Deuteronomy 19:19

19 you must do to him as he intended to do to his brother. So you must purge the evil from among you. ^[a]

Deuteronomy 19:19 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 19:19

Then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to have done unto
his brother
Inflict the same fine or punishment on him he thought to have brought his brother under by his false testimony of him; whether any pecuniary fine, or whipping and scourging, or the loss of a member, or the value of it, or death itself; whether stoning, strangling, burning, or killing with the sword: though, in the case of accusing a priest's daughter of adultery, as Jarchi observes, such were not to be burnt, as would have been her case if proved, but strangled:

so shalt thou put the evil away from among you;
the evil man that bears a false testimony of his brother, or the guilt of sin which would be incurred by conniving at him.

Deuteronomy 19:19 In-Context

17 both parties to the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD, before the priests and judges who are in office at that time.

18 The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is proven to be a liar who has falsely accused his brother,

19 you must do to him as he intended to do to his brother. So you must purge the evil from among you.

20 Then the rest of the people will hear and be afraid, and they will never again do anything so evil among you.

21 You must show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.

Footnotes

• [a]. Cited in 1 Corinthians 5:13