of strokes appropriate to the evil offense— ³ but it can never be more than 40. This limit is to prevent excessive beatings, which would be publicly degrading.