Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 19:11
Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
11, 12. Precepts analogous to those in the Decalogue and expressed in 2nd pers. plur. (except the last).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Lev 19:11 forbids injuries perpetrated by craft; Lev 19:13, those perpetrated by violence or power, the conversion of might into right. In Lev 19:13 defraud should rather be, oppress.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Lev 19:11
Ye shall not steal.
Stealing discouraged
The illustrious Joseph Priestley tells us in his Memoir that he was influenced in his very earliest life by an act of his mother, who died when he was seven years old. He had returned from visiting his cousins, and had brought home a pin. Where did you get that pin from, Joseph? said his mother. I brought it from my cousins. Then, she said, it is not yours–take it back; and he was gently and lovingly, yet firmly, made to take it back. So great was the impression made on his mind that afterwards not the smallest detail of wrong could he ever think of without being influenced by the recollection of that simple admonition. Such is the influence upon the young life of all that it sees. It is the tabula rasa on which you write your words and thoughts in the deeds that are yet to come. (Dr. Richardson.)
Neither lie one to another.
Discredit gained by falsehood
When Aristotle was asked what a man could gain by telling a falsehood, he replied, Never to be credited when he tells the truth.
Truth-telling
I remember some years ago, when living in a country town in Kent, the superintendent of our Sunday School saying: We are to have an address this afternoon. Mr. Waters has asked to say a few words to us. True to hit promise he soon came into the chapel, and all eyes were on him. My dear teachers, you often think you labour in vain, but it is not so; I want to encourage you this afternoon. This last week I have met with two circumstances which have pleased me much. One day I was in my shop, when a stone came through the window. I went to the door; there were a good many boys in the road; I called out, Who broke my window? No answer. I then asked several of them, but all said, No, not me. Just then a little lad stepped up and said, I am very sorry, sir, but I did it. But how is it, my lad, that you own to it? Come in and tell me. Sir, I go to the Sunday School, and I cant tell a lie. Well done, John Rolfe, I have come here this afternoon to give you a shilling–not for breaking my window, no, no, but for speaking the truth, and practising what you hear. (Mrs. Spurgeon.)
Truth a handle to lying
A lie always needs a truth for a handle to it, else the hand would cut itself which sought to drive it home upon another. The worst lies, therefore, are those whose blade is false, but whose handle is true. (H. W. Beecher.)
Prolific lying
One sin entertained fetcheth in another; a lie especially, which being a tinkerly, blushful sin, is either denied by the liar, who is ashamed to be taken with it, or else covered by another and another lie, as we see in Jacob, who, being once over shoes will be over boots too but he will persuade his father that he is his very son Esau. (J. Trapp.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 11. Ye shall not steal, &c.] See Clarke on Ex 20:15.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Or, one against another, to the defrauding of him of any of his goods, to which kind of lying the words foregoing and following seem here to restrain it, though it be true that all sorts of lying are unlawful.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11-16. Ye shall not stealAvariety of social duties are inculcated in this passage, chiefly inreference to common and little-thought-of vices to which mankind areexceedingly prone; such as committing petty frauds, or not scruplingto violate truth in transactions of business, ridiculing bodilyinfirmities, or circulating stories to the prejudice of others. Inopposition to these bad habits, a spirit of humanity and brotherlykindness is strongly enforced.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Ye shall not steal,…. Which is the eighth command;
[See comments on Ex 20:15]; though Jarchi thinks something different from that law is here intended; that this is a caution against stealing of money, that in the decalogue against stealing of souls, or men. And it may be observed, that one is expressed in the singular number, the other in the plural, as here, and takes in more; not the actual thief only, but he that sees and is silent, who, as Aben Ezra observes, is even as the thief; and perhaps this follows upon the preceding laws, to suggest, that he that deprives the poor of the corner of the field, and of the gleaning Of the harvest and vintage, is as if he robbed; and the last mentioned writer seems to make the force of this depend on that: and Maimonides w on the above law observes, that he that put a basket under a vine, in the time of gathering grapes, robbed the poor:
neither deal falsely; in any respect defrauding and over reaching in trade and commerce, particularly not being faithful to a trust committed to them; so Aben Ezra restrains it to what is deposited with a man to keep, which he denies he ever had; and he observes, that he that knows it, and does not bear witness of it, is as he that deals falsely; and such an one, according to a former law, having sworn falsely, and, when convicted, was obliged to restore the principal, and add a fifth part, and bring a trespass offering to make atonement for his sin likewise, Le 6:2:
neither lie one to another; in common speech and conversation, in trade and business, and particularly by demanding money of a man who never had anything of him, as Aben Ezra; and who owes him nothing, and yet affirms, with a lie, that he is indebted to him, and insists on payment.
w Mattanot Anayim, c. 4. sect. 16.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. 12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. 13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. 14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD. 15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. 16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD. 17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. 18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
We are taught here,
I. To be honest and true in all our dealings, v. 11. God, who has appointed every man’s property by his providence, forbids by his law the invading of that appointment, either by downright theft, You shall not steal, or by fraudulent dealing, “You shall not cheat, or deal falsely.” Whatever we have in the world, we must see to it that it be honestly come by, for we cannot be truly rich, nor long rich, with that which is not. The God of truth, who requires truth in the heart (Ps. li. 6), requires it also in the tongue: Neither lie one to another, either in bargaining or common converse. This is one of the laws of Christianity (Col. iii. 9): Lie not one to another. Those that do not speak truth do not deserve to be told truth; those that sin by lying justly suffer by it; therefore we are forbidden to lie one to another; for, if we lie to others, we teach them to lie to us.
II. To maintain a very reverent regard to the sacred name of God (v. 12), and not to call him to be witness either, 1. To a lie: You shall not swear falsely. It is bad to tell a lie, but it is much worse to swear it. Or, 2. To a trifle, and every impertinence: Neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God, by alienating it to any other purpose than that for which it is to be religiously used.
III. Neither to take nor keep any one’s right from him, v. 13. We must not take that which is none of our own, either by fraud or robbery; nor detain that which belongs to another, particularly the wages of the hireling, let it not abide with thee all night. Let the day-labourer have his wages as soon as he has done his day’s work, if he desire it. It is a great sin to deny the payment of it, nay, to defer it, to his damage, a sin that cries to heaven for vengeance, Jam. v. 4.
IV. To be particularly tender of the credit and safety of those that cannot help themselves, v. 14. 1. The credit of the deaf: Thou shalt not curse the deaf; that is, not only those that are naturally deaf, that cannot hear at all, but also those that are absent, and at present out of hearing of the curse, and so cannot show their resentment, return the affront, nor right themselves, and those that are patient, that seem as if they heard not, and are not willing to take notice of it, as David, Ps. xxxviii. 13. Do not injure any because they are unwilling, or unable, to avenge themselves, for God sees and hears, though they do not. 2. The safety of the blind we must likewise be tender of, and not put a stumbling-block before them; for this is to add affliction to the afflicted, and to make God’s providence a servant to our malice. This prohibition implies a precept to help the blind, and remove stumbling-blocks out of their way. The Jewish writers, thinking it impossible that any should be so barbarous as to put a stumbling-block in the way of the blind, understood it figuratively, that it forbids giving bad counsel to those that are simple and easily imposed upon, by which they may be led to do something to their own prejudice. We ought to take heed of doing any thing which may occasion our weak brother to fall, Rom 14:13; 1Co 8:9. It is added, as a preservative from these sins, but fear thou God. “Thou dost not fear the deaf and blind, they cannot right themselves; but remember it is the glory of God to help the helpless, and he will plead their cause.” Note, The fear of God will restrain us from doing that which will not expose us to men’s resentments.
V. Judges and all in authority are here commanded to give verdict and judgment without partiality (v. 15); whether they were constituted judges by commission or made so in a particular case by the consent of both parties, as referees or arbitrators, they must do no wrong to either side, but, to the utmost of their skill, must go according to the rules of equity, having respect purely to the merits of the cause, and not to the characters of the person. Justice must never be perverted, either, 1. In pity to the poor: Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, Exod. xxiii. 3. Whatever may be given to a poor man as an alms, yet let nothing be awarded him as his right but what he is legally entitled to, nor let his poverty excuse him from any just punishment for a fault. Or, 2. In veneration or fear of the mighty, in whose favour judges would be most frequently biased. The Jews say, “Judges were obliged by this law to be so impartial as not to let one of the contending parties sit while the other stood, nor permit one to say what he pleased and bid the other be short; see James ii. 1-4.
VI. We are all forbidden to do any thing injurious to our neighbour’s good name (v. 16), either, 1. In common conversation: Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer. It is as bad an office as a man can put himself into to be the publisher of every man’s faults, divulging what was secret, aggravating crimes, and making the worst of every thing that was amiss, with design to blast and ruin men’s reputation, and to sow discord among neighbours. The word used for a tale-bearer signifies a pedlar, or petty chapman, the interlopers of trade; for tale-bearers pick up ill-natured stories at one house and utter them at another, and commonly barter slanders by way of exchange. See this sin condemned, Pro 11:13; Pro 20:19; Jer 9:4; Eze 22:9. Or, 2, In witness-bearing: Neither shalt thou stand as a witness against the blood of thy neighbour, if his blood be innocent, nor join in confederacy with such bloody men as those described,” Pro 1:11; Pro 1:12. The Jewish doctors put this further sense upon it: “Thou shalt not stand by and see thy brother in danger, but thou shalt come in to his relief and succour, though it be with the peril of thy own life or limb;” they add, “He that can by his testimony clear one that is accused is obliged by this law to do it;” see Pro 24:11; Pro 24:12.
VII. We are commanded to rebuke our neighbour in love (v. 17): Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour. 1. Rather rebuke him than hate him for an injury done to thyself. If we apprehend that our neighbour has any way wronged us, we must not conceive a secret grudge against him, and estrange ourselves from him, speaking to him neither bad nor good, as the manner of some is, who have the art of concealing their displeasure till they have an opportunity of a full revenge (2 Sam. xiii. 22); but we must rather give vent to our resentments with the meekness of wisdom, endeavour to convince our brother of the injury, reason the case fairly with him, and so put an end to the disgust conceived: this is the rule our Saviour gives in this case, Luke xvii. 3. 2. Therefore rebuke him for his sin against God, because thou lovest him; endeavour to bring him to repentance, that his sin may be pardoned, and he may turn from it, and it may not be suffered to lie upon him. Note, Friendly reproof is a duty we owe to one another, and we ought both to give it and take it in love. Let the righteous smite me, and it shall be a kindness, Ps. cxli. 5. Faithful and useful are those wounds of a friend,Pro 27:5; Pro 27:6. It is here strictly commanded, “Thou shalt in any wise do it, and not omit it under any pretence.” Consider, (1.) The guilt we incur by not reproving: it is construed here into a hating of our brother. We are ready to argue thus, “Such a one is a friend I love, therefore I will not make him uneasy by telling him of his faults;” but we should rather say, “therefore I will do him the kindness to tell him of them.” Love covers sin from others, but not from the sinner himself. (2.) The mischief we do by not reproving: we suffer sin upon him. Must we help the ass of an enemy that has fallen under his burden, and shall we not help the soul of a friend? Exod. xxiii. 5. And by suffering sin upon him we are in danger of bearing sin for him, as the margin reads it. If we reprove not the unfruitful works of darkness, we have fellowship with them, and become accessaries ex post facto–after the fact, Eph. v. 11. It is thy brother, thy neighbour, that is concerned; and he was a Cain that said, Am I my brother’s keeper?
VIII. We are here required to put off all malice, and to put on brotherly love, v. 18. 1. We must be ill-affected to none: Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge; to the same purport with that v. 17, Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart; for malice is murder begun. If our brother has done us an injury, we must not return it upon him, that is avenging; we must not upon every occasion upbraid him with it, that is bearing a grudge; but we must both forgive it and forget it, for thus we are forgiven of God. It is a most ill-natured thing, and the bane of friendship, to retain the resentment of affronts and injuries, and to let that word devour for ever. 2. We must be well-affected to all: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. We often wrong ourselves, but we soon forgive ourselves those wrongs, and they do not at all lessen our love to ourselves; and in like manner we should love our neighbour. Our Saviour has made this the second great commandment of the law (Matt. xxii. 39), and the apostle shows how it is the summary of all the laws of the second table, Rom 13:9; Rom 13:10; Gal 5:14. We must love our neighbour as truly as we love ourselves, and without dissimulation; we must evidence our love to our neighbour in the same way as that by which we evidence our love to ourselves, preventing his hurt, and procuring his good, to the utmost of our power. We must do to our neighbour as we would be done to ourselves (Matt. vii. 12), putting our souls into his soul’s stead,Job 16:4; Job 16:5. Nay, we must in many cases deny ourselves for the good of our neighbour, as Paul, 1 Cor. ix. 19, c. Herein the gospel goes beyond even that excellent precept of the law for Christ, by laying down his life for us, has taught us even to lay down our lives for the brethren, in some cases (1 John iii. 16), and so to love our neighbour better than ourselves.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Verses 11-13:
This text affirms the principles stated in the Third, Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Commandments (Ex 20:7, 15-17). It classifies lying, stealing, and cheating as kindred sins. In chapter 2:3 is an example of stealing by lying, see Eph 4:25; Col 3:9.
“Defraud,” ashaq, “oppress” (so translated 22 times). The meaning is more than to cheat or to wrongfully withhold. It includes the idea of oppression and wrong treatment. One way the wealthy would do this to the poor was to withhold their wages. The commandment prohibits this practice, even though it be but overnight. The day-laborer was often very poor, and lived a hand-to-mouth existence. There was a pressing and immediate need to receive his wages at the end of each day.
Jas 5:1-9 is the New Testament counterpart of this command.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
God here explains somewhat more clearly His mind and design, for He enumerates as thefts eases in which either deceit or violence is employed. The two words, which we have translated to deny, and to lie, signify also to deceive; as also to lie, or to frustrate hope. (98) There is no question, then, but that God would restrain His people from all craft, or deceit, that they may deal sincerely and honestly with each other; even as Paul wisely explains the meaning of the Holy Spirit, when he exhorts believers to
“
put away lying, and to speak every man truth with his neighbor; for we are members one of another.” (Eph 4:25.)
In the second passage, God commands men to demean themselves meekly and temperately with their neighbors, so as to abstain from all unjust oppression. The meaning which Jerome (99) and others after him, have given to the word עשק gnashak, to calumniate, is incorrect altogether; for it is everywhere used for to oppress, despoil, rob, or lay hands on the goods of another. It is clear, therefore, that as Moses had previously provided against frauds, he now prohibits the iniquity of extorting from our neighbor what we have no right to. Still, violence, or open rapine, is better expressed by the other word גזל gezal; and these (100) two words are, ill my opinion, as it were, genus and species. After he had forbidden, therefore, that they should in any way oppress their brethren and possess themselves of their goods, he at the same time adds, that they should not use violence in despoiling them unjustly. Finally, he points out one mode of unjust oppression, when a person, who has hired himself as a laborer, is defrauded of his wages, and not only if he be sent away without payment, his wages being denied him, but if payment be deferred to the morrow. For we know that hirelings generally live from hand to mouth, and therefore, if there be ever so little delay, they must go without food. Consequently, if a rich man keeps a poor and wretched individual, whose labor he has abused, in suspense, he deprives him as it were of life, in depriving him of his daily food. The sum is, that humanity is so to be cultivated that none should be oppressed, or suffer loss from default of payment.
(98) A. V. , “deal falsely, neither lie.” Ainsworth, “neither falsely deny, nor deal falsely.”
(99) A. V. , “Non facies calumniam proximo tuo, nec vi opprimes eum.” “The first of these terms signifies to oppress by fraud; the second to oppress by violence. Against both these offenses, John the Baptist warned the soldiers who came to him; Luk 3:14.” — Bush from Ainsworth.
(100) “Et a mon avis que le premier est comme genre, et le second comme espece;” and, in my opinion, that the first is, as it were, genus, and the second species. — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11) Ye shall not steal.This injunction, which forms the eighth commandment of the Decalogue (Exo. 20:15), most probably has here a primary reference to the conduct of the owners of fields and vineyards. They are cautioned that by depriving the poor of his prescribed right to the corner of the fields, and to the gleanings of the harvest and vintage, they commit theft. Hence the Jewish canonists laid it down that he who puts a basket under a vine at the time of gathering grapes robs the poor.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. Not steal Property, one of the great natural rights of man, is sacredly guarded by the eighth commandment. See Exo 20:15. “Here is a marvellous distinction of classes. That distinction is carefully preserved throughout the whole record of Scripture. At first sight, it is not only a marvelous, but an incredible thing that one man should be rich and another poor. Poverty is more than a merely incidental condition of life. There is a moral mystery about poverty, relating alike to the poor man and to the rich man. It may seem heartless to speak in this way, and it would be heartless but for the consistent record of time and testimony of experience. Here is a distinct recognition of the right of prosperity. We read of ‘thy field,’ and ‘thy vineyard,’ and ‘thy harvest.’ Yet though property is distinctly recognised, beneficence is also made matter of law. The Bible is the book of the poor. From no other book in the world could so many injunctions be culled as bearing upon the rich in relation to the claims of poverty.” Joseph Parker.
Neither deal falsely All fraud, which is not included in stealing, is forbidden. See Lev 6:2-4, notes.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Requirement For Full Honesty Towards One’s Neighbour ( Lev 19:11-13 ).
Lev 19:11
“You (p) shall not steal; neither shall you deal falsely, nor lie one to another.”
As well as generosity, honesty is required. Three aspects of honesty are in mind here, avoiding stealing, avoiding cheating and avoiding deceit. There are not many societies where people can be trusted but Israel’s was to be one of them. Avoiding stealing, and avoiding dealing falsely, reflected the eighth commandment (Exo 20:15). They were not to take other people’s property, nor to cheat them in their dealings. Not to lie to one another meant that all should be able to believe what they said (compare Psa 15:4). It was to be an open and honest society.
Lev 19:12
“And you (p) shall not swear by my name falsely, nor shall you (s) profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh.”
When called to testify on oath they were to speak truly as required by the ninth commandment (Exo 20:16), and not to bear false testimony against a neighbour, for this would profane the name of God, and He is Yahweh, the God of truth and justice. They could also profane His name by neglecting to take note of when they were ‘unclean’, by misusing the Sanctuary (21:12; Eze 22:8), by sexual misbehaviour (Lev 21:9) and by idolatry (Lev 18:21; Lev 21:5). These represent the third and ninth commandments.
Lev 19:13
“You (s) shall not oppress your neighbour, nor rob him. The wages of a hired servant shall not abide with you (s) all night until the morning.”
They were not to use their superior position or strength in order to oppress a neighbour in order to get their own way, or in order to get from him dishonestly what they wanted. And if they hired workers they were to pay them the same day. For the poor would need what they had earned immediately, and they must not take advantage of them. Thus in all their dealings they were to be fair and honest.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Lev 19:11. Ye shall not steal Theft, whose parent generally is covetousness, is here forbidden, with its certain concomitants, fraud, lying, perjury, deceit, and inhumanity.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
All these precepts explain themselves. The argument made use of for the enforcing them is striking; the LORD’S authority. Cursing the deaf, putting a stumbling block in the way of the blind; and the like; these are crimes which, perhaps, the one might not be hurt by, nor the other offended: but the LORD hears, and the LORD observes; and that is enough. And one universal feature shows what must be the consequence. 1Sa 12:5 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lev 19:11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
Ver. 11. Ye shall not steal ] See Trapp on “ Eph 4:28 “ See Trapp on “ Eph 4:25 “ See Trapp on “ Exo 20:15 “ See Trapp on “ Lev 6:3 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
shall not: Lev 6:2, Exo 20:15, Exo 20:17, Exo 22:1, Exo 22:7, Exo 22:10-12, Deu 5:19, Jer 6:13, Jer 7:9-11, Zec 5:3, Zec 5:4, Zec 8:16, Zec 8:17, 1Co 6:8-10, Eph 4:28
lie one: 1Ki 13:18, Psa 101:7, Psa 116:11, Jer 9:3-5, Act 5:3, Act 5:4, Rom 3:4, Eph 4:25, Col 3:9, 1Ti 1:10, Rev 21:8
Reciprocal: Exo 20:16 – General Exo 23:7 – far from Jos 2:17 – General Luk 3:14 – accuse 1Th 4:6 – go
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
19:11 Ye shall not steal, neither {d} deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
(d) In that which is committed to your credit.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
"The statements in the law were intended as a reliable guide with general applicability-not a technical description of all possible conditions one could imagine. . . . The ’deaf’ and the ’blind’ are merely selected examples of all persons whose physical weaknesses demand that they be respected rather than despised." [Note: G. D. Fee and D. Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth, p. 155.]
God commanded proper attitudes as well as correct actions (Lev 19:17-18; cf. Mat 18:15-17; Mat 19:19). [Note: See Luke Johnson, "The Use of Leviticus 19 in the Letter of James," Journal of Biblical Literature (1982):391-401.] Compare Lev 19:2 and Jas 4:4-5; Lev 19:13 and Jas 5:4; Lev 19:15 and Jas 2:1; Jas 2:9; Lev 19:16 and Jas 4:11; Lev 19:17 b and Jas 5:20; Lev 19:18 a and Jas 5:9; and Lev 19:18 b and Jas 2:8.
"To take the name of God in vain (KJV [Lev 19:12]) is not merely to use it as a curse word but to invoke the name of God to support an oath that is not going to be kept." [Note: Harris, p. 604.]
Lev 19:17-18 show that the Mosaic Law did not just deal with external behavior. The second part of Lev 19:17 has been interpreted in two ways. It could mean that one should rebuke his neighbor without hating him in one’s heart (NASB). This is explicitly stated in the first part of the verse. Or it could mean that one should rebuke his neighbor so that one might not become guilty of the same sin himself (NIV). This is probably the intent of the second part of the verse.
In the New Testament Lev 19:18 is quoted more often than any other verse in the Old Testament. When Jesus Christ commented on it in the Sermon on the Mount (Mat 5:43), He did not invest it with a new spiritual meaning. He corrected the Pharisees’ interpretation of it that limited it to external action. A common modern perversion of this "second greatest commandment" is that it implies that we must learn to love ourselves before we can love others. [Note: For refutation of this view, see Robert L. Thomas, Evangelical Hermeneutics, pp. 130-31.]