Deuteronomy 19:17

17 stabunt ambo quorum causa est ante Dominum in conspectu sacerdotum et iudicum qui fuerint in diebus illis

Deuteronomy 19:17 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 19:17

Then both the men between whom the controversy is
The man that bears the false witness, and the man against whom it is borne:

shall stand before the Lord;
as in the presence of him, the omniscient God, and as represented by judges and civil magistrates, whose vicegerents they are; so it seems to be explained in the next words, which are exegetical of these:

before the priests and the judges which shall be in those days;
which shall compose the sanhedrim, or court of judicature; and this seems to confirm it, that by priest and judge, in ( Deuteronomy 17:9 Deuteronomy 17:12 ) are meant priests and judges; Jarchi says, this Scripture speaks of witnesses, that is, of the false witness that testifies wrong against a man, and another that contradicts his testimony, and teaches that there is no witness by women; and so it is elsewhere said F1, an oath of witness is made by men, and not by women; on which it is observed F2 that a woman is not fit to bear witness, as it is written,

then both the men
men and not women; and the above writer remarks further, that it teaches that they ought to bear testimony standing.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 Misn. Shebuot, c. 4. sect. 1.
F2 Bartenora in ib.

Deuteronomy 19:17 In-Context

15 non stabit testis unus contra aliquem quicquid illud peccati et facinoris fuerit sed in ore duorum aut trium testium stabit omne verbum
16 si steterit testis mendax contra hominem accusans eum praevaricationis
17 stabunt ambo quorum causa est ante Dominum in conspectu sacerdotum et iudicum qui fuerint in diebus illis
18 cumque diligentissime perscrutantes invenerint falsum testem dixisse contra fratrem suum mendacium
19 reddent ei sicut fratri suo facere cogitavit et auferes malum de medio tui
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.