"False witnessing" was prohibited in the Decalogue (Ex 20:16) against it the lexicon talionis was enforced, i.e. In the case of a person condemned to be stoned, all the witnesses had to lay their hands on the head of the condemned (Lev 24:14). When a criminal was to be put to death, the witnesses against him were to take the foremost share in bringing about his death (Dt 17:7 compare Acts 7:58), in order to prove their own belief in their testimony.
The meaning of Lev 5:1 was not that witnesses had to take an oath, as some think it describes the solemn adjuration of the judge to all those with knowledge of the case to come forward as witnesses (see OATH). If they contradicted one another on important points their witness was invalidated (Sanhedhrin 5). Each witness had to be heard separately (Sanhedhrin 5 compare 3 5). In cases of capital punishment there was an elaborate system of warning and cautioning witnesses. No one could be a witness who had been paid to render this service (Bekhoroth 4 6). Among those not qualified to be witnesses were the near relations of the accuser or the accused, friends and enemies, gamesters, usurers, tax-gatherers, heathen, slaves, women and those not of age (Sanhedhrin 3 3, 4 Ro'sh Ha-shanah 1 7 Babha' Kamma' 88a compare Ant, IV, viii, 15). On the other hand, anyone who, being present at the adjuration (Lev 5:1 the Revised Version (British and American)), refused to come forward as a witness when he had testimony to bear, was considered to have sinned (Prov 29:24). According to the Talmud (Pesachim 113b), if in a case of immorality only one witness came forward to accuse anyone, it was regarded as sinful on the part of that witness. Not only in criminal cases, but in all cases, it was necessary to have at least two witnesses to make good an accusation against a person (Dt 17:6 19:15 compare Nu 35:30 Mt 18:16 Jn 8:17 2 Cor 13:1 1 Tim 5:19). The Mosaic Law insisted on the absolute necessity of witnesses in all cases which came before a judge, especially in criminal cases. Important legal agreements required the attestation of witnesses, as in the case of the purchase of property, or a betrothal (Ruth 4:1-11, where we are told that the ancient form of attestation was by a man drawing off his shoe and giving it to his neighbor). The main use of the word is forensic, and from this use all other applications are naturally derived. the heap of stones testifying to the covenant between Jacob and Laban (Gen 31:44-54), and the Song of Moses. Wit'-nes (nouns `edh, and `edhah, and verb `anah martus, with all derivative words and their compounds): The word "witness" is used of inanimate things, e.g. International Standard Bible EncyclopediaĪ B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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