Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.
Anyone who kills another person—the murderer must be put to death, but only based on the testimony of multiple witnesses. One witness alone is not enough to sentence someone to death.
This verse establishes that in cases of murder, multiple witnesses are required before someone can be executed—one person's word alone isn't enough for such a serious punishment.
📚 Historical Context
This law was given to the Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, establishing their judicial system. In ancient times, false accusations were common, so requiring multiple witnesses protected innocent people from wrongful execution. This principle became foundational to Jewish law and later influenced many legal systems.
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