Exodus 20:16

The ninthcommandment. Against bearing false witness, primarily in a court of law, a specially common crime in the East, but also more generally by taking away the character of a neighbour by false imputations (cf. Exodus 23:1).

bear false witness lit. answer (in a forensic sense, in a court of law, Deuteronomy 19:16; Deuteronomy 19:18; Numbers 35:30 [EVV. testify, but also more generally, 1 Samuel 12:3 [-witness"], Deuteronomy 31:21 al.[-testify"]) as a false witness: Deuteronomy 5:20 has -as an empty, insincere, witness" (the word explained on v.7). For the penalty for false witness, see Deuteronomy 19:16-21. Cf. Proverbs 14:5; Proverbs 19:5; Proverbs 25:18 (same Heb. as here).