Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 19:16
If a false witness testifies against someone, accusing him of a crime,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Moses addresses the Israelite assembly regarding judicial procedures before they enter the Promised Land. The passage establishes legal protocol for handling accusations within the covenant community.
The words — יָק֥וּם (ya.Kum) means "he will stand," and עֵד ('ed) means "witness." Together they describe the formal act of a person taking a stand to give testimony.
The thread — The prohibition against malicious testimony appears in Exodus 23:1, which forbids joining the wicked as a false witness. Psalm 27:12 and Psalm 35:11 both depict adversaries rising as hostile witnesses to breathe out violence and bring baseless charges.
Why it lands — The text requires the accuser and accused to stand before priests and judges for verification. It demands that judicial decisions rely on verified testimony rather than unconfirmed claims.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;
Cross-references
- Psalms 27:12 Do not hand me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.
- Psalms 35:11 Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.
- Exodus 23:1 “You shall not spread a false report. Do not join the wicked by being a malicious witness.
- 1 Kings 21:10 But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify, ‘You have cursed both God and the king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
- Mark 14:55 Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but they did not find any.
- Acts 6:13 where they presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.