Deuteronomy 19:14-21 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

Deuteronomy 19:14 to Deuteronomy 25:19. Consists of miscellaneous laws having no apparent connexion with D's great law of the centralisation of worship. They deal with crime, war, marriage, family relations, and other matters. This part of Dt. is perhaps made up of additions appended from time to time to the original code, and for that reason has double versions of the same laws (cf. Deuteronomy 20:7 and Deuteronomy 24:5) and double references to the same thing (cf. Deuteronomy 20:1-20 and Deuteronomy 21:10-14; Deuteronomy 23:9-14). Cf. the miscellaneous character of the books in the third canon of the OT (the Kethubim or Hagiographa, p. 38).

Deuteronomy 19:14. In the East plots of ground belonging to different owners were conterminous, not separated by hedges (as in Great Britain) or canals (as in Holland), and were frequent subjects of dispute. See Hosea 5:10. Cf. the Roman god Terminus and the sacred character of boundary stones among the Babylonians and other ancient peoples (Clay Trumbull, The Threshold Covenant, pp. 166f.).

Deuteronomy 19:15-21. See Deuteronomy 17:6.

Deuteronomy 19:16. an unrighteous Witness: Heb. a witness intending violence.

Deuteronomy 19:17. before the Lord (Yahweh): i.e. at the central tribunal (Deuteronomy 17:9, cf. Deuteronomy 12:7).

Deuteronomy 19:21. Lex talionis: see Exodus 21:24 * (JE), cf. Leviticus 24:18; Leviticus 24:20 (H), CH, §§ 192, 195, 218, 232- 235; Quran, 2:273ff., cf. Matthew 5:38.

Related Commentaries of Deuteronomy 19:14

Deuteronomy 19:14-21

14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.

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 the matter be established.

16 If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;

17 Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;

18 And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;

19 Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.

20 And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.

21 And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.