Deuteronomy 19:16-21

16 If ¹a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing,

17 then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the LORD, ²before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days.

18 The judges shall ³inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely,

19 ⁴then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil^[a] from your midst.

20 And the rest ⁵shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you.

21 ⁶Your eye shall not pity. ⁷It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Deuteronomy 19:16-21 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.

Cross References

• 1. [Exodus 23:1; Psalms 35:11]
• 2. Deuteronomy 17:8, 9; [Deuteronomy 21:5]
• 3. Deuteronomy 13:14; Deuteronomy 17:4
• 4. Proverbs 19:5, 9; [Daniel 6:24]
• 5. See Deuteronomy 13:11
• 6. [See ver. 13 above]
• 7. See Exodus 21:23, 24

Footnotes

• [a]. Or evil person