The ninth and tenth commandments are different than the previous eight commandments.  The first eight commandments speak to our actions and behaviors towards God and man.  The last two commandments dictate policy in court for how to construe the first eight.  The ninth commandment says, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." (Ex. 20:16).  The Hebrew word for witness is ‛êd which means, "concretely a witness; abstractly testimony" (Strong's Dictionary H5707).  This word specifically refers to testimony in a court setting.  This commandment is specifically about perjury.  When we testify in court we are to bring only the truth.  A false witness is strictly forbidden.

Perjury in the Bible:

          The scripture has much to say about a false witness.  It is absolutely forbidden to speak false statements in court.  When the scripture speaks regarding a false witness it is specifically speaking about perjury in court.  Consider the following verses.  "Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.  Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:" (Ex. 23:1-2).  The context is clearly giving testimony in court.  The false report is the testimony which creates the unrighteous witness.  The end result is that you will wrest (pervert) judgment.  This is what a false witness does.  They speak lies in court to pervert judgment.  God's judicial system is to "justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked" (Deut. 25:1).  When a witness testifies falsely it corrupts the judicial system.

          The false witness can also simply be evidence.  Whatever is brought to court to bear witness is what is referred to in this commandment.  In Exodus chapter twenty-two, God gives commandments regarding the use of your neighbors animals.  If you borrow an animal and the animal is stolen, then you are responsible (Ex. 22:12).  However, if you borrow an animal and it is "torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn" (Ex. 22:12).  You might notice in this verse that the witness is the torn pieces of the animal.  A witness can be a person giving a report or it can be evidence that was brought to court.  If someone brings false evidence to court, then they are guilty of the eighth commandment or perjury.

Punishment for Perjury:

          The scripture gives a very specific punishment for perjury.  "If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;  Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;  And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;  Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.  And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you" (Deut. 19:16-20).  God's punishment for perjury is brilliant.  As is often said, the punishment shall fit the crime.  This is very true for the punishment given for perjury.  We are to do to the false witness what the punishment would have been for the person he falsely testified against.  If it was restitution of one thousand dollars, then he owed one thousand dollars to the defendant.  If it was a capital felony, then the false witness will receive the death penalty.  In fact, God takes this even a step further.  The witness is to be the one to execute the guilty party.  "At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.  The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you" (Deut. 17:6-7).  YHVH is brilliant.  If we truly instituted this punishment for perjury in America and made the witnesses execute the guilty party then perjury would stop.

Perjury in America:

          America actually keeps the ninth commandment.  We have laws on the books regarding perjury.  The problem with perjury in America is that we have the correct law, but the wrong punishment.  Title 18 of the United States Code says, "Whoever, having taken an oath before a competent tribunal, officer, or person, in any case in which a law of the United States authorizes an oath to be administered, that he will testify, declare, depose, or certify truly, or that any written testimony, declaration, deposition, or certificate by him subscribed, is true, willfully and contrary to such oath states or subscribes any material matter which he does not believe to be true; or in any declaration, certificate, verification, or statement under penalty of perjury as permitted under section 1746 of title 28, United States Code, willfully subscribes as true any material matter which he does not believe to be true; is guilty of perjury and shall, except as otherwise expressly provided by law, be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. This section is applicable whether the statement or subscription is made within or without the United States."  The law we have matches the scripture, but the punishment does not.  The punishment should match the punishment of the trial during testimony.  If we did this then perjury would disappear from America.  Here is a video to help further understand the ninth and tenth commandments.

Conclusion:

          The purpose of the ninth and tenth commandments are to establish policy in construing the previous eight commandments in court.  God gave us a law regarding how to conduct our trials in court.  We are to mandate that truth be told under oath and punish those who bear false testimony.  There is only one title of law under the ninth commandment.  This title is simply called perjury.