Deuteronomy 17:6
On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse isn't just about requiring multiple witnesses; it reveals God's profound care for human life, especially when the highest penalty is involved. Even in cases of idolatry—a grave offense against God's honor—He insisted on multiple testimonies, emphasizing that no one should be condemned without solid, corroborated evidence. This principle protects the vulnerable and underscores the seriousness of taking a life.
This verse appears within instructions for dealing with Israelites who commit idolatry, a serious crime against God. Before this, Moses lays out the acceptable sacrifices for the Lord, emphasizing that only the best should be offered. Following this, the law specifies that the accusers themselves must be the first to carry out the death penalty, a stark reminder of the gravity of the charge and the need for certainty.
Imagine a world where your life could be ended based on a single person's word. God’s law, even for the most serious crimes, established a higher bar.
In ancient Israel, as detailed in Deuteronomy 17:6, capital punishment required the testimony of at least two, preferably three, witnesses. This wasn't just a legal technicality; it was a profound safeguard.
Why the Multi-Witness Rule?
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What happens when the testimony itself carries the heaviest weight? In this ancient law, the witness wasn't just an observer; they became an active participant in the consequence.
Deuteronomy 17:6, and the surrounding verses, imply a crucial detail about the witnesses themselves. The text in Deuteronomy 19:17 and 19 clarifies that if a false witness is brought forward, they are to receive the punishment that the accused would have faced.
The Hand of the Witnesses
Understand the original words
ʿēḏ · Hebrew Noun
A person who observes an event and provides testimony about it, serving as a basis for judicial truth. In biblical law, multiple witnesses were required to establish the veracity of a serious accusation.
This passage lays the foundational law for capital offenses, stating that a person must be put to death only upon the testimony of two or three witnesses, directly paralleling the principle in Deuteronomy 17:6.
Matthew 18:16Jesus echoes this principle of requiring multiple witnesses for establishing truth, applying it in a spiritual context for church discipline, demonstrating the enduring importance of corroborating testimony.
John 8:17Jesus himself quotes this Mosaic Law principle when confronting the scribes and Pharisees about the woman caught in adultery, highlighting that even in a capital case, the testimony of a single accuser was insufficient.
2 Corinthians 13:1The Apostle Paul references the principle of establishing matters with two or three witnesses, extending the concept to apostolic authority and the confirmation of truth within the early church.
clarkeDeuteronomy 17:6: "At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death."
Two witnesses - One might be deceived, or be prejudiced or malicious; therefore God required two substantial witnesses for the support of the charge.
pooleDeuteronomy 17:6: "At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death."
At the mouth, i.e. upon the testimony delivered upon oath before the magistrates. Three witnesses, to wit, credible and competent witnesses. The Jews rejected the testimonies of madmen. children, women, servants, familiar friends, or enemies, persons of dissolute lives and evil fame.
This verse isn't just about requiring multiple witnesses; it reveals God's profound care for human life, especially when the highest penalty is involved. Even in cases of idolatry—a grave offense against God's honor—He insisted on multiple testimonies, emphasizing that no one should be condemned without solid, corroborated evidence. This principle protects the vulnerable and underscores the seriousness of taking a life.
This verse appears within instructions for dealing with Israelites who commit idolatry, a serious crime against God. Before this, Moses lays out the acceptable sacrifices for the Lord, emphasizing that only the best should be offered. Following this, the law specifies that the accusers themselves must be the first to carry out the death penalty, a stark reminder of the gravity of the charge and the need for certainty.
This verse appears within instructions for dealing with Israelites who commit idolatry, a serious crime against God. Before this, Moses lays out the acceptable sacrifices for the Lord, emphasizing that only the best should be offered. Following this, the law specifies that the accusers themselves must be the first to carry out the death penalty, a stark reminder of the gravity of the charge and the need for certainty.
"On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness." — This verse isn't just about requiring multiple witnesses; it reveals God's profound care for human life, especially when the highest penalty is involved. Even in cases of idolatry—a grave offense aga…
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