Deuteronomy 17:6

6 He shall die on the testimony of two or three witnesses; a man who is put to death shall not be put to death for one witness.

Deuteronomy 17:6 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 17:6

At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he
that is worthy of death be put to death
The idolater found guilty was to be stoned; two witnesses were sufficient to prove a fact, if three the better, but, on the testimony of one, sentence might not be pronounced. Aben Ezra observes, that some say, if two witnesses contradict two other, a third turns the scale and determines the matter; and others say, that two who are wise men will do, and three of others; and because it is said "at the mouth" of these witnesses, it is concluded, that a testimony should be verbal and not written; should not be recorded, neither in pecuniary cases nor in capital ones, but from the mouth of the witnesses, as it is said "at the mouth" at their mouth, and not from their handwriting ^F5:

[but] at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death;
so careful is the Lord of the lives of men, that none should be taken away but upon full and sufficient evidence, even in cases in which his own glory and honour is so much concerned.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Maimon. Hilchot Eduth, c. 3. sect. 4.

Deuteronomy 17:6 In-Context

4 and it be told thee, and thou shalt have enquired diligently, and, behold, the thing really took place, this abomination has been done in Israel;

5 then shalt thou bring out that man, or that woman, and ye shall stone them with stones, and they shall die.

6 He shall die on the testimony of two or three witnesses; a man who is put to death shall not be put to death for one witness.

7 And the hand of the witnesses shall be upon him among the first to put him to death, and the hand of the people at the last; so shalt thou remove the evil one from among yourselves.

8 And if a matter shall be too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, and between cause and cause, and between stroke and stroke, and between contradiction and contradiction, matters of judgment in your cities;

Footnotes

• [a]. dies shall not die.