Deuteronomy 19:17

17 then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days,

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 A single witness shall not suffice to convict a person of any crime or wrongdoing in connection with any offense that may be committed. Only on the evidence of two or three witnesses shall a charge be sustained.
16 If a malicious witness comes forward to accuse someone of wrongdoing,
17 then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days,
18 and the judges shall make a thorough inquiry. If the witness is a false witness, having testified falsely against another,
19 then you shall do to the false witness just as the false witness had meant to do to the other. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.