Exodus 20:16
“You do not bear FALSE WITNESS against your neighbor.”
Exodus 23:1-2
“Do not bring a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be a MALICIOUS WITNESS. Do not follow a crowd to do evil, nor BEAR FALSE WITNESS in a strife so as to turn aside after many, to pervert.”
Mathew 5:37
“But let your word ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No’. And what goes beyond these is from the wicked one.”
Our words are supposed to be truth and reliable no matter what, because lying is not even an option in the eyes of YHWH. This is the reason why YHWH hates false witnesses so much because your testimony and words are supposed to be truthful. If you lie you will condemn an innocent man or woman. The person bearing false witness does a lot damage with their lying tongue, which we see in court rooms when people lie under oath and bearing false witness to save a family member or to get themselves out of a crime. The courts are based on YHWH’s principle of being true to your word.
Mathew 18:16
“But if he does not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word might be established.’
2 Corinthians 13:1
“This is the third time I am coming to you. “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.”
Other Scriptures proving YHWH hates lies and false witnesses!
Proverbs 6:16-19
“These six YHWH hates, and seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a LYING TONGUE, and hands shedding innocent blood, a heart devising wicked schemes, feet quick to run to evil, A FALSE WITNESS breathing out lies, and one who causes strife among brothers.”
Proverbs 12:17
“He who speaks truth declares righteousness, but a FALSE WITNESS, deceit.”
Proverbs 12:22
“Lying lips are an abomination to YHWH…”
Revelation 22:15
“But outside are the dogs and those who enchant with drugs, and those who whore, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and all who love and do FALSEHOOD.”
Sirach 7:12-13
“Do not plan a lie against a brother; neither do likewise to your friend. REFUSE TO MAKE ANY MANNER OF A LIE; for the way of this is not good.”
Mathew 26:59-61
“And the chief priest, and the elders, and all the council were seeking FALSE WITNESS against YESHUA to put Him to death, but found none. Although many FALSE WITNESSES came forward, they found none. But at last TWO FALSE WITNESSES came forward, and said, “This one said, I am able to destroy the Tabernacle of ELOHIM and to build it in three days.”
Shoshanna in Apocrypha (Included in 1611 KJV)
This event recorded in the Apocrypha covers what happens when people lie and bear false witness against someone just like they did with YESHUA!
Shoshanna 1:1-64
“There dwelt a man in Babel, called Yoyaqim, and he took a wife, whose name was Shoshanna, the daughter of Hilqiyahu, a very lovely woman, and one that revered YHWH. Her parents were also righteous, and taught their daughter according to the Torah of Moses. Now Yoyaqim was a very wealthy man, and had a lovely garden adjoining his house, and the Jews came to him because he was more esteemed than all others. The same year two of the elders of the people were appointed to be judges, of whom YHWH said, “Wickedness came from Babel from elders who were judges, who were supposed to govern the people.” These were often at Yoyaqim’s house, and all that had any matter of law came to them.”
“Now when the people departed at noon, Shoshanna went into her husband’s garden to walk. And the two elders saw her going in every day, and walking, therefore their lust was inflamed toward her. And they perverted their own mind, and turned away their eyes, that they might NOT look to the heavens, NOR remember righteous Right-Rulings. And although they both were smitten with her love, they dared not show one another his grief, for they were ashamed to admit their lust that they desired to have to do with her. Even so, they watched diligently from day to day to see her. And the one said to the other, “Let us now go home, for it is mealtime.” So when they were gone out, they parted from one another, but turning back again they came to the same place. And after that they had asked one another the cause, they acknowledged their lust.
“They the both appointed a time together, when they might find her alone. And it came to be, as they watched for an opportune time, she went in as before with only two female servants, and she desired to wash herself in the garden, for it was hot. And there was no one there except the two elders, that had hidden themselves, watching her. Then she said to her female servants, “Bring me oil and washing balm, and shut the garden doors, that I may wash myself.” And they did as she asked them, and shut the garden doors, and went out themselves at private doors to fetch that which she had commanded them; but they did not see the elders, because they were hidden. Now when the female servants had gone out, the two elders rose up, and ran to her, saying, “See, the garden doors are shut, so that no one sees us, and we are in love with you; therefore consent to us, and lie with us. If you shall not, we shall WITNESS AGAINST YOU, that a young man was with you, and that is why you sent away your female servants from you.”
Then Shoshanna sighed, and said, “I am trapped on every side; for if I do this deed, it is death unto me; and if I do not do it I cannot escape your hands. It is better for me to fall into your hands, and not do it, than to sin in the sight of YHWH.” With that Shoshanna cried with a loud voice, and the two elders cried out against her. Then the one ran, and opened the garden door. So when the servants of the house heard the cry in the garden, they rushed in at the private door, to see what was done to her. But when the elders had spoken their words, the servants were greatly ashamed, for there was never such a report made of Shoshanna. And it came to be the next day, when the people were assembled to her husband Yoyaqim, the two elders also came full of evil intentions against Shoshanna TO PUT HER TO DEATH, and said before the people, “Send for Shoshanna, the daughter of Hilqiyahu, Yoyaqim’s wife.” And so they sent.
So she came with her dad and mother, her children, and all her relatives. Now Shoshanna was a very delicate woman, and lovely to look at. And these wicked men commanded to uncover her face-for she was covered-that they might be filled with her loveliness. Therefore her friends and all that saw her wept. Then the two elders stood up in the midst of the people, and laid their hands upon her head. And she, weeping, looked up toward the heavens, for her heart trusted in YHWH. And the elders said, “As we walked in the garden alone, this woman came in with two female servants, and shut the garden doors, and sent the female servants away. Then a young man, who was hid there, came to her, and lay with her! Then we that stood in a corner of the garden, seeing this wickedness, ran toward them. And when we saw them together we could not hold the man, for he was stronger than we, and opened the door, and leaped out. But having taken this woman, we asked who the young man was, but she would not tell us! These matters we do WITNESS.”
I would just like to note that these two elders had mastered the art of lying, because they knew that the Torah states that if a man and woman are committing adultery that BOTH the man and the woman must be stoned to death; therefore, they covered their bases by saying the young man was too strong for them and got away. Similarly to the Pharisees trying YESHUA about the adulteress they brought to Him by bringing the woman only and not the man.
Deuteronomy 22:22
“When a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then BOTH OF THEM shall die, BOTH THE MAN THAT LAY WITH THE WOMAN, AND THE WOMAN. Thus you shall purge the evil from Yisra’el.”
Back to Shoshanna:
Then the assembly believed them, as they were the elders of the judges (position of power) of the people; so they CONDEMED HER TO DEATH. Then Shoshanna cried out with a loud voice, and said, “O everlasting ELOHIM, who knows the secrets, and knows all before they come to be. You know that they have born FALSE WITNESS AGAINST ME, and, see, I must die; whereas I never did such matters as these men have maliciously devised against me! And YHWH heard her voice. Therefore when she was led to be put to death, YHWH raised up the holy spirit of a young man whose name was Daniel, who cried out with a loud voice, “I am clear from the blood of this woman!” then all the people turned toward him, and said, “What do you mean by these words that you have spoken?” So he, standing in the midst of them said, “Are you such fools, you sons of Yisra’el, that without examination or knowledge of the truth you have condemned a daughter of Yisra’el? Return again to the place of judgment, for they have BORN FALSE WITNESS AGAINST HER.”
“Therefore all the people turned again in haste, and the elders said to him, “Come, sit down among us, and show us, seeing ELOHIM has given you the esteem of an elder.’ Then Daniel said to them, “Put these two aside, one far from another, and I shall examine them.” So when they were put apart, one from another, he called one of them, and said to him, “O you that have grown old in wickedness, now your sins which you have committed previously have come to light. For you have pronounced FALSE judgment and have condemned the innocent and have let the guilty go free; although YHWH says, ‘The innocent and righteous shall not slay.’ Now then, if you have seen her, tell me under what tree you saw them joining together? Who answered, “Under a mastic tree.” And Daniel said, “Very well. You have LIED against your own head. For even now the messenger of ELOHIM has received the sentence of ELOHIM to cut you in two. So he put him aside, and commanded to bring the other, and said to him, “O you seed of Canaan, and not of Judah, loveliness has deceived you, and lust has perverted your heart. Thus have you dealt with the daughters of Yisra’el, and they for fear joined with you. But the daughter of Judah would not abide your wickedness.”
Now therefore tell me, under what tree did you catch them joining together? Who answered, “Under an evergreen tree.” Then Daniel said to him, “Very well. You have also LIED against your own head. For the messenger of ELOHIM waits with the sword to cut you in two, that he may destroy you.” With that, all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and praised ELOHIM, who saves those who trust in Him. And they rose up against the two elders, for Daniel convicted them of FALSE WITNESS by their own mouth. And according to the Torah of Moses, they did to them such as they had maliciously intended to do to their neighbor, and they put them to death. Thus the innocent blood was saved that very day. Therefore Hilqiyahu and his wife praised ELOHIM for their daughter Shoshanna, with Yoyaqim her husband, and all their relatives, because there was no dishonesty found in her. From that day onward, Daniel was held in high regard in the sight of the people.”
What happened to Shoshanna is a perfect example of what can happen when people bear false witness against someone, which could cost them their life or put them in jail for life for a crime they never committed. This is serious and we can why YHWH says do not bear false witness. However, those who trust in YHWH will never be put to shame.
All praises be to our Father YHWH and His Son YESHUA and may our ELOHIM of Yisra’el bless you all.