Deuteronomy 19:21 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 19:14-21

Here is a statute for the preventing of frauds and perjuries; for the divine law takes care of men's rights and properties, and has made a hedge about them. Such a friend is it to human society and men's civil interest. I. A law against frauds, Deut. 19:14. 1. Here is an implicit direction given to the first planters of Canaan to fix land-marks, according to the distribution of the land to the several tribes and families by lot. Note, It is the will of God that every one should know his own,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 19:21

And thine eye shall not pity ,.... The false witness when convicted; this is directed to the judges, who should not spare such an one through favour or affection, but pronounce a righteous sentence on him, and see it executed, in proportion to the crime, and that according to the law of retaliation: but life shall go for life ; in such a case where the life of a person must have gone, if the falsehood of the testimony had not been discovered, the false witness must suffer death; in other... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 19:21

Life - for life, eye for eye, etc. - The operation of such a law as this must have been very salutary: if a man prized his own members, he would naturally avoid injuring those of others. It is a pity that this law were not still in force: it would certainly prevent many of those savage acts which now both disgrace and injure society. I speak this in reference to law generally, and the provision that should be made to prevent and punish ferocious and malevolent offenses. A Christian may... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 19:14-21

The law of retaliation. When we consider "retaliation," we find that it is the converse of the "golden rule." In fact, it is giving back to a person his breach of that rule to see how he likes it. It is just a rough method of teaching rude, selfish souls that there is retribution in all selfish practices; the gun may be fired maliciously, but it sooner or later lays the sportsman in the dust. Now, it is morally right that those who do to others as they do not wish others to do to them... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 19:15-21

To secure against injury to life or property through inadequate or false attestation, it is enacted that more than one witness must appear before anything can be established; and that, should a witness be found on trial to have testified falsely against his neighbor, he was to be punished by having done to him what he thought to have done to his neighbor (cf. Deuteronomy 17:6 ; Numbers 35:30 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 19:15-21

Bulwark against perjury. "The tongue is an unruly member, and cannot easily be restrained." Private slander is base enough, but its basest utterance is when, in the sacred halls of justice, it swears away a man's reputation or his life. It is doubtful if a deed so black is done in hell. I. PERJURY IS SO COMMON AS TO NECESSITATE A PUBLIC STIGMA ON HUMANITY . "One witness shall not rise up against a man." If every man had been known as truthful, the testimony of one... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 19:16-21

False witness. God's brand is here placed upon the crime of false witness. It was to be severely punished. Every one is interested in the suppression of such a crime-the parties whose interests are involved, society at large, the Church, the magistracy, God himself, of one of whose commandments (the ninth) it is the daring violation. The rules here apply primarily to false witness given in courts of justice, but the principles involved may be extended to all forms of the sin. I. FALSE... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 19:14-21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 19:21

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 19:21

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 19:14-21

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 19:15-21

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 19:15-21

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 19:16-21

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 19:21

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Deuteronomy 19:19-21

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Deuteronomy 19:21

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