The judges must investigate the case thoroughly. If the accuser has brought false charges against his fellow Israelite,
Parallel translations
- WEB and the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness is a false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother;
- KJV And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;
- BSB The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is proven to be a liar who has falsely accused his brother,
- NKJV And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother,
- NASB And the judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is a false witness and he has testified against his brother falsely,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The judges must investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is proven false, justice follows. Truth is to be diligently sought before any verdict.
Overview
Careful, painstaking inquiry was required to determine whether the accusation was false. God's justice is not hasty but demands diligence to uncover the truth. This safeguards against both wrongful conviction of the innocent and the success of malicious accusers.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Deut 17:4and you are told, and you have heard of it, then you shall inquire diligently. Behold, if it is true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is done in Israel,
- Deut 13:14then you shall inquire, and make search, and ask diligently. Behold, if it is true, and the thing certain, that such abomination was done among you,
- 2 Chr 19:6–7and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you don’t judge for man, but for Yahweh; and he is with you in the judgment.
- Job 19:16I call to my servant, and he gives me no answer. I beg him with my mouth.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 19:18 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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