English Standard Version
Deuteronomy 19:18
18The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely,
Deuteronomy 19:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;
- New International Version (NIV)The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite,
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother,
- New Living Translation (NLT)The judges must investigate the case thoroughly. If the accuser has brought false charges against his fellow Israelite,
Context of Deuteronomy 19:18
16If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing, 17then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, 19then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. 20And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you.
Read all of Deuteronomy 19Deuteronomy 19:18 word by word
וְדָרְשׁ֥וּ הַשֹּׁפְטִ֖ים הֵיטֵ֑ב וְהִנֵּ֤ה עֵֽד־שֶׁ֙קֶר֙ הָעֵ֔ד שֶׁ֖קֶר עָנָ֥ה בְאָחִֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 19:18
- Deuteronomy 13:14then you shall inquire and make search and ask diligently. And behold, if it be true and certain that such an abomination has been done among you,
- Deuteronomy 17:4and it is told you and you hear of it, then you shall inquire diligently, and if it is true and certain that such an abomination has been done in Israel,
- 2 Chronicles 19:6and said to the judges, "Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment.
- Job 19:16I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer; I must plead with him with my mouth for mercy.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 19:18
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-21Verses 15-21 Sentence should never be passed upon the testimony of one witness alone. A false witness should suffer the same punishment which he sought to have inflicted upon the person he accused. Nor could any law be more just. Let all Christians not only be cautious in bearing witness in public, but be careful not to join in private slanders; and let all whose consciences accuse them of crime, without delay flee for refuge to the hope set before them…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-2116-21. 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 Ex 21:23; see also Le 24:20).Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 19:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries