Commentary on Harmony of the Law Volume 2 Complete John Calvin
JOHN CALVIN
7. Keep thee far from a false matter. Since he seems to speak of perjury, which brings about the death of the innocent, some might perhaps prefer that this passage should be annexed to the Sixth Commandment; but this is easily solved; for Moses is expressly condemning false-witness, and at the same time instances one case of it, whereby it may appear how detestable a crime it is, viz., the slaying of a brother by calumny, because the false witness rather kills him with his tongue than the executioner with his sword. Although, therefore, it is a gross act of inhumanity to lie in general against one's brother, yet is its atrocity increased if he be put to death by perjury; because murder is thus combined with perfidy. A threat follows, whereby God summons false-witnesses before His tribunal, where they who have brought the good into peril by their falsehoods shall not escape with impunity.
Leviticus 19:16,17
Leviticus 19
Leviticus 19:16, 17
16. Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people;
16. Non incedes obtrectator in populis tuis, nec stabis contra sanguinem proximi tui: ego Jehova. neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor: I am the Lord.
17. Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him.
17. Corripiendo corripies proximum tuum, neque excitabis super eum crimen.
16. Thou shalt not go up and down. The principle of the second clause is the same as that of the foregoing verse, for it is added to a general precept, whereby detraction is condemned: and much more ought we to be deterred from it, whilst we acknowledge that our tongue is thus armed cruelly to shed innocent blood. Some suppose that the wordרכיל, racil, is metaphorically taken from merchants, because the tale-bearer or whisperer 169 is no less busy in hunting for false reports, which he may afterwards circulate, than the merchant is diligently bent on buying and selling. Others think that "Ceste sentence doit estre comprinse aussi bien sous les faux tesmoignages;" this declaration ought to be comprised under the head of false testimony. — Fr.