Deuteronomy 19:16 kjv
If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;
Deuteronomy 19:16 nkjv
If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing,
Deuteronomy 19:16 niv
If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime,
Deuteronomy 19:16 esv
If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing,
Deuteronomy 19:16 nlt
"If a malicious witness comes forward and accuses someone of a crime,
Deuteronomy 19 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 20:16 | “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” | The Ninth Commandment directly forbids false testimony. |
| Exo 23:1 | “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands...wicked witness.” | Prohibition of spreading lies and becoming a false witness. |
| Exo 23:7 | “Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous..." | Urges avoiding false accusations and protecting the innocent. |
| Lev 19:11 | "You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie..." | A broader command against various forms of dishonesty. |
| Lev 19:16 | "You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people..." | Warning against slander that endangers life or reputation. |
| Num 35:30 | "On the testimony of two witnesses or of three witnesses..." | Requires multiple witnesses for conviction, including murder cases. |
| Dt 5:20 | " ‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.’ " | Moses' reiteration of the Ninth Commandment. |
| Dt 17:6 | "On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses..." | Establishes the foundational rule for validating testimony in capital cases. |
| Dt 19:18-19 | "...inquire diligently; and behold, if the witness is a false witness... do to him..." | Prescribes the "measure for measure" penalty for the false witness. |
| 1 Ki 21:10,13 | "...set two worthless men before him...and they bore witness against him..." | Naboth's wrongful conviction and death through false testimony. |
| Psa 27:12 | "For false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence." | David's experience with malicious accusers. |
| Psa 35:11 | "Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know." | David's suffering from groundless accusations in a legal setting. |
| Prv 6:16-19 | "There are six things that the Lord hates...a lying tongue, a false witness..." | Lists false witness as an abomination to God, indicative of malice. |
| Prv 12:17 | "Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness practices deceit." | Contrasts integrity and deceit in testimony. |
| Prv 14:5 | "A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies." | Defines the nature of truthfulness versus falsehood in a witness. |
| Prv 19:5 | "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape." | Assures divine judgment for those who give false testimony. |
| Prv 21:28 | "A false witness will perish, but a truthful witness will endure." | States the ultimate destinies of honest and dishonest witnesses. |
| Prv 25:18 | "A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow." | Illustrates the severe, destructive harm caused by false testimony. |
| Zec 8:17 | "Do not plot evil against one another, and love no false oath..." | Calls for truthfulness and warns against malicious intent and perjury. |
| Mat 15:19 | "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery...false witness, slander." | Jesus teaches that false witness originates from a sinful heart. |
| Mat 26:59-60 | "Now the chief priests...were seeking false testimony against Jesus...many false witnesses came forward..." | Account of false witnesses being brought against Jesus at His trial. |
| Acts 6:13 | "and they set up false witnesses who said, 'This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place...'" | Stephen facing fabricated accusations, mirroring the experience of Christ. |
| Eph 4:25 | "Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth..." | A New Testament imperative for believers to practice honesty and truth. |
| Rev 21:8 | "But as for...all liars, their portion will be in the lake..." | The eternal judgment decreed for those who practice lying and falsehood. |
Deuteronomy 19 verses
Deuteronomy 19 16 Meaning
Deuteronomy 19:16 describes the serious legal scenario of a malicious witness who fabricates a testimony to accuse someone falsely of wrongdoing. This verse establishes the context for the subsequent legal procedure and penalties outlined in the Law, ensuring justice by identifying and punishing those who attempt to subvert it through deceit and malevolence. It addresses the significant danger of perjury within the Israelite judicial system.
Deuteronomy 19 16 Context
Deuteronomy chapter 19 outlines specific laws concerning justice and the legal process within ancient Israel. It discusses the establishment of cities of refuge (Dt 19:1-13) for unintentional homicide and then transitions into judicial requirements regarding witnesses (Dt 19:15-21). Verse 16 specifically introduces the crime of perjury, where a witness presents a false, malicious accusation. This law follows the fundamental principle of requiring two or three witnesses for a conviction (Dt 19:15), recognizing that despite this safeguard, the possibility of a fabricated accusation by a malicious witness still existed. Historically, a just legal system was vital for Israel’s societal order and its covenant relationship with God. The laws here aim to prevent corruption and maintain truth within the courts, directly counteracting the common ancient Near Eastern practices of widespread bribery and witness tampering, which often led to injustice.
Deuteronomy 19 16 Word analysis
- If: (Hebrew: ’im, אִם) A conditional particle, introducing a hypothetical yet possible scenario, indicating that the following situation is something to be guarded against and legally addressed.
- a malicious witness: (Hebrew: ‘ed chāmāṣ, עֵד חָמָס) This is a critical phrase.
- ‘ed (עֵד): Means "witness." Refers to someone who testifies or bears record.
- chāmāṣ (חָמָס): This noun is strong and significant, meaning "violence," "wrong," "injustice," "malice," or "cruelty." It implies active, often physical or legal, wrongdoing and predatory intent. The phrase signifies a witness driven by intent to harm, perpetrate injustice, or commit violence through their testimony, not merely mistaken testimony.
- rises up: (Hebrew: yāqûm, יָקוּם) From the verb qûm (קוּם), meaning "to rise," "to stand up," "to establish." In this context, it depicts the action of coming forward in a legal setting, publicly taking a stand to offer testimony. It conveys a deliberate act, emphasizing the intentionality of the false accuser.
- against a person: (Hebrew: b’îš, בְאִישׁ) Literally "against a man" or "against a specific individual." It indicates the target of the false accusation is a particular member of the community.
- to accuse him of wrongdoing: (Hebrew: lā‘ănôt bô sārâ, לַעֲנוֹת בּוֹ סָרָה) This phrase details the nature of the false accusation.
- lā‘ănôt (לַעֲנוֹת): Infinitive of ‘ānâ (עָנָה), which means "to answer," "to testify," "to bear witness," but can also mean "to humble" or "to afflict." Here it implies to respond to a legal inquiry with testimony against someone.
- bô (בּוֹ): "in him," "against him."
- sārâ (סָרָה): Means "apostasy," "rebellion," "turning aside," "perversity," or "wrongdoing." It is a strong term for something contrary to right conduct, divine law, or proper order. It suggests the accusation is not trivial, but concerns a significant offense or deviation from moral or legal norms.
- malicious witness rises up: The combination of "malicious witness" and "rises up" strongly emphasizes premeditated and deliberate intent. This is not an accidental misstatement but a conscious act of harm, illustrating the specific type of threat the law addresses: perjury driven by wickedness.
- accuse him of wrongdoing: The phrase highlights that the false witness isn't just lying, but lying about something substantial – a "wrongdoing" or "perversity" (sārâ) which likely carried serious legal or social consequences, making the false accusation highly damaging.
Deuteronomy 19 16 Bonus section
The legal concept of "lex talionis" (retribution in kind) is uniquely applied to the false witness in Deuteronomy 19:19, highlighting the severe abhorrence for perjury in Israelite law. While commonly associated with "an eye for an eye," its application here shows it extended beyond crimes of violence to ensure proportionate justice in cases of judicial fraud. This was a radical step towards preventing abuses of the judicial system prevalent in the ancient world. The very act of bearing false witness could endanger a life, thus the law appropriately sought to turn that danger back upon the false accuser.
Deuteronomy 19 16 Commentary
Deuteronomy 19:16 lays the groundwork for Israel's legal response to perjury, a sin that undermines the very fabric of justice and communal trust. It specifically targets the "malicious witness"—one whose testimony is not simply mistaken, but deliberately false and driven by an intent to cause harm (chāmāṣ). This malicious intent is key, elevating the crime beyond simple error. The consequence for such an act, as elaborated in subsequent verses (Dt 19:19), is a measure-for-measure penalty: the false witness suffers the same punishment that would have been inflicted upon the innocent party. This severe penalty served as a strong deterrent against dishonesty in court, aiming to safeguard the lives and reputations of individuals and to preserve the integrity of God’s covenantal community by upholding truth in legal proceedings. This reflects God's character as a God of truth and justice, who will not allow His name or His people to be associated with injustice and deceit.