John Calvin Commentary Deuteronomy 19:14

"Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor`s landmark, which they of old time have set, in thine inheritance which thou shalt inherit, in the land that Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess it." — Deuteronomy 19:14 (ASV)

A kind of theft is condemned here that is severely punished by the laws of Rome.¹⁰⁵ For everyone’s property to be secure, it is necessary that the landmarks set up for the division of fields should remain untouched, as if they were sacred.

Whoever fraudulently removes a landmark is already convicted by this very act, because he disturbs the lawful owner in his quiet possession of the land.¹⁰⁶ While the one who advances the boundaries of his own land further to his neighbor’s loss doubles the crime by the deceptive concealment of his theft, from this we also gather that thieves are not only those who actually carry away their neighbor’s property, who take his money out of his chest, or who pillage his cellars and granaries, but also those who unjustly take possession of his land.

¹⁰⁵ “In the digests there is a vague law, de termino moto, , Digestor. Lib. 47. tit. 21, on which Calmer remarks, that, though the Romans had no determined punishment for those who removed the ancient land-marks, yet, if . Lib. 47. tit. 21, on which Calmer remarks, that, though the Romans had no determined punishment for those who removed the ancient land-marks, 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 primary fines, or corporal punishment. — Adam Clarke, 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 primary fines, or corporal punishment. — Adam Clarke, in loco..

¹⁰⁶ “Est desia assez convaincu par ce seul acte d’avoir voulu debouter le possesseur de son champ;” is already sufficiently convicted by this act alone of having wished to deprive the possessor of his land. — Fr..