Exodus 20:16

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

לֹֽא־תַעֲנֶ֥ה בְרֵעֲךָ֖ עֵ֥ד שָֽׁקֶר׃

Transliteration

lōʾ-ṯaʿăneh ḇə-rēʿăḵā ʿēḏ shāqer

Grammar Details

• *lōʾ-ṯaʿăneh*: negative particle + qal imperfect, 2nd masculine singular - you shall not answer/testify
• *ḇə-rēʿăḵā*: preposition + masculine singular noun with 2nd masculine singular suffix - against your neighbor
• *ʿēḏ*: masculine singular noun - witness
• *shāqer*: masculine singular noun - falsehood

Word Meanings

• *ṯaʿăneh*: answer/testify/respond
• *rēʿăḵā*: your neighbor/your friend/your fellow
• *ʿēḏ shāqer*: false witness/lying testimony/deceptive evidence

Referenced Verses

• Prov 19:5 : 5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and the one who spouts out lies will not escape punishment.
• Matt 19:18 : 18 “Which ones?” he asked. Jesus replied,“Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,
• Ps 15:3 : 3 He does not slander, or do harm to others, or insult his neighbor.
• Ps 101:5-7 : 5 I will destroy anyone who slanders his neighbor in secret. I will not tolerate anyone who has a haughty demeanor and an arrogant attitude. 6 I will favor the honest people of the land, and allow them to live with me. Those who walk in the way of integrity will attend me. 7 Deceitful people will not live in my palace. Liars will not be welcome in my presence.
• Exod 23:1 : 1 Justice“You must not give a false report. Do not make common cause with the wicked to be a malicious witness.
• Matt 26:59-60 : 59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find anything, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward
• Acts 6:13 : 13 They brought forward false witnesses who said,“This man does not stop saying things against this holy place and the law.
• Eph 4:31 : 31 You must put away all bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and slanderous talk– indeed all malice.
• 1 Tim 1:10 : 10 sexually immoral people, practicing homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, perjurers– in fact, for any who live contrary to sound teaching.
• 2 Tim 3:3 : 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, opposed to what is good,
• Jas 4:11 : 11 Do not speak against one another, brothers and sisters. He who speaks against a fellow believer or judges a fellow believer speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but its judge.
• Exod 23:6-7 : 6 “You must not turn away justice for your poor people in their lawsuits. 7 Keep your distance from a false charge– do not kill the innocent and the righteous, for I will not justify the wicked.
• Lev 19:11 : 11 Dealing Honestly“‘You must not steal, you must not tell lies, and you must not deal falsely with your fellow citizen.
• Lev 19:16 : 16 You must not go about as a slanderer among your people. You must not stand idly by when your neighbor’s life is at stake. I am the LORD.
• Deut 19:15-21 : 15 A single witness may not testify against another person for any trespass or sin that he commits. A matter may be legally established only on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 16 If a false witness testifies against another person and accuses him of a crime, 17 then both parties to the controversy must stand before the LORD, that is, before the priests and judges who will be in office in those days. 18 The judges will thoroughly investigate the matter, and if the witness should prove to be false and to have given false testimony against the accused, 19 you must do to him what he had intended to do to the accused. In this way you will purge evil from among you. 20 The rest of the people will hear and become afraid to keep doing such evil among you. 21 You must not show pity; the principle will be a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot.
• 1 Sam 22:8-9 : 8 For all of you have conspired against me! No one informs me when my own son makes an agreement with this son of Jesse! Not one of you feels sorry for me or informs me that my own son has commissioned my own servant to hide in ambush against me, as is the case today!” 9 But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with the servants of Saul, replied,“I saw this son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob. 10 He inquired of the LORD for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.” 11 Then the king arranged for a meeting with the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and all the priests of his father’s house who were at Nob. They all came to the king. 12 Then Saul said,“Listen, son of Ahitub.” He replied,“Here I am, my lord.” 13 Saul said to him,“Why have you conspired against me, you and this son of Jesse? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God on his behalf, so that he opposes me and waits in ambush, as is the case today!” 14 Ahimelech replied to the king,“Who among all your servants is faithful like David? He is the king’s son-in-law, the leader of your bodyguard, and honored in your house! 15 Was it just today that I began to inquire of God on his behalf? Far be it from me! The king should not accuse his servant or any of my father’s house. For your servant is not aware of all this– not in whole or in part!” 16 But the king said,“You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!” 17 Then the king said to the messengers who were stationed beside him,“Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, for they too have sided with David! They knew he was fleeing, but they did not inform me.” But the king’s servants refused to harm the priests of the LORD. 18 Then the king said to Doeg,“You turn and strike down the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests. He killed on that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. 19 As for Nob, the city of the priests, he struck down with the sword men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep– all with the sword.
• 1 Kgs 21:10-13 : 10 Also seat two villains opposite him and have them testify,‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” 11 The men of the city, the leaders and the nobles who lived there, followed the written orders Jezebel had sent them. 12 They observed a time of fasting and put Naboth in front of the people. 13 The two villains arrived and sat opposite him. Then the villains testified against Naboth right before the people, saying,“Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death.
• Prov 10:18 : 18 The one who conceals hatred utters lies, and the one who spreads slander is certainly a fool.
• Prov 11:13 : 13 The one who goes about slandering others reveals secrets, but the one who is trustworthy conceals a matter.