Deuteronomy 19:15

15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, and for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.

Deuteronomy 19:15 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 19:15

One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity,
or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth
Whether capital sins, or pecuniary debts; or whatsoever sins a man may be guilty of whether sins against the first or second table of the law, whether greater or lesser sins, whether in moral or civil things; the Jews except only in the case of a woman suspected of adultery and of beheading the heifer:

at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses,
shall the matter be established;
either for acquittance or condemnation; and the witnesses may not, as Jarchi says, write their testimony in a letter, and send it to the sanhedrim, nor may an interpreter stand between the witnesses and the judges; (See Gill on Deuteronomy 17:6).

Deuteronomy 19:15 In-Context

13 Thine eye shall not spare him; and thou shalt put away innocent blood from Israel, that it may be well with thee.
14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark, which they of old time have fixed in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess.
15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, and for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.
16 If an unrighteous witness rise up against any man to testify against him of an offence;
17 then both the men between whom the controversy is shall stand before Jehovah, before the priests and the judges that shall be in those days;

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or 'in any sin that is committed.'
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.