We are in chapter twenty-three of Exodus with our word for today which is actually a phrase used for the first time in the Bible. עֵ֥ד חָמָֽס malicious witness. It is used 3 times in the Old Testament. Our phrase is closely related to our word from yesterday and often seen together. We’ve already looked at חָמָס violence before. This word shows that we are not just talking about lying or giving testimony that has not weight or truth to it but that which wants to harm to do violence. This is such a strong word God uses it to describe how bad society became so much that he had to destroy it. Genesis 6:11, 13Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of חָמָֽס violence … So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with חָמָ֖סviolence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. Let’s look at our phrase starting with our chapter. Exodus 23:1-3 You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a עֵ֥ד חָמָֽסmalicious witness. You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit. Notice how God calls the one being a violent witness evil and one who perverts justice. Also notice that God knows what the truth is regardless of how many people are on the side of the violent testimony. The phrase “siding with the many” shows that is often how justice is perverted. Those with violent or malicious intent get a lot of people on their side knowing that the testimony is false. This is why God is very specific and strong in his laws against this sort of thing. Our next usage of our phrase shows how God wants this sort of thing handled. Deuteronomy 19:15-20 One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If a עֵד־חָמָ֖ס malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime, the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party. You must purge the evil from among you. The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you. Speaking the truth and honoring promises is the cement that holds society together. To tell lies in court is to undermine the very law itself, which explains why Moses required the witnesses to be the executioners in capital crimes (Deuteronomy 17:6–13). It’s one thing to lie, but quite something else to kill in order to protect your lie. God’s passion for his people to speak truth the seen throughout the Bible into the New Testament. Titus 3:1-2 Remind the people...to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. James 4:11 Do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. 1 Peter 2:1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice...and slander of every kind. I’ll close with David crying out to God in prayer when faced with those who testify against him with violent intent. We find our phrase used to describe David’s enemies persecuting him wanting to do him harm. Psalm 35:4, 11-12, 17 May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay … עֵדֵ֣י חָמָ֑סMalicious witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about. They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved. How long, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.
