Deuteronomy 19:18

18 Then judges shall make a thorough inquiry, and [if] it turns out that the witness is a false witness [and] he testified falsely against his brother,

Deuteronomy 19:18 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 19:18

And the judges shall make diligent inquisition
Into the case before them, into the nature of the evidence and proof that each witness brings for or against; so the Targum of Jonathan,

``the judges shall interrogate the witness, by whom these things are said, well;''

shall thoroughly examine the testimony given, and look carefully into it:

and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified
falsely against his brother;
it appears plainly by full evidence that he has testified a falsehood of him.

Deuteronomy 19:18 In-Context

16 If {a malicious witness} gets up {to accuse} anyone to testify against him falsely,

17 then the two men {to whom the legal dispute pertains} shall stand {before} Yahweh, {before} the priests and the judges who are [in office] in those days.

18 Then judges shall make a thorough inquiry, and [if] it turns out that the witness is a false witness [and] he testified falsely against his brother,

19 then you shall do to him as he meant to do to his brother, and so you shall purge the evil from your midst.

20 {And the rest} shall hear and shall fear, and {they shall not continue to do such a thing again} as this evil thing in your midst.

Footnotes

• [a] Or "in fact"