Deuteronomy 19:15-21

Witnesses in Court

15 "One witness cannot establish any wrongdoing or sin against a person, whatever that person has done.[a] A fact must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.[b]
16 "If a malicious witness[c] testifies against someone accusing him of a crime,
17 the two people in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and judges in authority at the time.
18 The judges are to make a careful investigation, and if the witness turns out to be a liar who has falsely accused his brother,
19 you must do to him as he intended to do to his brother. You must purge the evil from you.
20 Then everyone else will hear and be afraid, and they will never again do anything evil like this among you.
21 You must not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.[d]

Deuteronomy 19:15-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 19

This chapter contains an order to separate three cities of refuge in the land of Canaan, for such that killed a man unawares to flee to, of which those who were guilty of murder purposely were to have no benefit, De 19:1-13, a law is given against removing landmarks, De 19:14, and others concerning witnesses, that they should be more than one; be two, or three, De 19:15, and that a false witness, on conviction, should be punished, De 19:16-21.

Footnotes 4

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