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英文原文
The laws which Moses had hitherto been repeating and urging mostly concerned the acts of religion and devotion towards God; but here he comes more fully to press the duties of righteousness between man and man. This chapter relates, I. To the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," De 19:1-13. II. To the eighth commandment, "Thou shalt not steal," De 19:14. III. To the ninth commandment, "Thou shalt not bear false witness," De 19:15-21, etc.
1-13
The Cities of Refuge (1451 BC)
逃城（主前1451年）
¹ 耶和华你的神剪除列国，将他们的地赐你为业，你既得他们的地为业，住在他们的城邑和房屋； ² 就要在耶和华你神所赐你为业的地上，分出三座城来， ³ 要预备道路，将耶和华你神所赐你为业的地分为三区，使凡杀人的都可以逃到那里。 ⁴ 误杀人的可以逃到那里而存活的定例乃是这样：凡素无仇恨、无心杀了邻舍的， ⁵ 就如人与邻舍同入树林砍伐树木，手挥斧子砍树，斧头脱了柄，飞落在邻舍身上，以至于死；这人就可以逃到那些城中的一座而存活—— ⁶ 免得报血仇的，心中火热追赶他，因路远追上他，将他杀死；其实他不该死，因为他与被杀者素无仇恨。 ⁷ 所以我吩咐你说：要分出三座城来。 ⁸ 耶和华你的神若照他向你列祖所起的誓，扩张你的境界，将所应许赐给你列祖的全地都赐给你—— ⁹ 你若谨守遵行我今日所吩咐你这一切诫命，爱耶和华你的神，常常遵行他的道——你就要在这三座之外，再添三座城， ¹⁰ 免得无辜之人的血，流在耶和华你神所赐你为业的地上，流血之罪就归于你。 ¹¹ 若有人恨他的邻舍，埋伏等候，起来击杀他以至于死，然后逃到这些城中的一座； ¹² 那城的长老就要打发人去，从那里将他带出来，交在报血仇的手中，将他治死。 ¹³ 你的眼不可顾惜他；却要从以色列中除掉无辜之人的血，使你可以得福。
挪亚的子孙曾领受的一条诫命是：『凡流人血的，他的血也必被人所流』——就是被报血仇者所流，创9:6。此处我们看到被杀者之血与杀人者之血之间——即被谋杀者与谋杀者之间——的律法裁定，并作了有效的预备：
I\. 逃城当作误杀他人者的庇护，使他不至于因那非他自愿、只是不幸的行为，被当作罪行处死。逃城的设立我们先前已有（出21:13），相关律法也已详记于民35:10-15 等处。此处加以重申，并对三件事给予指示：——
1\. 在迦南设立三座城作此用途。摩西已经在他亲眼看见征服的约但河那边设立了三座；如今他吩咐他们，将来在国度的另一部分安顿之后，再设立三座，申19:1-3,7。全国当分为三个尽可能均等的区域，每个区域中心设一座逃城，使地的每一角落都能在可达的范围之内有一座。如此，基督也不是远在天边的避难所——我们必须升到天上或下到深处去寻找；这道离我们不远，基督就在这道中，罗10:8。福音将救恩『送到我们的门口』，并在那里叩门请求进入。为使逃亡者更易于逃脱，必须修筑通往逃城的道路。也许他们有通向这些城的道路或大街，犹太人说以色列的官长每年某一天差人查看这些道路是否完好，要除去绊脚石，修补破桥，并在两条路相交之处立一根指路柱，上有指头指向正路，柱上大字刻着：『米克拉特、米克拉特——避难所、避难所。』依此而言，福音的传道人也当向人指明通往基督的路，并帮助他们、引导他们借着信心逃往祂那里寻求避难。他们当随时除去人的偏见，帮助人越过难处。感谢神，对所有诚心寻求的人，『圣洁之路』乃是一条大道，如此分明，以致『行路的人虽愚昧，也不至失迷』。
2\. 这些城当如何使用，申19:4-6。（1）假设可能有这样的事发生：一个人并未因一时的怒气或蓄意的怨恨而设计要取邻舍的命，乃是纯属意外——正如斧头飞脱，这就是此处所举的例子；凡这类的案件，都当与之比较，照此判定。请看人的性命日常处于何等暴露之中，我们常常处于何等的死亡危险之中，所以我们何等需要时时预备好，因为我们的性命常常握在自己手中。『人正说平安稳妥的时候，灾祸忽然临到他们』，传9:12。灾祸突然临到时，的确是凶险之时——这事不仅临到被杀者，也临到杀人者。（2）又假设被杀者的亲属会急于为血报仇，一方面出于对亲人的情谊，另一方面出于对公众公义的热心。虽然律法不许以死亡报别的侮辱或损伤之仇，但报血仇者——为亲人流血报仇者——在如此激愤之下，当得极大的宽容；他若在逃亡者到达逃城之前杀了他，虽不算为谋杀，但被杀者其实并不该死。如此神使人对此谋杀之罪大生恐惧战兢：若偶然误杀都会使人陷入这样的危险，那故意以暴力流人血的——无论是出于旧恨还是新怒——必逃奔陷阱，『无人可拦阻他』，箴28:17；然而新约将谋杀之罪描述得比这律法更加可恶、更加危险。约一3:15：『凡恨弟兄的，就是杀人的；你们晓得凡杀人的，没有永生存在他里面。』（3）此处规定：若报血仇者如此无理，竟为纯属意外所流的血索求偿命，那么逃城当保护杀人者。误犯之罪固然使我们暴露在神的震怒之下，但已预备了出路——只要我们借着信心和悔改善加利用。保罗从前曾是逼迫人的，却蒙了怜悯，因为他是不信不明白的时候作的；基督也为钉祂的人祷告说：『父啊，赦免他们，因为他们所作的，他们不晓得。』
3\. 倘若神日后扩张他们的境界，并扩张他们信仰的治理范围，就当再为这用途设立三座城，使凡在别的事上服在摩西律法之下的地方，也能在这事上享受那律法之益处，申19:8-10。此处有：（1）暗示神施恩的心意要扩张他们的境界——正如祂向他们列祖所应许的——只要他们不因不顺服而丧失这应许；此处又谨慎地重申应许的条件：若不履行，羞辱便归在他们身上，而不在神身上。祂应许赐下，『你若谨守这一切诫命』；否则就不然。（2）指示他们在新征服之地再设立三座城——其数目暗示那地当与头一次的征服一样大；无论以色列的边界延伸到哪里，这特权都必须随之延伸，使『无辜之人的血不被流』，申19:10。神虽是一切人的拯救者和保护者，并顾惜一切性命，但以色列人的血在祂眼中尤为宝贵，诗72:14。博学的安斯沃斯指出：犹太作者自己也承认，因这条件未得履行，扩张境界的应许从未实现，所以根本无须增添这另外三座逃城；然而至圣可称颂的神（他们说）『并非徒然吩咐这事，因为在弥赛亚君王的日子，必在这六座之外再添三座』：他们期望按字面应验；但我们知道，这在基督里已得着属灵的应验——因为福音以色列的边界已照着应许扩展了，并且在基督——『耶和华我们的义』——里面，为凡借着信心逃往祂那里的人预备了避难所。
II\. 此处又规定，逃城不可作故意杀人者的圣所或庇护，他即便逃到那里，也当被带回，交给报血仇的人，申19:11-13。1. 这表明故意杀人者绝不可受官长的保护；他若任凭负流血之罪的人逃脱公义之剑的锋芒，便是徒然佩剑——他按职分正是报血仇的。在改教以前，当教皇的权势辖制我们本国时，有些教堂和宗教会所（他们如此称呼）被设为各种罪犯的庇护所，连故意杀人者也不例外——所以（如斯坦福在其《王室诉讼》第二卷第三十八章所说）当时的政府所随从的不是摩西，而是罗慕路斯；直到亨利八世末年，这为故意杀人者设庇护的特权才被废除——那时正如在其他事上一样，神的话语开始比罗马教廷的谕令更受重视。也有人认为，若再前进一步完成那项改革——将为误杀者所设的『教士特权』也予以废除，那就更完全了——我们律法所谓误杀，乃是指因轻微的激怒而杀人；因为此律法只在纯属偶然的情形下才允许逃城庇护。2. 这也可借喻：在耶稣基督里，没有为那些『仍旧在罪中』放纵的任意犯罪者所设的避难所。我们若『故意犯罪』，继续在罪中，就『再没有赎罪祭』了，来10:26。那从自己的罪中逃奔基督的，必在祂里面得以安全；但那指望在罪中得祂庇护的，却不能。救恩本身也不能救这样的人：神的公义必将他们从逃城中带出——他们本不配享受那城的保护。
英文原文
The Cities of Refuge (1451 BC)
¹ When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;
² Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.
³ Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.
⁴ And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;
⁵ As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:
⁶ Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
⁷ Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.
⁸ And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers;
⁹ If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:
¹⁰ That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.
¹¹ But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:
¹² Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.
¹³ Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.
It was one of the precepts given to the sons of Noah that whoso sheddeth man's blood by man shall his blood be shed, that is, by the avenger of blood, Ge 9:6. Now here we have the law settled between blood and blood, between the blood of the murdered and the blood of the murderer, and effectual provision made,
I. That the cities of refuge should be a protection to him that slew another casually, so that he should not die for that as a crime which was not his voluntary act, but only his unhappiness. The appointment of these cities of refuge we had before (Ex 21:13), and the law laid down concerning them at large, Nu 35:10-15, etc. It is here repeated, and direction is given concerning three things:—
1. The appointing of three cities in Canaan for this purpose. Moses had already appointed three on that side Jordan which he saw the conquest of; and now he bids them, when they should be settled in the other part of the country, to appoint three more, De 19:1-3,7. The country was to be divided into three districts, as near by as might be equal, and a city of refuge in the centre of each so that every corner of the land might have one within reach. Thus Christ is not a refuge at a distance, which we must ascend to heaven or go down to the deep for, but the word is nigh us, and Christ in the word, Ro 10:8. The gospel brings salvation to our door, and there it knocks for admission. To make the flight of the delinquent the more easy, the way must be prepared that led to the city of refuge. Probably they had causeways or street-ways leading to those cities, and the Jews say that the magistrates of Israel, upon one certain day in the year, sent out messengers to see that those roads were in good repair, and they were to remove stumbling-blocks, mend bridges that were broken, and, where two ways met, they were to set up a Mercurial post, with a finger to point the right way, on which was engraven in great letters, Miklat, Miklat—Refuge, Refuge. In allusion to this, gospel ministers are to show people the way to Christ, and to assist and direct them in flying by faith to him for refuge. They must be ready to remove their prejudices, and help them over their difficulties. And, blessed be God, the way of holiness, to all that seek it faithfully, is a highway so plain that the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
2. The use to be made of these cities, De 19:4-6. (1.) It is supposed that it might so happen that a man might be the death of his neighbour without any design upon him either from a sudden passion or malice prepense, but purely by accident, as by the flying off of an axe-head, which is the instance here given, with which every case of this kind was to be compared, and by it adjudged. See how human life lies exposed daily, and what deaths we are often in, and what need therefore we have to be always ready, our souls being continually in our hands. How are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them! Ec 9:12. An evil time indeed it is when this happens not only to the slain but to the slayer. (2.) It is supposed that the relations of the person slain would be forward to avenge the blood, in affection to their friend and in zeal for public justice. Though the law did not allow the avenging of any other affront or injury with death, yet the avenger of blood, the blood of a relation, shall have great allowances made for the heat of his heart upon such a provocation as that, and his killing only, should not be accounted murder if he did it before he got to the city of refuge, though it is owned he was not worthy of death. Thus would God possess people with a great horror and dread of the sin of murder: if mere chance-medley did thus expose a man, surely he that wilfully does violence to the blood of any person, whether from an old grudge or upon a sudden provocation, must flee to the pit, and let no man stay him (Pr 28:17); yet the New Testament represents the sin of murder as more heinous and more dangerous than even this law does. 1Jo 3:15, You know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (3.) It is provided that, if an avenger of blood should be so unreasonable as to demand satisfaction for blood shed by accident only, then the city of refuge should protect the slayer. Sins of ignorance indeed do expose us to the wrath of God, but there is relief provided, if by faith and repentance we make use of it. Paul that had been a persecutor obtained mercy, because he did it ignorantly; and Christ prayed for his crucifiers, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
3. The appointing of three cities more for this use in case God should hereafter enlarge their territories and the dominion of their religion, that all those places which came under the government of the law of Moses in other instances might enjoy the benefit of that law in this instance, De 19:8-10. Here is, (1.) An intimation of God's gracious intention to enlarge their coast, as he had promised to their fathers, if they did not by their disobedience forfeit the promise, the condition of which is here carefully repeated, that, if it were not performed, the reproach might lie upon them, and not on God. He promised to give it, if thou shalt keep all these commandments; not otherwise. (2.) A direction to them to appoint three cities more in their new conquests, which, the number intimates, should be as large as their first conquests were; wherever the border of Israel went this privilege must attend it, that innocent blood be not shed, De 19:10. Though God is the saviour and preserver of all men, and has a tender regard to all lives, yet the blood of Israelites is in a particular manner precious to him, Ps 72:14. The learned Ainsworth observes that the Jewish writers themselves own that, the condition not being performed, the promise of the enlarging of their coast was never fulfilled; so that there was no occasion for ever adding these three cities of refuge; yet the holy blessed God (say they) did not command it in vain, for in the days of Messiah the prince three other cities shall be added to these six: they expect it to be fulfilled in the letter, but we know that in Christ it has its spiritual accomplishment, for the borders of the gospel Israel are enlarged according to the promise, and in Christ, the Lord our righteousness, refuge is provided for those that by faith flee to him.
II. It is provided that the cities of refuge should be no sanctuary or shelter to a wilful murderer, but even thence he should be fetched, and delivered to the avenger of blood, De 19:11-13. 1. This shows that wilful murder must never be protected by the civil magistrate; he bears the sword of justice in vain if he suffers those to escape the edge of it that lie under the guilt of blood, which he by office is the avenger of. During the dominion of the papacy in our own land, before the Reformation, there were some churches and religious houses (as they called them) that were made sanctuaries for the protection of all sorts of criminals that fled to them, wilful murderers not excepted, so that (as Stamford says, in his Pleas of the Crown, lib. II. c. xxxviii.) the government follows not Moses but Romulus, and it was not till about the latter end of Henry VIII's time that this privilege of sanctuary for wilful murder was taken away, when in that, as in other cases, the word of God came to be regarded more than the dictates of the see of Rome. And some have thought it would be a completing of that instance of reformation if the benefit of clergy were taken away for man-slaughter, that is, the killing of a man upon a small provocation, since this law allowed refuge only in case of that which our law calls chance-medley. 2. It may be alluded to to show that in Jesus Christ there is no refuge for presumptuous sinners, that go on still in their trespasses. If we thus sin wilfully, sin and go on in it, there remains no sacrifice, Heb 10:26. Those that flee to Christ from their sins shall be safe in him, but not those that expect to be sheltered by him in their sins. Salvation itself cannot save such: divine justice will fetch them even from the city of refuge, the protection of which they are not entitled to.
14-21
False Witnesses (1451 BC)
假见证（公元前1451年）
¹⁴ 在耶和华你的神所赐你承受为业之地，你先祖所定的地界，你不可挪移。 ¹⁵ 人无论犯什么罪，作什么恶，不可凭一个见证人的口定罪；总要凭两三个见证人的口，才可定案。 ¹⁶ 若有凶恶的见证人起来，作见证控告某人作恶， ¹⁷ 这两个争讼的人就要站在耶和华面前，并在当时的祭司和审判官面前； ¹⁸ 审判官要细细地查究；看哪，那见证人果然是作假见证的，以谎言作见证控告他的弟兄； ¹⁹ 你们就要待他如同他想要待他弟兄的一样。这样，你就把那恶从你们中间除掉。 ²⁰ 别人听见都必惧怕，就不敢在你们中间再行这样的恶了。 ²¹ 你眼不可顾惜；要以命偿命，以眼还眼，以牙还牙，以手还手，以脚还脚。
此处是为防止欺诈和伪证所立的律例；神的律法顾念人的权利和产业，并在其周围筑起篱笆。律法是人类社会和人在属世利益上的良友。
I. 反欺诈的律法（申19:14）。
- 此处暗示指示最初承受迦南的人，当按拈阄分给各支派和各家族的地而设立地界。注意：各人当知道自己的份，这是神的旨意；当用一切良善的方法防止侵占，防止行错和受屈。权利既定之后，就当谨慎不使日后再不安定，并尽可能不让争端之机发生。
- 此处明令后世不可挪移最初所定的地界——藉此有人暗中据邻舍之物为己有。这无疑是道德性的诫命，至今仍然有效；对我们的禁令包括： (1.) 不可侵犯别人的权利，不可用任何诡诈的手段将不属自己的据为己有——如伪造、隐匿、毁坏或更改契据文书（这些就是我们的地界，凡事以此为凭）；或挪移篱笆、界石、疆界。地界虽是人手所立，但凡挪移它的，按神的律法就是盗贼和强盗。各人当以自己的份为足，待邻舍以公义，如此就没有挪移地界的事了。 (2.) 不可在邻舍中间布散纷争，不可作任何足以惹起争端和诉讼的事——而混淆那当决疑息讼之事正是如此（且是大恶）。 (3.) 不可扰乱民政的既定秩序和宪制，不可无正当理由更改古来所行的用法。这律法维护了"惯例"的尊严——习惯即为法律。
II. 反伪证的律法，其中规定两件事：
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在刑事案件中，不可仅凭一个见证人的证词就定案（申19:15）。此律法前已有（民35:30，本书申17:6）。这是为被告而设的恩典——他的性命和名誉不当任凭一个对他怀恨之人的处置；也是为控告者而设的警戒——不可说他不能以他人的证词佐证的话。这律法将羞辱加在人身上，因为人是虚假不可信赖的；按此各人都被怀疑。而神恩典的荣耀在于：祂关于祂儿子的见证，在天上和地上都有三个见证来印证（约一5:7）。神是真实的，人都是虚谎的（罗3:4）。
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假见证的人当受他所控告之人本该受的刑罚。若有两个、三个或多个证人同作假见证，他们都可按此律法被起诉。 (1.) （文本中缺） (2.) 因假见证受害或受险的人被视为上诉者（申19:17）。然而若那人因这证据已被处死，事后显为虚假，则任何别人或审判官在职权上都可追究假见证者。 (3.) 此类案件因其特殊困难，当呈到最高法庭——祭司和审判官面前；他们被称为在耶和华面前， 因为别的审判官坐在城门口，他们则坐在圣所门口（申17:12）。 (4.) 审判必须极其谨慎（申19:18）。当对相关人的品格和案件的各样情节详细查究、互相对照，使真相显明；凡如此忠诚而无私地查究之处，可以盼望护理必特别促成真相的发现。 (5.) 若显明有人明知而恶意地向邻舍作假见证，即使他所图谋的恶因此未成，他也当受他的证词本会使邻舍所受的刑罚（申19:19）。没有比这更公正的律法了。 若他所控告的罪当处死，假见证者必被处死；当受杖责的，必受杖责；当罚银的，就罚同额之银。因有人或以为只为几句话就重罚，尤其未有实祸随之而生，似属严苛；故又加一句：你眼不可顾惜（申19:21）。人不必比神更仁慈。这种严厉给公众带来的益处，必丰丰富富地补偿之：别人听见都必惧怕（申19:20）。这样的惩戒必作他人的鉴戒，使他们不再企图行此恶事——他们看见那挖陷坑的，自己掉在所挖的坑里。
英文原文
False Witnesses (1451 BC)
¹⁴ Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.
¹⁵ One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
¹⁶ If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;
¹⁷ Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;
¹⁸ And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;
¹⁹ Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.
²⁰ And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.
²¹ And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Here is a statute for the preventing of frauds and perjuries; for the divine law takes care of men's rights and properties, and has made a hedge about them. Such a friend is it to human society and men's civil interest.
I. A law against frauds, De 19:14. 1. Here is an implicit direction given to the first planters of Canaan to fix land-marks, according to the distribution of the land to the several tribes and families by lot. Note, It is the will of God that every one should know his own, and that all good means should be used to prevent encroachments and the doing and suffering of wrong. When right is settled, care must be taken that it be not afterwards unsettled, and that, if possible, no occasion of dispute may arise. 2. An express law to posterity not to remove those land-marks which were thus fixed at first, by which a man secretly got that to himself which was his neighbour's. This, without doubt, is a moral precept, and still binding, and to us it forbids, (1.) The invading of any man's right, and taking to ourselves that which is not our own, by any fraudulent arts or practices, as by forging, concealing, destroying, or altering deeds and writings (which are our land-marks, to which appeals are made), or by shifting hedges, meer-stones, and boundaries. Though the land-marks were set by the hand of man, yet he was a thief and a robber by the law of God that removed them. Let every man be content with his own lot, and just to his neighbours, and then we shall have no land-marks removed. (2.) It forbids the sowing of discord among neighbours, and doing any thing to occasion strife and law-suits, which is done (and it is very ill done) by confounding those things which should determine disputes and decide controversies. And, (3.) It forbids breaking in upon the settled order and constitution of civil government, and the altering of ancient usages without just cause. This law supports the honour of prescriptions. Consuetudo facit jus—Custom is to be held as law.
II. A law against perjuries, which enacts two things:—1. That a single witness should never be admitted to give evidence in a criminal cause, so as that sentence should be passed upon his testimony, De 19:15. This law we had before, Nu 35:30, and in this book, De 17:6. This was enacted in favour to the prisoner, whose life and honour should not lie at the mercy of a particular person that had a pique against him, and for caution to the accuser not to say that which he could not corroborate by the testimony of another. It is a just shame which this law puts upon mankind as false and not to be trusted; every man is by it suspected: and it is the honour of God's grace that the record he has given concerning his Son is confirmed both in heaven and in earth by three witnesses, 1Jo 5:7. Let God be true and every man a liar, Ro 3:4. 2. That a false witness should incur the same punishment which was to have been inflicted upon the person he accused. If two, or three, or many witnesses, concurred in a false testimony, they were all liable to be prosecuted upon this law. (2.) The person wronged or brought into peril by the false testimony is supposed to be the appellant, De 19:17. And yet if the person were put to death upon the evidence, and afterwards it appeared to be false, any other person, or the judges themselves, ex officio—by virtue of their office, might call the false witness to account. (3.) Causes of this kind, having more than ordinary difficulty in them, were to be brought before the supreme court, The priests and judges, who are said to be before the Lord, because, as other judges sat in the gates of their cities, so these at the gate of the sanctuary, De 17:12. (4.) There must be great care in the trial, De 19:18. A diligent inquisition must be made into the characters of the persons, and all the circumstances of the case, which must be compared, that the truth might be found out, which, where it is thus faithfully and impartially enquired into, Providence, it may be hoped, will particularly advance the discovery of. (5.) If it appeared that a man had knowingly and maliciously borne false witness against his neighbour, though the mischief he designed him thereby was not effected, he must undergo the same penalty which his evidence would have brought his neighbour under, De 19:19. Nec lex est justior ulla—Nor could any law be more just. If the crime he accused his neighbour of was to be punished with death, the false witness must be put to death; if with stripes, he must be beaten; if with a pecuniary mulct, he was to be fined the sum. And because to those who considered not the heinousness of the crime, and the necessity of making this provision against it, it might seem hard to punish a man so severely for a few words' speaking, especially when no mischief did actually follow, it is added: Thy eye shall not pity, De 19:21. No man needs to be more merciful than God. The benefit that will accrue to the public from this severity will abundantly recompense it: Those that remain shall hear and fear, De 19:20. Such exemplary punishments will be warnings to others not to attempt any such mischief, when they see how he that made the pit and digged it has fallen into the ditch which he made.
摩西迄今为止所重申和敦促的律法，主要关乎人对神当尽敬虔与虔诚的本分；但在此他更详尽地督促人与人之间当尽的公义之责。本章论述：I. 关于第六条诫命「不可杀人」，申19:1-13。II. 关于第八条诫命「不可偷盗」，申19:14。III. 关于第九条诫命「不可作假见证」，申19:15-21等。