Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Deceive not with thy lips – Better, wilt thou deceive with thy lips?

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Pro 24:28-29

Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause.

The nature and extent of false witness

There is nothing more dear and valuable to men than their reputation or good name. It is a mark of an abandoned spirit to have no regard to it. Men have always been very tender in preserving it in themselves, and they ought to make great conscience of taking it wrongfully from others. So much reputation is so much power, and according to mens esteem and credit in the world, so much proportionably is their influence and the weight they have in it. For the same reasons that we are obliged not to injure our neighbour in his person or property, we ought to be very tender of his good name and reputation. Then always have a just regard to truth and charity, and the benefit and advantage of the public. Our neighbour is whomsoever it happens at any time to be in our power either to injure or do kindness to; whosoever can, in any respect, become the better or the worse, or receive any hurt or any benefit, by our behaviour towards them. The word which we render deceive signifies in the original, any damage or inconvenience brought upon a man in the way of slander, calumny, backbiting, or any other injurious manner of presenting him.

I. The nature and extent of the sin here forbidden. The highest form of the sin is deliberately giving false evidence in judicial matters. Another degree of the vice is when men bear false testimony against their brethren, after a secret manner, in private conversation. Whether revenge, or anything else, be the temptation to the practice, the nature of the sin itself is of the deepest dye. There are still lower degrees of the fault. The careless and rash custom of spreading censorious reports to the disadvantage of our neighbour, without caring to inquire into the truth of the accusation. Under this head come innumerable sorts of calumny, detraction, slander, evil-speaking, backbiting, tale-bearing, rash judgment, etc.. Men in such matters are often faulty through negligence and want of care and attention. That person is a very perfect man indeed who can be continually upon his guard against this error. The lowest degree of this fault is when men are censorious towards their brethren, spreading abroad things that are true needlessly, and contrary to the laws of charity. It is a breach of Christian charity to take delight in spreading even true reports needlessly, to the damage, or disadvantage, of our neighbour.

II. Reasons or motives which ought to influence our practice in this matter. From the nature and constitution of human society there arises a strong argument why men ought to govern their words as well as actions. By injurious speech, mutual trust and good-will are destroyed, on which depends the welfare and happiness of mankind. Mischief comes to the man himself. The natural punishment of a licentious and unbridled tongue is the inconveniences it is very apt to bring, in the course of things, upon the person himself. But worse is the secret damage done to others. Slander and uncharitable defamation is a pestilence that walketh in darkness. Another motive obliging men to restrain licentious speech is the consideration of the inconsistency of it with a due sense of religion. A principal part of pure religion is that men approve themselves by a good conversation, with meekness of wisdom. Another argument against calumny is the consideration that we are ourselves subject to error. He that is infallibly secured against all errors himself, let him be as censorious as he pleases upon the mistakes of others. Our Saviour forbids this censoriousness towards others, under the penalty of being more strictly judged ourselves. (S. Clarke, D.D.)

Wrong testimony against neighbours

The verses suggest three kinds of wrong testimony.

I. A causeless one. Be not s witness against thy neighbour without cause. There are those who are, for no service, either to themselves or to society, testifying of the defects and infirmities of their neighbours.

II. A false one. And deceive not with thy lips.

III. A revengeful one. Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work. (Homilist.)

Revenging injuries

These words are a direct prohibition of revenging injuries and recompensing evil for evil, and give us a rule of duty in ease of wrong done to us.

I. Was revenge allowed to the jews? In Lev 19:18 it is said, Thou shalt not avenge or bear any grudge against the children of thy people. This has been taken to imply that a Jew might kill a stranger, and consequently take any inferior degree of revenge on him. But compare the injunctions respecting the treatment of the stranger in Exo 22:1-31; Exo 23:1-33; Lev 19:9-10; Deu 10:1-22, etc. As to the retaliation granted (Exo 21:24), this allowance was not made to the party injured, so that he might satisfy and distribute justice to himself; but to the judge, so that he might allot compensation for the wrong done.

II. Enforce the great duty of forgiveness.

1. From the reasonableness of this duty in itself. Reasonable men must allow its force and truth. By corrupt and undisciplined natures only is revenge counted as a mark of a noble and brave spirit. But it is a sign of superiority of mind to forgive the trespass. We ought to make our forgiveness as useful to the trespasser as possibly we can. Prudence should arrest the forwardness of charity in granting pardons.

2. The great weight our Saviour lays upon our forgiving others, in order to our title to our own forgiveness. There is no proportion in number betwixt our offences against God and those of the most offensive of our brethren against us.

3. We have great reason to forgive them, because of the good use and advantage we may make of our enemies. Charity is the greatest manager in the world.

III. Mistakes which mislead men in their judgments concerning their own forgiveness.

1. The mistake of those who think they have paid a fair obedience to the law of charity, when they strike the offender only with the impartial hand of that of the law.

2. The mistake of those who think they may consign the trespasser to the judgment of God.

3. The mistake of judging the truth of our forgiveness on a principle of sloth. Some men are too ready to move themselves to resentment.

4. The mistake of thinking we have forgiven, when the fact is that the impressions have only worn off our minds. This is forgetting, not forgiving, since forgiveness is properly our own work, and not one of time. (George Wallis, D.D.)

Retaliation repudiated

An incident well worth relating is told of General Robert Lee, the Confederate officer during the American Civil War. Jefferson Davis once asked him what he thought of a certain officer in the army, as he had an important place he wanted filled by a trustworthy man. Lee gave the officer an excellent recommendation, and he was immediately promoted to the position. Some of Lees friends told him that the officer had said some very bitter things against him, and were surprised at the Generals recommendation. I was not asked, said Lee, for the officers opinion of me, but my opinion of him. Only a noble heart could prompt such action. In praying, we are told to love our enemies, but in our every-day life we too often love only those who love us.

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 28. Be not a witness] Do not be forward to offer thyself to bear testimony against a neighbour, in a matter which may prejudice him, where the essential claims of justice do not require such interference; and especially do not do this in a spirit of revenge, because he has injured thee before.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Be not a witness against thy neighbour, either in judgment or in private conversation, without cause; rashly or falsely, without just and sufficient cause.

Deceive not neither thy neighbour, to whom thou hast made a show of friendship, nor the judge, nor any other bearers, with false information. Or this clause forbids flattering him to his face, as the former forbids slandering him behind his back.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

28. Do not speak even truthneedlessly against any, and never falsehood.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause,…. Unless forced unto it, except there is some urgent reason for it; not upon any trivial account, or in any frivolous matter; never appear forward and eager to bear witness against him, and, whenever obliged to it, be not a false witness, but speak truth, whether thy neighbour be a friend or a foe;

and deceive [not] with thy lips; by bearing a false testimony, the judge, thy neighbour and thyself; for though men may be deceived, God cannot: or, shouldest thou do so, “thou wouldest break” and cut him to pieces “with thy lips” x; which is the sense of the words according to R. Judah, as Ben Melech relates.

x “et ne atteras labiis tuis”, Vatablus; “et ne comminuas eum labiis tuis”, Syriac version.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Warning against unnecessary witnessing to the disadvantage of another:

Never be a causeless witness against thy neighbour;

And shouldest thou use deceit with thy lips?

The phrase does not mean a witness who appears against his neighbour without knowledge of the facts of the case, but one who has no substantial reason for his giving of testimony; means groundless, with reference to the occasion and motive, Pro 3:30; Pro 23:29; Pro 26:2. Other designations stood for false witnesses (lxx, Syr., Targ.). Rightly Jerome, the Venet., and Luther, without, however, rendering the gen. connection , as it might have been by the adj.

In 28b, Chajg derives from , to break in pieces, to crumble; for he remarks it might stand, with the passing over of into , for [and thou wilt whisper]. But the ancients had no acquaintance with the laws of sound, and therefore with naive arbitrariness regarded all as possible; and Bttcher, indeed, maintains that the Hiphil of may be as well as ; but the former of these forms with could only be metaplastically possible, and would be ( vid., Hitzig under Jer 11:20). And what can this Hiph. of mean? “To crumble” one’s neighbours (Chajg) is an unheard of expression; and the meanings, to throw out crumbs, viz., crumbs of words (Bttcher), or to speak with a broken, subdued voice (Hitzig), are extracted from the rare Arab. fatafit ( fatafit ), for which the lexicographers note the meaning of a secret, moaning sound. When we see standing along with , then before all we are led to think of [to open], Pro 20:19; Ps. 73:36. But we stumble at the interrog. , which nowhere else appears connected with . Ewald therefore purposes to read [and will open wide] (lxx ): “that thou usest treachery with thy lips;” but from , to make wide open, Gen 9:27, “to use treachery” is, only for the flight of imagination, not too wide a distance. On , et num , one need not stumble; , 2Sa 15:35, shows that the connection of a question by means of is not inadmissible; Ewald himself takes notice that in the Arab. the connection of the interrogatives ‘a and hal with w and f is quite common;

(Note: We use the forms awa , aba , athumm , for we suppose the interrogative to the copula; we also say fahad , vid., Mufassal , p. 941.)

and thus he reaches the explanation: wilt thou befool then by thy lips, i.e., pollute by deceit, by inconsiderate, wanton testimony against others? This is the right explanation, which Ewald hesitates about only from the fact that the interrog. comes in between the consec. and its perf., a thing which is elsewhere unheard of. But this difficulty is removed by the syntactic observation, that the perf. after interrogatives has often the modal colouring of a conj. or optative, e.g., after the interrog. pronoun, Gen 21:7, quis dixerit , and after the interrogative particle, as here and at 2Ki 20:9, iveritne , where it is to be supplied ( vid., at Isa 38:8). Thus: et num persuaseris ( deceperis ) labiis tuis , and shouldest thou practise slander with thy lips, for thou bringest thy neighbour, without need, by thy uncalled for rashness, into disrepute? “It is a question, al’nakar (cf. Pro 23:5), for which ‘a (not hal ), in the usual Arab. interrogative: how, thou wouldest? one then permits the inquirer to draw the negative answer: “No, I will not do it” (Fleischer).

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

      28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.   29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

      We are here forbidden to be in any thing injurious to our neighbour, particularly in and by the forms of law, either, 1. As a witness: “Never bear a testimony against any man without cause, unless what thou sayest thou knowest to be punctually true and thou hast a clear call to testify it. Never bear a false testimony against any one;” for it follows, “Deceive not with thy lips; deceive not the judge and jury, deceive not those whom thou conversest with, into an ill opinion of thy neighbour. When thou speakest of thy neighbour do not only speak that which is true, but take heed lest, in the manner of thy speaking, thou insinuate any thing that is otherwise and so shouldst deceive by innuendos or hyperboles.” Or, 2. As a plaintiff or prosecutor. If there be occasion to bring an action or information against thy neighbour, let it not be from a spirit of revenge. “Say not, I am resolved I will be even with him: I will do so to him as he had done to me.” Even a righteous cause becomes unrighteous when it is thus prosecuted with malice. Say not, I will render to the man according to his work, and make him pay dearly for it; for it is God’s prerogative to do so, and we must leave it to him, and not step into his throne, or take his work out of his hands. If we will needs be our own carvers, and judges in our own cause, we forfeit the benefit of an appeal to God’s tribunal; therefore we must not avenge ourselves, because he has said, Vengeance is mine.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

False Accusations and Vengeance

Verse 28 forbids false accusations against another as Exo 20:16; Exo 23:1 do also. Pro 19:5 emphasizes that such shall not go unpunished.

Verse 29 warns against seeking vengeance or repaying evil with evil. Such is to be left to the LORD (Pro 20:22) who has reserved to Himself the matter of proper recompense, Deu 19:16-21; Deu 32:25-26; Rom 12:17; Rom 12:19. The proper attitude for the falsely accused is stated in Mat 5:43-44; Rom 12:20-21.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 24:28-29

AN UNCALLED-FOR TESTIMONY

I. There are times and circumstances in which it is our duty to witness against our neighbour. When the interests of right and truth are at stake, it is wrong for any man to be silent when by declaring what he knows, he could establish those interests, even although by so doing he brings punishment upon a fellow-man. It is often indispensable to the safety of innocent people that the wrong-doer should be exposed and brought to justice, and every man in such a case is not only blameless when he witnesses against such a neighbour, but blameworthy when he does not do so. This is not witnessing against him without cause, for there is a good and sufficient reason for the action.

II. Such witness-bearing is of quite a different character from that which springs from malice. There are men in society who seem to live like beasts of prey. As the lion or the tiger is ever watching his opportunity to spring upon some defenceless creature at an unguarded moment, so these men seem to make it their business to watch their fellow-creatures for opportunities to injure their reputation and mangle their character. And in a world of faulty human beings, it is not difficult for such men to find food for their malicious appetites, without transgressing the limits of truth. In most men there is enough imperfection, and in many of actual sin, to render it easy to make out a case against them. But if no actual good can come to anybody by exposing their failings, much harm will come to the man who thus bears witness against them without a cause. The evil tendencies of his own evil nature will be strengthened by the act, and he will be exposing himself to the danger of having a causeless testimony borne against himself in his turn.

III. There are circumstances in which there is a strong temptation to bear a causeless testimony. It is against this temptation that the proverb is especially directed. When a man has spoken evil of us without cause, when he has made public some hidden infirmity, or some secret fall, there is a great temptation to retaliate if opportunity offersto tell what we know about him that will lower him in the estimation of his fellow-men. But this temptation must be resisted, both for our own sake and for his, and for this reason among others, that we are in the worst possible condition for bearing a truthful testimony. A man under the influence of intoxicating drink would be altogether unfit to bear witness for or against another. But the passion of revenge is as intoxicating to the human soul as the most potent liquor is to the human brain. It distorts the judgment, and dethrones the reason, and tramples under foot all the noblest emotions of our nature. A man under its sway would be very unlikely to be just to the object to whom he sought to return evil for evil; nay, he would be unable to confine himself within the limits of strict truth and pure justice. And, therefore, one who has wronged us is the man above all other men of whose faults we should never speak, unless there is an overwhelming moral necessity for it.

OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS

Pro. 24:28. And mayhap, deceive with thy lips. This is expressed by a little particle before the verb. It helps in the ancillary thought, that not only is speaking evil wicked if it can do no good, but also it may prove actually unjust. All statement has a hazard of mistake. If it can do some good, we may risk something so as to witness; but if there can be no good, we should risk nothing.Miller.

Pro. 24:29. It is a great wickedness, when God is made a pattern for wickedness; and it is a strong temptation to wickedness, when the example of the Lord seemeth to countenance that which is proposed to be done. It is therefore against this that the wise man adviseth in this verse. For though God say, I will render to everyone according to his works, thou mayest not say, I will render to the man according to his works. God speaketh as a Judge to whom it belongeth to consider the works of everyone, and accordingly to reward them; but no man may be a judge in his own cause, no particular man may do that for himself which a judge may do for him. Wherefore it is a bad imitation thus to imitate the Lord, for we are not to do all things that the Lord doth, but all things that the Lord commandeth us to do.Jermin.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

(28) Without causei.e., do not mention thy neighbours faults unless for some good reason, not for malice or love of gossip.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

28, 29. Be not a witness without cause The sense is: Do not be forward to accuse or bear witness against thy neighbour, where the claims of justice do not require it; nor deceive others into a false opinion of him by evil insinuations: especially beware of doing so in revenge for his former misdeeds against thyself. Compare Pro 20:22; Pro 23:29.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

v. 28. Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause, without reason and need, out of pure animosity; and deceive not with thy lips, rather in the form of a question, “And shouldest thou practice deception with thy lips?” a very emphatic way of reproving such an intention.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Pro 24:28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive [not] with thy lips.

Ver. 28. Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause. ] That is, Without calling, being not thereunto required; for this would speak thee spiteful, rash, and revengeful, as in the next verse.

And deceive not with thy lips. ] When called to be a witness, speak thy mind simply and plainly, without preface or passion, a without varnish of fine words, whereby to mislead the judge, or deceive the jurors, to bolster out a bad cause, or outface a good.

a .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

deceive. Hebrew. pathah. See note on Pro 11:18.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Pro 24:28-29

Pro 24:28-29

“Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; And deceive not with thy lips. Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.”

These verses are related, both of them dealing with one’s relations with a neighbor. Pro 24:28 means that one should not witness against a neighbor “for spite”; and Pro 24:29 warns against taking vengeful action against a neighbor for some alleged grievance. (Rom 12:19).

Pro 24:28. To do this would make one a false witness, one who lies. The 9th Commandment forbad this (Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor, Exo 20:16) as does Eph 4:25 (Putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor). Oh, how wicked to use ones lips purposely to deceive others, who will believe what is being said and which will result in needless grief, sorrow, and loss to the one being lied about! God did not give man the gift of speech for this purpose.

Pro 24:29. Far too many people when wronged respond with an immediate desire to get even; they can think only of retaliation. But the Bible brings out that God, the Judge, will bring any retaliation that is to be brought; consequently, He commands us not to take vengeance ourselves: Say not thou, I will recompense evil: Wait for Jehovah, and he will save thee (Pro 20:22); Render to no man evil for evil…Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord (Rom 12:17-19). Instead, Jesus rule was: All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them (Mat 7:12).

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

not: Pro 14:5, Pro 19:5, Pro 19:9, Pro 21:28, Exo 20:16, Exo 23:1, 1Sa 22:9, 1Sa 22:10, 1Ki 21:9-13, Job 2:3, Psa 35:7, Psa 35:11, Psa 52:1, *title Mat 26:59, Mat 26:60, Mat 27:23, Joh 15:25

deceive: Eph 4:25, Col 3:9, Rev 21:8, Rev 22:15

Reciprocal: Gen 34:13 – deceitfully Lev 6:2 – deceived Deu 16:19 – respect Jdg 16:10 – now tell me Pro 12:17 – but

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Pro 24:28-29. Be not witness against thy neighbour Either in judgment or in private conversation; without cause Rashly or falsely, without just and sufficient cause; and deceive not with thy lips Neither thy neighbour, nor the judge, nor any other hearers, with false information. Or, this clause forbids flattering him to his face, as the former forbids slandering him behind his back. Say not Within thyself: give not way to any such thoughts or passions; I will render, &c., according to his works I will repay him all his calumnies and injuries.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Being a witness against a neighbor means testifying against him. Keep quiet unless your testimony is necessary, and keep truthful when you do speak.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)