Leviticus 19:16

16 Thou shalt not be a slanderer, that is, a false accuser, neither a privy backbiter in the people (nor a backbiter in private among the people); thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy neighbour; I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19:16 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 19:16

Thou shall not go up and down [as] a talebearer among thy
people
The word used signifies a merchant, and particularly one that deals in drugs and spices, and especially a peddler in those things, that goes about from place to place to sell them; and such having an opportunity and making use of it to carry stories of others, and report them to their disadvantage, hence it came to be used for one that carries tales from house to house, in order to curry favour for himself, and to the injury of others; and such a man is a detestable person, and ought not to be encouraged, see ( 1 Timothy 5:13 ) ( Proverbs 11:13 ) ;

neither shall thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour;
either by bearing a false testimony, whereby his blood is in danger of being shed when innocent; or by being silent, and not hearing a testimony for him, whereby the shedding of his innocent blood might have been prevented; either way may be interpreted standing against it: the Jewish writers think, that a man by this law, is bound to do all he can to preserve the life of his neighbour, when it is by any means in danger, by drowning, or by thieves and wild beasts, so Jarchi:

I [am] the Lord;
the just and righteous One, who will resent and punish for all unjust proceedings in courts of judicature, secret tale bearing, doing any injury to another, or not preventing it when in the power of his hands.

Leviticus 19:16 In-Context

14 Thou shalt not curse a deaf man, neither thou shalt set an hurting before a blind man; but thou shalt dread thy Lord God, for I am the Lord. (Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor shalt thou put a cause of stumbling in front of the blind; but thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, for I am the Lord.)

15 Thou shalt not do that, that is wicked, neither thou shalt deem unjustly; behold thou not the person of a poor man, neither honour thou the face of a mighty man; deem thou justly to thy neighbour (simply judge thy neighbour justly).

16 Thou shalt not be a slanderer, that is, a false accuser, neither a privy backbiter in the people (nor a backbiter in private among the people); thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy neighbour; I am the Lord.

17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, but reprove thou him openly, lest thou have sin on him. (Thou shalt not hate thy brother in private, but rather, reprove thou him openly, lest thou sin because of him.)

18 Thou shalt not seek vengeance, neither thou shalt be mindful of the wrong of thy citizens (nor shalt thou remember the wrong-doings of thy fellow citizens); thou shalt love thy friend as thyself; I am the Lord.