“Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.”
My Notes
What Does Leviticus 19:11 Mean?
"Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another." Three prohibitions in one verse — stealing, false dealing, and lying — form a triad of economic and relational integrity. The three are connected because they often operate together: theft frequently involves deception, false dealing often involves lying, and lying enables stealing. The chain of dishonesty is addressed comprehensively.
The phrase "one to another" (ish ba'amito — a man against his neighbor/companion) specifies the context: these are communal prohibitions. Not just individual ethics but social ethics. The stealing, deception, and lying that destroy community bonds are specifically targeted. The integrity of relationships depends on the absence of all three.
The placement within Leviticus 19 — the holiness code that begins with "ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy" (verse 2) — means these prohibitions are holiness requirements. Not stealing isn't just ethical. It's holy. Truthfulness isn't just good behavior. It's participation in God's character.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How are stealing, false dealing, and lying connected in your experience?
- 2.What does placing these commands in the holiness code change about your motivation for integrity?
- 3.Where might you be 'dealing falsely' — not stealing outright but operating with deception?
- 4.What would three daily no's (no stealing, no false dealing, no lying) produce in your community?
Devotional
Don't steal. Don't deal falsely. Don't lie to each other. Three commands. One principle: integrity in every dimension of community life.
The three are linked because they form a chain: lying enables false dealing, and false dealing enables stealing. The theft that looks sudden was prepared by the deception that preceded it. The fraud that seems isolated was built on the lies that supported it. Address any one without the others and the chain remains functional.
The 'one to another' makes this personal: your neighbor, your colleague, your friend, the person you interact with daily. Not the stranger you'll never see again. The person in your community. The one whose trust you carry. The one who believes what you say and transacts based on your word. That's the person you're commanded not to deceive.
The holiness context — these commands appear in the 'be holy as I am holy' chapter — elevates the prohibitions beyond ethics into theology. Not stealing isn't just being a good citizen. It's being like God. Not lying isn't just being trustworthy. It's participating in the character of a God who IS truth. The integrity commanded isn't moral achievement. It's holiness — living the way God lives.
Three checks for your day: did I steal anything (time, credit, resources)? Did I deal falsely (misrepresent, deceive in business)? Did I lie to anyone (even small, even 'harmless')? Three no's make a holy day.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Ye shall not steal,.... Which is the eighth command; See Gill on Exo 20:15; though Jarchi thinks something different…
Lev 19:11 forbids injuries perpetrated by craft; Lev 19:13, those perpetrated by violence or power, the conversion of…
Ye shall not steal, etc. - See the notes on Exo 20:15.
We are taught here,
I. To be honest and true in all our dealings, Lev 19:11. God, who has appointed every man's property…
Precepts analogous to those in the Decalogue and expressed in 2nd pers. plur. (except the last).
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture