Verses¶
Primary Verses¶
The Commandment Itself¶
Exodus 20:16
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Deuteronomy 5:20
Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Context (Exodus 20:15-17):
15 Thou shalt not steal. 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Context (Deuteronomy 5:19-22):
19 Neither shalt thou steal. 20 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. 21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's. 22 These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.
NOTE: Exodus uses sheqer (H8267, "lie/falsehood") while Deuteronomy uses shav (H7723, "vanity/emptiness/worthlessness"). This distinction is a key focus area for this study.
Leviticus 19 -- The Falsehood Trilogy¶
Leviticus 19:11
Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
Leviticus 19:12
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:13
Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.
Leviticus 19:16
Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.
Context (Leviticus 19:14-18):
14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD. 15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. 17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. 18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Evidence and Witness Laws¶
Exodus 23:1
Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
Exodus 23:7
Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
Leviticus 5:1
And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.
Numbers 35:30
Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.
Deuteronomy 17:6-7
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. 7 The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.
Deuteronomy 19:15-21 (False Witness Penalty -- Lex Talionis)
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.
Deuteronomy 22:13-19 (False Accusation of Bride)
13 If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her, 14 And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid: 15-17 [parents bring tokens of virginity to elders] 18 And the elders of that city shall take that man and chastise him; 19 And they shall amerce him in an hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days.
Proverbs on Truth and Lies¶
Proverbs 6:16-19 (Seven Abominations)
16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Proverbs 10:18
He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.
Proverbs 12:17
He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.
Proverbs 12:19
The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
Proverbs 12:22
Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.
Proverbs 13:5
A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.
Proverbs 14:5
A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.
Proverbs 14:25
A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.
Proverbs 19:5
A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.
Proverbs 19:9
A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.
Proverbs 21:6
The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.
Proverbs 24:28
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
Proverbs 25:18
A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
Proverbs 26:18-19
18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, 19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?
Proverbs 26:24-28
24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; 25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. 26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation. 27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him. 28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
Psalms on Truth/Falsehood¶
Psalm 5:6,9
6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. 9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
Psalm 12:2-3
2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. 3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things.
Psalm 15:1-5
1 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. 4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. 5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
Psalm 24:3-5
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Psalm 31:18
Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
Psalm 34:13
Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Psalm 50:19-20
19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. 20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son.
Psalm 52:2-5
2 Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp rasor, working deceitfully. 3 Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. 4 Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. 5 God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.
Psalm 58:3
The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
Psalm 101:5,7
5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. 7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
Psalm 116:11
I said in my haste, All men are liars.
Psalm 119:29,163
29 Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously. 163 I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.
Psalm 120:2-4
2 Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. 3 What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? 4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
Psalm 144:8
Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
Prophetic Denunciations¶
Isaiah 59:3-4,12-14
3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. 4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. 12 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them; 13 In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
Jeremiah 7:8-9,28
8 Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. 9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; 28 But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
Jeremiah 9:3,5-6,8
3 And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD. 5 And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. 6 Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD. 8 Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.
Hosea 4:1-2
1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. 2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
Micah 6:12
For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
Nahum 3:1
Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not.
Zephaniah 3:13
The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
Zechariah 8:16-17
16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: 17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
Jesus on Truthfulness¶
Matthew 5:11
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Matthew 5:33-37
33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
Matthew 12:36-37
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Matthew 15:19
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Matthew 19:18
He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Matthew 26:59-62 (False Witnesses Against Jesus)
59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; 60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, 61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. 62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
John 8:44-46 (Satan as Father of Lies)
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
NT Teaching on Truth/Falsehood¶
Acts 5:1-10 (Ananias and Sapphira)
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5-6 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost... 7-8 [Sapphira comes, confirms the lie] 9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? 10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost.
Romans 1:25
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Ephesians 4:25,29
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Colossians 3:9
Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
1 Timothy 1:9-10
9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
1 Timothy 4:2
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Titus 1:2
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Hebrews 6:18
That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.
1 Peter 2:1,22
1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.
1 Peter 3:10
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.
1 John 1:10
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1 John 2:4
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Revelation 14:5
And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
Revelation 21:8
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Revelation 21:27
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Revelation 22:15
For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Case Studies -- Deception Narratives¶
Hebrew Midwives (Exodus 1:15-21)¶
15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: 16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. 18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? 19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. 20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. 21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.
Rahab (Joshua 2:1-6; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25)¶
Joshua 2:1-6
1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. 2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. 3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee... 4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: 5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. 6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax.
Hebrews 11:31
By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
James 2:25
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
False Witnesses Against Naboth (1 Kings 21:7-13)¶
7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles... 9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: 10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. 11-12 And the men of his city... did as Jezebel had sent unto them... 13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
Cross-Testament Parallels¶
NT Parallels for Exodus 20:16 (from hybrid analysis)¶
| Reference | Score | Key Terms |
|---|---|---|
| JHN 5:31 | 0.417 | witness |
| JHN 19:35 | 0.389 | witness |
| JHN 8:13 | 0.381 | witness |
| 1TI 4:2 | 0.359 | lie |
| MRK 14:56 | 0.344 | (false witness context) |
| ACT 6:13 | 0.340 | (false witnesses) |
| MAT 18:16 | 0.328 | (two witnesses) |
| MAT 26:60 | 0.326 | (false witnesses) |
OT Parallels for Exodus 20:16 (from hybrid analysis)¶
| Reference | Score | Key Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Deuteronomium 5:20 | 0.502 | answer, fellow, witness |
| Deuteronomium 19:18 | 0.496 | answer, lie, witness |
| Proverbia 25:18 | 0.494 | answer, fellow, lie, witness |
| Proverbia 19:5 | 0.487 | lie, witness |
| Proverbia 14:5 | 0.487 | lie, witness |
| Proverbia 19:9 | 0.484 | lie, witness |
| Proverbia 6:19 | 0.464 | lie, witness |
| Proverbia 21:28 | 0.437 | lie, witness |
| Proverbia 12:17 | 0.418 | lie, witness |
| Proverbia 14:25 | 0.418 | lie, witness |
| Jeremia 9:4 | 0.377 | fellow, lie |
| Deuteronomium 17:6 | 0.372 | witness |
| Deuteronomium 19:15 | 0.365 | witness |
Concept Context for Exodus 20:16¶
The concept_context tool identified the concept OBEDIENCE (via H6030, anah -- "to answer/testify/bear witness") as the key concept in this verse. Same-chapter verses with this concept include Exo 20:19 (Israel asks Moses to speak rather than God), Exo 20:5 (bow down/serve), Exo 20:9 (labour). The verb anah has a primary meaning of "answer/respond/testify" which in the commandment context specifically means "to testify/bear witness."