King James Version

What Does Deuteronomy 19:17 Mean?

Deuteronomy 19:17 in the King James Version says “Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, whic...” — study this verse from Deuteronomy chapter 19 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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;”

Deuteronomy 19:17 · KJV

Context

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; that: or, falling away

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.

Read Deuteronomy 19 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD (וְעָמְדוּ שְׁנֵי־הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־לָהֶם הָרִיב לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, ve'amdu shnei-ha'anashim asher-lahem ha-riv lifnei YHWH)—both accuser and accused must appear before the LORD, emphasizing the sacred nature of judicial proceedings. This is not merely civil litigation but standing in God's presence, where lies are offenses against divine holiness.

The phrase before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days specifies the central sanctuary's judicial authority. When local courts couldn't resolve a case or suspected perjury, it escalated to the priesthood at the tabernacle/temple. This prevented corruption at local levels from going unchecked. The solemn context—standing before Yahweh's presence—was designed to inspire truth-telling through fear of divine judgment.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Deuteronomy 17:8-13 established a supreme court at the central sanctuary for difficult cases. When local elders suspected false witness or couldn't determine truth, they could refer cases to the Levitical priests and judges at the tabernacle (later the temple). This created a two-tier judicial system: local courts for routine matters, central court for complex or contested cases. The journey to the sanctuary and standing "before the LORD" added solemnity meant to deter false testimony. During the monarchy period, the king sometimes served as final appeals judge (2 Samuel 15:2-4, 1 Kings 3:16-28), though this wasn't the Deuteronomic ideal.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does "standing before the LORD" reveal about the relationship between human justice and divine accountability?
  2. How should awareness of God's presence affect Christians' speech and testimony in legal or formal settings?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 15 words
וְעָֽמְד֧וּ1 of 15

“is shall stand”

H5975

to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)

שְׁנֵֽי2 of 15

“Then both”

H8147

two; also (as ordinal) twofold

הָאֲנָשִׁ֛ים3 of 15
H376

a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)

אֲשֶׁר4 of 15
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

לָהֶ֥ם5 of 15
H1992

they (only used when emphatic)

הָרִ֖יב6 of 15

“between whom the controversy”

H7379

a contest (personal or legal)

לִפְנֵ֤י7 of 15

“before”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

יְהוָ֑ה8 of 15

“the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

לִפְנֵ֤י9 of 15

“before”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙10 of 15

“the priests”

H3548

literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)

וְהַשֹּׁ֣פְטִ֔ים11 of 15

“and the judges”

H8199

to judge, i.e., pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by extenssion, to govern; passively, to litigate (literal

אֲשֶׁ֥ר12 of 15
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

יִֽהְי֖וּ13 of 15
H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

בַּיָּמִ֥ים14 of 15

“which shall be in those days”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

הָהֵֽם׃15 of 15
H1992

they (only used when emphatic)

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Deuteronomy. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Deuteronomy 19:17 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Deuteronomy 19:17 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Deuteronomy 17:9Deuteronomy 21:5Malachi 2:7

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