Deuteronomy 19:14

De 19:14. The Landmark Is Not to Be Removed.

14. Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark, which they of old have set in thine inheritance--The state of Palestine in regard to enclosures is very much the same now as it has always been. Though gardens and vineyards are surrounded by dry-stone walls or hedges of prickly pear, the boundaries of arable fields are marked by nothing but by a little trench, a small cairn, or a single erect stone, placed at certain intervals. It is manifest that a dishonest person could easily fill the gutter with earth, or remove these stones a few feet without much risk of detection and so enlarge his own field by a stealthy encroachment on his neighbor's. This law, then, was made to prevent such trespasses.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Verse 14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor's landmark - Before the extensive use of fences, landed property was marked out by stones or posts, set up so as to ascertain the divisions of family estates. It was easy to remove one of these landmarks, and set it in a different place; and thus the dishonest man enlarged his own estate by contracting that of his neighbor. The termini or landmarks among the Romans were held very sacred, and were at last deified. To these termini Numa Pompillus commanded offerings of broth, cakes, and firstfruits, to be made. And Ovid informs us that it was customary to sacrifice a lamb to them, and sprinkle them with its blood: - Spargitur et caeso communis terminus agno. Fast. lib. ii., ver. 655. And from Tibullus it appears that they sometimes adorned them with flowers and garlands: - Nam veneror, seu stipes habet desertus inagris, Seu vetus in trivio florida serta lap is. Eleg. lib. i., E. i., ver. 11. "Revere each antique stone bedeck'd with flowers, That bounds the field, or points the doubtful way." Grainger. It appears from Juvenal that annual oblations were made to them: - - Convallem ruris aviti Improbus, aut campum mihi si vicinus ademit, Aut sacrum effodit medio de limite saxum, Quod mea cum vetulo colult puls annua libo. Sat. xvi., ver. 36. "If any rogue vexatious suits advance Against me for my known inheritance, Enter by violence my fruitful grounds, Or take the sacred landmark from my bounds, Those bounds which, with procession and with prayer And offer'd cakes, have been my annual care." Dryden. In the digests there is a vague law, de termino moto, Digestor. lib. xlvii., Tit. 21, on which Calmet remarks that though the Romans had no determined punishment for those who removed the ancient landmarks; yet if slaves were found to have done it with an evil design, they were put to death; that persons of quality were sometimes exiled when found guilty; and that others were sentenced to pecuniary fines, or corporal punishment.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Direction is given to fix landmarks in Canaan. It is the will of God that every one should know his own; and that means should be used to hinder the doing and suffering of wrong. This, without doubt, is a moral precept, and still binding. Let every man be content with his own lot, and be just to his neighbours in all things.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain