Deuteronomy 19:17

God’s presence is where his true ministers are assembled.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

17. shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, etc.] That is in the supreme court to be instituted at the One Altar, Deu_17:9. The construction is awkward and betrays expansion. Steuern. and Berth. and Marti take before the judges as alone original, as these only are mentioned in the next v., and understand the reference to be, not to the supreme court but to the newly instituted judges of Deu_16:18. But it is quite as probable that before the Lord was all that the original text of the law contained, and that the rest was added from Deu_17:9 by an editor. This is just one of the difficult cases, which in more primitive conditions were referred to some representative of the Deity and which, on the institution of the supreme court at Jerusalem, Israel was directed to take there (cp. Deu_17:8, between plea and plea, the same Heb. term as is here rendered controversy).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the judges shall make diligent inquisition,.... Into the case before them, into the nature of the evidence and proof that each witness brings for or against; so the Targum of Jonathan,"the judges shall interrogate the witness, by whom these things are said, well;''shall thoroughly examine the testimony given, and look carefully into it:

and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; it appears plainly by full evidence that he has testified a falsehood of him.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Both the men, between whom the controversy is - Not the accused and the false witness, but the plaintiff and defendant (compare Exo 23:1) who were summoned before the supreme court held, as provided in Deut. 17, at the sanctuary. The judges acted as God’s representative; to lie to them was to lie to Him.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Lord, in the tabernacle. (Menochius) --- Judges. Hence it appears evidently that the priests were to pass sentence in all difficult questions, as well in those which regarded individuals, as in those which attacked the worship of God; since the false accuser is to lose his life or limb, according as he had attempted to injure his neighbour; (ver. 21,) and the Lord ratifies their sentence. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

See Poole "Deu 17:9,12", and observe that the controversies both here and there referred to, and to be determined by the priests and judges, are only between man and man, and not doctrines of faith and manners, as the papists for their own advantage pretend.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

17. The men, between whom the controversy is — The original parties in the case, one of whom is supposed to have brought into court the false witness. But Keil thinks the accused and the false witness are the men referred to in this clause.

Before the Lord,… priests… judges — At the place appointed by Jehovah for the sanctuary, before the highest court, this judicial investigation was to be made. The crime of bearing false witness was of such grave moment that it was to be treated with the greatest solemnity.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Both the men, i.e. both parties at the bar, shall stand before the Lord; i.e. shall come to the sanctuary where Jehovah had his dwelling-place in the midst of his people, and where the supreme judges, who were his delegates and representatives, held their court. (Deu_17:9)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The two men between whom the dispute lay, the accused and the witness, were to come before Jehovah, viz., before the priests and judges who should be in those days - namely, at the place of the sanctuary, where Jehovah dwelt among His people (cf. Deu 17:9), and not before the local courts, as Knobel supposes. These judges were to investigate the case most thoroughly (cf. Deu 13:15); and if the witness had spoken lies, they were to do to him as he thought to do to his brother. The words from "behold" to "his brother" are parenthetical circumstantial clauses: "And, behold, is the witness a false witness, has he spoken a lie against his brother? Ye shall do," etc. זמם, generally to meditate evil. On Deu 19:20, see Deu 13:12.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

General Information:

Moses continues to speak to the people of Israel.

the ones between whom the controversy exists

"the ones who disagree with one another"

must stand before Yahweh, before the priests and the judges

This means the two persons must go to the sanctuary where Yahweh's presence dwells. At the sanctuary are priests and judges who have the authority to make legal decisions for Yahweh. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

stand before Yahweh, before the priests and the judges

The phrase "stand before" is an idiom. It means to go to someone with authority and let him make a legal decision about a matter. (See: Idiom)

The judges must make diligent inquiries

"The judges must work very hard to determine what happened"

then must you do to him, as he had wished to do to his brother

"then you must punish the false witness in the same way as he wanted you to punish the other man"

you will remove the evil from among you

The nominal adjective "the evil" can be stated as an adjective. AT: "you will remove the evil practice from among you" (See: Nominal Adjectives)

translationWords

priest

judge

servant

day

inquire

testimony

corrupt witness

testimony

brother

evil

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

ועמדו שני האנשים THEN BOTH THE MEN... SHALL STAND [BEFORE THE LORD] — Scripture here is referring to the witnesses, and teaches firstly that no evidence is valid when given by women, and teaches secondly that they (the witnesses) must submit their testimony while standing (Shevuot 30a; cf. Sifrei Devarim 190:1-3).

אשר להם הריב BETWEEN WHOM THE STRIFE IS — this refers to the contestants (Sanhedrin 19a).

'לפני ה BEFORE THE LORD — It should seem to them as though they are standing before the Omnipresent God, for it is said, (Psalms 82:1) “He (God) judges amongst the judges” (cf. Sifrei Devarim 190:5; Sanhedrin 6b).

אשר יהיו בימים ההם [AND THEY... SHALL STAND BEFORE... THE JUDGES] WHO SHALL BE IN THOSE DAYS — The apparently redundant words “who shall be in those days” suggest: Jephthah in his generation must be regarded as was Samuel in his generation: you must treat him with respect (Rosh Hashanah 25b; cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 17:9 and Deuteronomy 26:3).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.