At first glance, it seems odd to include a random, singular verse on the subject of boundary markers (Deuteronomy 19:14). It doesn’t really seem to fit; the Text right before that talks about cities of refuge. Are land rights just as important?
Although I won’t presume to get into the mind of Bible writers, I do think that the Text in verse 14 is more closely connected to what comes after.
In Deuteronomy 19:15-21, there’s a mention of what happens when false witnesses come to testify about a crime. The Bible is very clear: No matter shall be established on the testimony of one witness. You need two or more to “confirm” the matter.
If it is established, however, that those witnesses lied against the accused, then whatever punishment was going to be put on the perpetrator is now laid on the heads of the accusers. If the accused faced a death sentence, then those false accusers were sentenced to death.
So, how does this apply to the argument about land rights?
Look forward to 1 Kings 21, when arguably the worst king of Israel (Ahab) tries to buy a vineyard from a man named Naboth. When he refuses to sell Ahab the land (and rightfully so), Ahab creates a monkey trial to falsely accuse Naboth of cursing God and the king.
According to Leviticus 24:15-16, anyone who is found guilty of cursing God dies by stoning. Which is exactly what happened to Naboth (1 Kings 21:11-14).
The “worthless men” in that passage get off easy. There’s no record of any kind of judgment coming down on them as a result of their treachery.
They should have been executed, however. Since their deceit was well-known (Elijah later prophesies that Ahab will die in the same place, linking those two events), they should have been carried out and executed. The fact that they were not is a blight on the justice system in Israel at that time.
There’s only one real lesson from this, which is that bearing false witness is an egregious act that ruins both the accuser and the victim, as well as God.
But it does show that sometimes unrelated passages in Scripture actually do have a deeper connection. To read deeper into Deuteronomy 19:14-21, all you have to do is read 1 Kings 21.
Who knew?