1 Do not let a false statement go further; do not make an agreement with evil-doers to be a false witness.
I will put to death anyone who says evil of his neighbour secretly; the man with a high look and a heart of pride is disgusting to me.
A false witness will not go without punishment, and the breather out of deceit will not go free.
Do not take anyone's property or be false in act or word to another.
Do not go about saying untrue things among your people, or take away the life of your neighbour by false witness: I am the Lord.
If a false witness makes a statement against a man, saying that he has done wrong, Then the two men, between whom the argument has taken place, are to come before the Lord, before the priests and judges who are then in power; And the judges will have the question looked into with care: and if the witness is seen to be false and to have made a false statement against his brother, Then do to him what it was his purpose to do to his brother: and so put away the evil from among you. And the rest of the people, hearing of it, will be full of fear, and never again do such evil among you. Have no pity; let life be given for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Now the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin were looking for false witness against Jesus, so that they might put him to death; And they were not able to get it, though a number of false witnesses came. But later there came two who said, This man said, I am able to give the Temple of God to destruction, and to put it up again in three days.
And if this comes to the ruler's ears, we will see that he does not make you responsible. So they took the money, and did as they had been ordered: and this account has been current among the Jews till the present time.
Being conscious that you have done no wrong; so that those who say evil things about your good way of life as Christians may be put to shame.
Without natural love, bitter haters, saying evil of others, violent and uncontrolled, hating all good,
Let us not do evil so that good may come (a statement which we are falsely said by some to have made), because such behaviour will have its right punishment.
Then they got men to say, He has said evil against Moses and against God, in our hearing. And the people, with the rulers and the scribes, were moved against him, and they came and took him before the Sanhedrin, And they got false witnesses who said, This man is for ever saying things against this holy place and against the law:
And men of the army put questions to him, saying, And what have we to do? And he said to them, Do no violent acts to any man, and do not take anything without right, and let your payment be enough for you.
A wrongdoer gives attention to evil lips, and a man of deceit gives ear to a damaging tongue.
And get two good-for-nothing persons to come before him and give witness that he has been cursing God and the king. Then take him out and have him stoned to death. So the responsible men and the chiefs who were in authority in his town, did as Jezebel had said in the letter she sent them. They gave orders for a day of public sorrow, and put Naboth at the head of the people. And the two good-for-nothing persons came in and took their seats before him and gave witness against Naboth, in front of the people, saying, Naboth has been cursing God and the king. Then they took him outside the town and had him stoned to death.
Whose tongue is not false, who does no evil to his friend, and does not take away the good name of his neighbour;
What punishment will he give you? what more will he do to you, you false tongue?
A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.
The breathing out of true words gives knowledge of righteousness; but a false witness gives out deceit.
And the king said, And where is your master's son? And Ziba said, He is still at Jerusalem: for he said, Today Israel will give back to me the kingdom of my father.
A good-for-nothing witness makes sport of the judge's decision: and the mouth of evil-doers sends out evil like a stream.
One who gives false witness against his neighbour is a hammer and a sword and a sharp arrow.
As the north wind gives birth to rain, so is an angry face caused by a tongue saying evil secretly.
For numbers of them say evil secretly in my hearing (there is fear on every side): they say, Come, let us give witness against him; all my nearest friends, who are watching for my fall, say, It may be that he will be taken by deceit, and we will get the better of him and give him punishment.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 23
Commentary on Exodus 23 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 23
This chapter continues and concludes the acts that passed in the first session (if I may so call it) upon mount Sinai. Here are,
Exd 23:1-9
Here are,
Exd 23:10-19
Here is,
Exd 23:20-33
Three gracious promises are here made to Israel, to engage them to their duty and encourage them in it; and each of the promises has some needful precepts and cautions joined to it.