15 'One witness doth not rise against a man for any iniquity, and for any sin, in any sin which he sinneth; by the mouth of two witnesses, or by the mouth of three witnesses, is a thing established. 16 'When a violent witness doth rise against a man, to testify against him apostacy, 17 then have both the men who have the strife stood before Jehovah, before the priests and the judges who are in those days, 18 and the judges have searched diligently, and lo, the witness 'is' a false witness, a falsehood he hath testified against his brother: 19 'Then ye have done to him as he devised to do to his brother, and thou hast put away the evil thing out of thy midst, 20 and those who are left do hear and fear, and add not to do any more according to this evil thing in thy midst; 21 and thine eye doth not pity—life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:15-21
Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:15-21
(Read Deuteronomy 19:15-21)
Sentence should never be passed upon the testimony of one witness alone. A false witness should suffer the same punishment which he sought to have inflicted upon the person he accused. Nor could any law be more just. Let all Christians not only be cautious in bearing witness in public, but be careful not to join in private slanders; and let all whose consciences accuse them of crime, without delay flee for refuge to the hope set before them in Jesus Christ.