You
must not move your neighbor’s boundary marker,1
set up by former generations, on the property that will be allotted
to you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess. A
single witness shall not suffice to convict a person of any crime or
wrongdoing in connection with any offense that may be committed. Only
on the evidence of two or three witnesses shall a charge be
sustained.2
If a malicious witness comes forward to accuse someone of wrongdoing,
then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord, before
the priests and the judges3
who are in office in those days, and the judges shall make a thorough
inquiry.4
If the witness is a false witness, having testified falsely against
another, then you shall do to the false witness just as the false
witness had meant to do to the other.5
So you shall purge the evil from your midst. The rest shall hear and
be afraid, and a crime such as this shall never again be committed
among you.6
Show no pity:7
life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for
foot.8
1 Reminder to be just/honest, in the context of the land.
2
Another clear way to encourage just trials. Not followed today,
even in cases where there is no other direct evidence.
3
Two different kinds of authority come together to decide difficult
cases
4
Justice and a fair trial are really important.
5
It seems to make sense, but also extremely harsh. Certainly not
practiced today, perhaps ever.
6
Fear will supposedly stop all crime. Obviously not true, even fro
the little stretch of history that Israel had just been through.
7
“Show no pity” does not represent the God I know.
8
This will be directly contradicted by Jesus.
Take-home: Justice in the court system is extremely important to God, and strict punishments are set fro those who try to pervert the courts.
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