Witnesses and Penalties
Deuteronomy 19:15-21
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Deu.19.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- לא: PART_NEG
- יקום: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- עד: PREP
- אחד: NUM,card,m,sg
- באיש: PREP+NOUN,m,sg
- לכל: PREP
- עון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ולכל: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- חטאת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בכל: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- חטא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אשר: PRON,rel
- יחטא: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- על: PREP
- פי: NOUN,m,sg,construct
- שני: NUM,m,pl,construct
- עדים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- או: CONJ
- על: PREP
- פי: NOUN,m,sg,construct
- שלשה: NUM,m
- עדים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- יקום: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- דבר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Deut.17.6 (verbal): Repeats the legal principle that conviction or capital judgment requires the testimony of two or three witnesses (very similar wording and legal context).
- Num.35.30 (verbal): States the same rule for homicide trials: no one may be put to death on the testimony of a single witness, echoing the requirement for two or three witnesses.
- Matt.18.16 (quotation): Jesus (or the Matthean editor) cites the formula 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established' when giving instructions for church discipline, directly drawing on Deut.19:15.
- John 8:17 (allusion): Jesus appeals to 'what is written in your law' that the testimony of two is true, implicitly invoking the Deuteronomic rule about multiple witnesses.
- 2 Cor.13:1 (quotation): Paul explicitly quotes the maxim 'in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established' to support his pastoral warning, echoing the Deuteronomic juridical principle.
Alternative generated candidates
- No single witness shall stand against a person concerning any charge of wrongdoing or of sin; on the testimony of two witnesses or of three witnesses the matter shall be established.
- A single witness shall not stand against anyone concerning any offense or any sin; on the testimony of two or three witnesses shall a charge be established.
Deu.19.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- יקום: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- עד: PREP
- חמס: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- באיש: PREP+NOUN,m,sg
- לענות: VERB,qal,inf
- בו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- סרה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Exodus 23:1 (verbal): Explicit prohibition against raising a false report or joining with the wicked as an unrighteous witness — close legal/ethical parallel to a malicious witness rising up.
- Deuteronomy 19:15 (structural): Immediate legal context: the rule that a matter is established by two or three witnesses — sets the procedural background for handling an accusing (possibly false) witness.
- Psalm 35:11 (verbal): David complains that false witnesses rose up and laid to his charge things he knew not — uses the same motif/phrase of false witnesses 'rising up' against a person.
- Proverbs 19:5 (thematic): Declares that a false witness will not go unpunished, reflecting the law's concern to punish malicious or false testimony.
- Matthew 26:59–61 (thematic): The chief priests sought false witnesses to accuse Jesus at his trial — New Testament example of malicious witnesses used to bring wrongful accusation and condemnation.
Alternative generated candidates
- For a malicious witness may arise to accuse a man and charge him with wrongdoing.
- If a malicious witness rises up against a person to accuse him of wrongdoing,
Deu.19.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ועמדו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- שני: NUM,m,pl,construct
- האנשים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- להם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- הריב: NOUN,m,sg,def
- לפני: PREP
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- לפני: PREP
- הכהנים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- והשפטים: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- יהיו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- בימים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ההם: PRON,dem,m,pl
Parallels
- Deut.19.15 (verbal): Establishes the core legal principle invoked here — a case must be established by two or three witnesses; Deut.19:17 applies that principle by bringing the two disputants and witnesses before officials.
- Deut.17:8-9 (thematic): Prescribes bringing difficult legal cases before the Levitical priests or the judge at the central sanctuary — parallels the procedural requirement in 19:17 to appear before priests and judges.
- Numbers 35:30-31 (thematic): Addresses judicial procedure and the necessity of witness testimony in capital cases, reflecting the broader legal context in which disputants and witnesses stand before judges.
- Matt.18:16 (quotation): Jesus cites the ‘two or three witnesses’ principle (cf. Deut.19:15) for resolving disputes in the Christian community; echoes the requirement that allegations be confirmed by multiple witnesses before judgment.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then the two men who have the dispute shall stand before the LORD—before the priests and the judges who are in office at that time.
- then the two men between whom the dispute is shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who shall be in office at that time.
Deu.19.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ודרשו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- השפטים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- היטב: ADV
- והנה: ADV
- עד: PREP
- שקר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- העד: NOUN,m,sg,def
- שקר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ענה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- באחיו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,poss:3ms
Parallels
- Deut.19.15 (structural): Immediate legal context: establishes the rule that verdicts require two or three witnesses, framing the inquiry into a false witness.
- Deut.17.6 (structural): Repeats the judicial principle that conviction requires multiple witnesses, showing the consistent legal procedure for handling testimony in Israelite law.
- Exod.23.1 (verbal): Prohibits bearing false witness/raising a false report; shares the same concern with false testimony and culturing truthful testimony before judges.
- Lev.19.16 (thematic): Forbids talebearing and harming a neighbor by speech; thematically related to the moral prohibition against giving false testimony that harms others.
- Prov.19.5 (thematic): Wisdom saying that a false witness will not go unpunished; echoes the punitive expectation toward false witnesses found in Deut.19:18–21.
Alternative generated candidates
- The judges shall make thorough inquiry, and if—behold—the witness is a false witness and has testified falsely against his brother,
- The judges shall make a thorough inquiry; and if the witness is a false witness, having testified falsely against his brother,
Deu.19.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ועשיתם: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
- לו: PRON,3,m,sg
- כאשר: CONJ
- זמם: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לעשות: VERB,qal,inf
- לאחיו: PREP
- ובערת: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- הרע: ADJ,m,sg,def
- מקרבך: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+2ms
Parallels
- Deut.19.18 (structural): Immediate context — the judges are to investigate the witnesses and determine whether a witness is false; provides the procedural framework that leads to the sanction described in 19:19.
- Deut.13.5 (verbal): Uses the same language and legal idea of removing communal evil (phrases like “purge/put away the evil from among you”), linking the punishment of harmful actors to communal cleansing.
- Exod.23.1 (thematic): Prohibits spreading a false report and false testimony; thematically parallels Deut.19.19’s concern with false witnesses and protecting the community from their harm.
- Prov.19.5 (thematic): Wisdom tradition stating that a false witness will not go unpunished — a moral/theological parallel to the legal prescription that false witnesses be punished as they intended for their neighbor.
Alternative generated candidates
- you shall do to him as he intended to do to his brother; you shall purge the evil from among you.
- you shall do to him as he intended to do to his brother; you shall purge the evil from your midst.
Deu.19.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- והנשארים: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,def
- ישמעו: VERB,qal,imf,3,mp
- ויראו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- ולא: CONJ
- יספו: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,pl
- לעשות: VERB,qal,inf
- עוד: ADV
- כדבר: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הרע: ADJ,m,sg,def
- הזה: DEM,m,sg
- בקרבך: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs,prs:2ms
Parallels
- Deut.13.11 (verbal): Nearly identical wording and legal formula — public punishment so that 'all Israel shall hear, and fear, and do no more any such wickedness.'
- Deut.17.13 (verbal): Same judicial formula applied to a capital sentence: the nation hears, is made to fear, and refrains from repeating the offense.
- Joshua 7:25 (thematic): Achan's public stoning for covenant violation purges evil from the camp; like Deut 19:20 it uses a public sanction to deter further wrongdoing.
- Acts 5:11 (thematic): After Ananias and Sapphira's sudden deaths, 'great fear' fell on all who heard — an NT instance where punitive judgement produces communal fear and caution.
Alternative generated candidates
- The rest shall hear and be afraid, and they shall no longer commit such an evil thing among you.
- The rest shall hear and be afraid, and they shall not again do any such wickedness among you.
Deu.19.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ולא: CONJ
- תחוס: VERB,qal,impf,2,ms
- עינך: NOUN,f,pl,abs+2ms
- נפש: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בנפש: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- עין: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- בעין: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- שן: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בשן: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- יד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ביד: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- רגל: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ברגל: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Exodus 21:23-25 (verbal): Direct repetition of the lex talionis language—'life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot' governing compensation for injury.
- Leviticus 24:19-20 (verbal): Applies the same principle of exact retribution for bodily harm—'fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth' in the cultic-legal context.
- Genesis 9:6 (thematic): Articulates a related principle of equivalent punishment for homicide—'whoever sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed'—reflecting the same concern for proportional justice.
- Matthew 5:38-39 (quotation): Jesus cites the received maxim 'eye for eye' ('You have heard that it was said...') and then reinterprets it, instructing non-retaliation—engages directly with Deut.'s rule.
- Romans 12:17-19 (thematic): Paul urges believers not to repay evil and to leave vengeance to God, implicitly confronting the lex talionis by promoting non-retaliation and divine vindication.
Alternative generated candidates
- Do not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
- Do not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
A single witness shall not stand up against a person for any charge of wrongdoing or any sin that he commits; by the testimony of two or three witnesses a matter shall be established.
For a malicious witness may arise and accuse a man falsely.
Then the two men who have the dispute shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who are in office at that time.
The judges shall make thorough inquiry; if the witness is a false witness and has testified falsely against his brother,
you shall do to him as he intended to do to his brother; you shall purge the evil from your midst.
When the rest hear and are afraid, they shall never again commit such an evil thing among you.
You shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.