<P> The Hebrew Bible contains a number prohibitions of false witness , lying , spreading false reports , etc . For a person who had a charge brought against them and were brought before a religious prosecution , the charge was considered as established only on the evidence of two or three sworn witnesses . In cases where false testimony was suspected , the religious judges were to make a thorough investigation , and if false testimony were proven , the false witness was to receive the punishment he had intended to bring on the person falsely accused . For example , since murder was a capital crime , giving false testimony in a murder case was subject to the death penalty . Those eager to receive or listen to false testimony were also subject to punishment . </P>
punishment for bearing false witness in the bible
receive the punishment he had intended to bring on the person falsely accused