Deuteronomy 19:16 Komentář

The laws which Moses had hitherto been repeating and urging mostly concerned the acts of religion and devotion towards God; but here he comes more fully to press the duties of righteousness between man and man. This chapter relates, I. To the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill" (Deu 19:1-13). II. To the eighth commandment, "Thou shalt not steal" (Deu 19:14). III. To the ninth commandment, "Thou shalt not bear false witness," (Deu 19:15, etc.).

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 19 This chapter contains an order to separate three cities of refuge in the land of Canaan, for such that killed a man unawares to flee to, of which those who were guilty of murder purposely were to have no benefit, Deu 19:1, a law is given against removing landmarks, Deu 19:14, and others concerning witnesses, that they should be more than one; be two, or three, Deu 19:15, and that a false witness, on conviction, should be punished, Deu 19:16.

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 Deu 17:9 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 (a), an oath of witness is made by men, and not by women; on which it is observed (b) 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. (a) Misn. Shebuot, c. 4. sect. 1. (b) Bartenora in ib.

OF THE CITIES OF REFUGE. (Deu 19:1-13) Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land--Goelism, or the duty of the nearest kinsmen to avenge the death of a slaughtered relative, being the customary law of that age (as it still is among the Arabs and other people of the East), Moses incorporated it in an improved form with his legislative code. For the protection of the unintentional homicide, he provided certain cities of refuge--three had been destined for this purpose on the east of Jordan (Deu 4:41; Num 35:11); three were to be invested with the same privilege on the west of that river when Canaan should be conquered. in the midst of thy land--in such a position that they would be conspicuous and accessible, and equidistant from the extremities of the land and from each other.

PUNISHMENT OF A FALSE WITNESS. (Deu 19:16-21) But if convicted of perjury, it will be sufficient for his own condemnation, and his punishment shall be exactly the same as would have overtaken the object of his malignant prosecution. (See on Exo 21:23; see also Lev 24:20). Next: Deuteronomy Chapter 20