Witness
Among people with whom writing is not common the evidence of a transaction is given by some tangible memorial or significant ceremony: Abraham gave seven ewe-lambs to Abimelech as an evidence of his property in the well of Beersheba. Jacob raised a heap of stones, “the heap of witness.” as a boundary-mark between himself and Laban. (Genesis 21:30; 31:47,52) The tribes of Reuben and Gad raised an “altar” as a witness to the covenant between themselves and the rest of the nation.
Joshua set up a stone as an evidence of the allegiance promised by Israel to God. (Joshua 22:10,26,34; 24:26,27) But written evidence was by no means unknown to the Jews. Divorce was to be proved by a written document. (24:1,3) In civil contracts, at least in later times documentary evidence was required and carefully preserved. (Isaiah 8:16; Jeremiah 32:10-16) On the whole the law was very careful to provide and enforce evidence for all its infractions and all transactions bearing on them.
Among special provisions with respect to evidence are the following:
Two witnesses at least are required to establish any charge. (Numbers 35:30; 17:6; John 8:17; 2 Corinthians 13:1) comp. 1Tim 5:19 In the case of the suspected wife, evidence besides the husband’s was desired. (Numbers 5:13) The witness who withheld the truth was censured. (Leviticus 5:1) False witness was punished with the penalty due to the offence which it sought to establish. Slanderous reports and officious witness are discouraged. (Exodus 20:16; 23:1; Leviticus 18:16,18) etc.
The witnesses were the first executioners. (15:9; 17:7; Acts 7:58) In case of an animal left in charge and torn by wild beasts, the keeper was to bring the carcass in proof of the fact and disproof of his own criminality. (Exodus 22:13) According to Josephus, women and slaves were not admitted to bear testimony. In the New Testament the original notion of a witness is exhibited in the special form of one who attests his belief in the gospel by personal suffering.
Hence it is that the use of the ecclesiastical term (“martyr.” the Greek word for “witness,” has arisen.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Witness
Witness wit'-nes (nouns `edh, and `edhah, and verb `anah; martus, with all derivative words and their compounds): The word "witness" is used of inanimate things, e.g. the heap of stones testifying to the covenant between Jacob and Laban (Ge 31:44-54), and the Song of Moses. (De 31:19,21). The main use of the word is forensic, and from this use all other applications are naturally derived. Important legal agreements required the attestation of witnesses, as in the case of the purchase of property, or a betrothal (Ru 4:1-11, where we are told that the ancient form of attestation was by a man drawing off his shoe and giving it to his neighbor). ⇒See a list of verses on WITNESS in the Bible. The Mosaic Law insisted on the absolute necessity of witnesses in all cases which came before a judge, especially in criminal cases. Not only in criminal cases, but in all cases, it was necessary to have at least two witnesses to make good an accusation against a person (De 17:6; 19:15; compare Nu 35:30; Mt 18:16; Joh 8:17; 2Co 13:1; 1Ti 5:19). According to the Talmud (Pesachim 113b), if in a case of…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Witness
For 'tabernacle of witness' (nnyn Nu 17'- » 18-, 2 Ch 24« ; toO luiprvplov Ac 7" [RV in all ' testimony ']) see art. Testimony. ' Witness,' as treated in tlie present article, represents the fol- lowini; verbs and nouns: [•niv], ■"'W (lit. 'answer'); IS! and ni]/, (the latter only of things) ; LXX and NT fiaprvpiii), iiritmprvpiw, KaTafivpTvp^ia ('witness against'), Neh IS"), with 51 (Gn 44'»( » tit WIZARD WOMAN 933 Tmtisiont of the term 'testimonies' for God's laws as solemn chaives or declarations of the l>ivine ftill. r^y [lit. 'answer,' 'reapond'] has the specific sense of 'respond off a vitness,' 'testify': with 3 'for' Gn 3(M3 ; but usually against. Ex W 232, Nu 3530 (pj, ut 3" 1918- 18, 1 S 12^, 8 S li«, Is 38 &9'2, Mic 63, Jer 14?, Ru 1»» (7), Pr Zo's ; with I'jfJ H08 5» 7i», Job 168 ; with VJ5^ Dt SI" (+1^) ' a» witness 'X The testimony of at least two witnesses was required to justify a capital sentence, Dt 17' 19", Nu 35** [P]. Cf. tlie general saying 'that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established' (Mt \S", similarly 2 Co 13', He 10=* ; also the…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia