The Meaning of Exodus 20:16 Explained

Exodus 20:16

KJV: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

YLT: 'Thou dost not answer against thy neighbour a false testimony.

Darby: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

ASV: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thou shalt not bear  FALSE  witness  against thy neighbour. 

What does Exodus 20:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Social order depends on truthful speech (cf. Leviticus 19:11; Colossians 3:9-10).

Context Summary

Exodus 20:1-17 - The "ten Words" Spoken At Sinai
The Law was given by the disposition of angels, through the medium of Moses. See John 1:17; Acts 7:53. It tells us, not what God is, for that is only shown in Jesus Christ, but what man should be. It combines in a concise form that moral code which is part of the nature of things, and is written on man's conscience. See Romans 2:5. Even the Fourth Commandment is deeply graven on our physical nature. These laws are mostly negative, but their positive side is stated in Matthew 5:1-48. For practical purposes this divine code consists of two divisions or tables; the first, of our duties toward God; the second, of those to man; but these are summed up in the one great law of love. See Mark 12:29-31; Romans 13:8-10 and Galatians 5:14. Our Lord Jesus stands surety for us at the bar of Sinai. By His righteousness imputed and imparted, by His obedience and death, by the gracious indwelling of His Spirit, He comes "not to destroy, but to fulfill." See Matthew 5:17; Romans 8:4. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 20

1  The ten commandments are spoken by Jehovah
18  The people are afraid, but Moses comforts them
21  Idolatry is forbidden
23  Of what sort the altar should be

What do the individual words in Exodus 20:16 mean?

Not You shall bear against your neighbor witness FALSE -
לֹֽא־ תַעֲנֶ֥ה בְרֵעֲךָ֖ עֵ֥ד שָֽׁקֶר ס

תַעֲנֶ֥ה  You  shall  bear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
בְרֵעֲךָ֖  against  your  neighbor 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: רֵעַ  
Sense: friend, companion, fellow, another person.
עֵ֥ד  witness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֵד  
Sense: witness.
שָֽׁקֶר  FALSE 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁקֶר  
Sense: lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation