Deuteronomy 19:15-21

(3) CONCERNING WITNESSES AND JUDGMENT (Deuteronomy 19:15-21)

15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or 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 wrong-doing, 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; 18 and the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and have testified falsely against his brother; 19 then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to do unto his brother; so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee. 20 And those that remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil in the midst of thee, 21 And thine eye shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 19:15-21

325.

Here is a safeguard against libel.

326.

Read: Matthew 18:15-17; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19 for the New Testament application of this principle.

327.

Once again: responsibility is the key word here. Specify the areas of responsibility.

328.

A witness against a man put himself on trial and opened the possibility of his own punishment. He knew what possible punishment was in store; how?

329.

The law as here stated was for prevention of crime. There was no revenge, spite, or hate involved, i.e. from the viewpoint of the innocent. Show how this was true.

AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 19:15-21

15 One witness shall not prevail against a man for any crime or any wrong in connection with any sin he commits; only on the testimony of two or three witnesses shall a charge be established.
16 If a false witness rise up against any man to accuse him of wrongdoing.
17 Then both parties to the controversy shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days;
18 The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely,
19 Then you shall do to him as he had intended to do to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you.
20 And those who remain shall hear, and (reverently) fear, and shall henceforth commit no such evil among you.
21 Your eye shall not pity; it shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

COMMENT 19:15-21

Deuteronomy 17:2-13 should also be carefully reviewed and compared here, as well as Deuteronomy 13:6-11. See lesson ten. But the present scripture covers any iniquity. any sin (Deuteronomy 19:15).

TWO WITNESSES. OR THREE (Deuteronomy 19:15)As also specified in Deuteronomy 17:6 in the case of an idolater, in Numbers 35:30 in the case of murder, and in Matthew 18:15-17, 2 Corinthians 13:1, 1 Timothy 5:19, in the church. This is a divine safeguard against the individual throwing around idle or speculative accusations. And as we have already seen in the cases of the murderer and idolater, unless the prosecutor is willing to abide by the divine formula for justice, he should not be bringing accusations. If he is unable to back up his claim with evidence and witnesses, and pursue the matter to the casting of the first stone, let him forever hold his peace.

IF AN UNRIGHTEOUS WITNESS RISE UP (Deuteronomy 19:16)A witness had to have a reputation for fairness and honesty. Thou shalt not take up a false report: put not thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness (Exodus 23:1). David could say,

Unrighteous witness rise up
They ask me of things that I know not.

Psalms 35:11

And again,

Deliver me not over unto the will

of mine adversaries:

For false witnesses are risen up

against me,

And such as breathe out cruelty.

Psalms 27:12

Naboth could have testified in a similar vein (1 Kings 21:8-10).

In such a case, the punishment of the false witness was to be the same as that intended for his fellow-Israelite (Deuteronomy 19:19). Another safeguard against petty, trivial or indefinite accusations! And those that remain shall hear and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil. (Deuteronomy 19:20).

AND THINE EYE SHALL NOT PITY; LIFE SHALL GO FOR LIFE, EYE FOR EYE, TOOTH FOR TOOTH, HAND FOR HAND, FOOT FOR FOOT (Deuteronomy 19:21)See also Exodus 21:22-25, Leviticus 24:17-21, In the present case, the meaning seems to be that whatever punishment the false accuser had intended for his brother, it should be given to him. This would stop gossip, careless accusations, and especially lying, If he had intended to put his brother's eye out (by pinning certain charges against him) his eye was to be put out, probably by the accused. This would be determined by the judges and priests. Israel was not to get sentimental or soft-hearted in the matterthine eye shall not pity. (What should, for example, have been done to Jezebel and Ahab, in the case cited above?)

As a general rule, this law stands as a law of prevention all the way through. Note the other passages. It was not a law intended to get even, or justify retaliation. It was a civil code, and was to govern the decision of the judges in court. But the Jews perverted this original purpose, and extended this law to their own private conductwarping and twisting its meaning, for purposes of revenge (Matthew 5:38-42). (You hit me, you touch me, and I-'ll gouge your eyes out!) Jesus not only rebukes this concept, but goes beyond the old law entirely, teaching a basic doctrine of physical nonresistance.

As the law was originally given, it did not allow for a spirit of spite, revenge, or hate. It was simply an edict to be carried out, once justice had been determined.