And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.
If someone sins by hearing another person make an oath or curse, and they witnessed it or know about it, but they don't speak up about what they saw or heard, then they will be held responsible for their wrongdoing.
This verse teaches that if you witness wrongdoing and stay silent when you should speak up, you become accountable for that sin too.
📚 Historical Context
This law was given to the Israelites as they were establishing their community in the wilderness after leaving Egypt. In ancient Israel, witnessing oaths, curses, or wrongdoing created a moral and legal obligation to testify, especially in matters that could affect the community's relationship with God. Staying silent when one should speak truth was considered participating in the sin itself.
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