BIBLE VERSE STUDY
Exodus 20:16 — The Prohibition of False Witness
Exodus 20:16 forbids giving false testimony against a neighbor, the ninth of the Ten Commandments delivered at Sinai.
Scripture
16Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
What this passage means
The verse reads: "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." It is the ninth commandment and is framed as a courtroom prohibition. The verb ("bear") together with the noun "witness" points to testimony given in a judicial or formal setting where a person's life, liberty, or rights are at stake.
The phrase "against thy neighbor" narrows the scope: the prohibition targets false testimony that harms another person. The command is not merely about private lying but about publicly presenting false evidence in a dispute, where the damage to a neighbor is direct and official.
The word "false" (Hebrew šāqer) denotes an untruth or sham — testimony that misrepresents fact. Read with the surrounding prohibitions on killing, adultery, and stealing, the verse guards the social fabric by protecting a neighbor's reputation and standing before a court of law.
Context
Exodus 20 is the Decalogue spoken directly by God at Sinai. Verses 13–17 are a short sequence of six commands beginning with the second-person singular "Thou shalt not," covering killing, adultery, stealing, false witness, and coveting. Verse 16 stands among these interpersonal prohibitions, after stealing and before coveting the neighbor's goods.
Following the commandments, verses 18–21 describe the people's reaction to the thunder, lightning, trumpet, and smoking mountain. They ask Moses to speak to them rather than have God speak directly, fearing death. This narrative frame shows the commandments were heard as the very voice of God, lending weight to each specific prohibition including the one against false witness.
Key words in the original
- H5707 Hebrew ʿēḏ means a witness in a formal or judicial sense. In this verse it points to testimony given in a setting where a neighbor's standing is decided.
- H8267 Hebrew šāqer denotes an untruth or sham. Combined with ʿēḏ it specifies testimony that misrepresents fact, the core of what verse 16 forbids.
- H7453 Hebrew rēaʿ refers to an associate, near companion, or fellow member of the community. The verse thus limits the prohibition to false testimony directed at one's fellow Israelite rather than a stranger.
Related verses
- Proverbs 19:5 Proverbs 19:5 echoes the verse's logic: a false witness will not go unpunished, and one who breathes out lies will not escape, reinforcing the judicial seriousness of false testimony.
- Matthew 19:18 In Matthew 19:18 Jesus lists "Thou shalt not bear false witness" among the commandments He cites, showing the ninth commandment carried forward into His teaching as part of the standard moral summary.
- Deuteronomy 19:15 Deuteronomy 19:15 supplies the procedural safeguard for the ninth commandment: a matter is established by the mouth of two or three witnesses, implicitly ruling out a single false witness as sufficient ground for judgment.
Common questions
What does it mean to bear false witness?
In the context of Exodus 20:16, bearing false witness means giving untrue testimony in a formal setting — a court or legal dispute — that harms a neighbor's life, liberty, or reputation. The verse is a courtroom command, not merely a ban on private lying.
Is lying the same as bearing false witness?
The verse specifically targets false testimony given about another person in a setting where they can be formally judged or condemned. While all bearing of false witness includes lying, the command focuses on the public, judicial kind of deception that directly injures a neighbor's standing.
Why does the commandment mention "thy neighbor"?
The phrase "thy neighbor" (Hebrew rēaʿ) narrows the command to false testimony directed at one's fellow community member, the person most directly affected by false claims in Israel's judicial system. The wording fits the Decalogue's pattern of addressing covenant members about how they treat those within the covenant community.