Amplified Bible
Deuteronomy 25:1
1“If there is a controversy between men, and they go to court, and the judges decide [the issue] between them, and they judge in favor of the innocent and condemn the guilty,
Deuteronomy 25:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.
- New International Version (NIV)When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges will decide the case, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"If there is a dispute between men and they come into court and the judges decide between them, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty,
- New King James Version (NKJV)“If there is a dispute between men, and they come to court, that the judges may judge them, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked,
Context of Deuteronomy 25:1
“If there is a controversy between men, and they go to court, and the judges decide [the issue] between them, and they judge in favor of the innocent and condemn the guilty, 2then it shall be that if the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make him lie down and be beaten in his presence with a [certain] number of stripes in proportion to his offense. 3He may have him beaten forty times, but no more. He is not to be beaten with more stripes than these and he is not to be degraded [that is, treated like an animal] in your sight.
Read all of Deuteronomy 25Deuteronomy 25:1 word by word
כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֥ה רִיב֙ בֵּ֣ין אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְנִגְּשׁ֥וּ אֶל־הַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט וּשְׁפָט֑וּם וְהִצְדִּ֙יקוּ֙ אֶת־הַצַּדִּ֔יק וְהִרְשִׁ֖יעוּ אֶת־הָרָשָֽׁע׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- If there be a controversyרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379
- between menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- and they comeנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
- unto judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941
- may judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- them; then they shall justifyצָדֵקtsâdaq · to justifyH6663
- the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
- and condemnרָשַׁעrâsha‛ · be wickedH7561
- the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 25:1
- Deuteronomy 16:18“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your cities (gates) which the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
- Deuteronomy 17:8“If any case is too difficult for you to judge—between one kind of homicide and another, between one kind of lawsuit and another, between one kind of assault and another, being controversial issues in your courts—then you shall arise and go to the place which the Lord your God chooses.
- Deuteronomy 19:17then both parties to the controversy shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who will be in office at that time.
- Exodus 23:6“You shall not pervert (bend) the justice due to your poor in his dispute.
- 2 Samuel 23:3The God of Israel, The Rock of Israel spoke to me, ‘He who rules over men righteously, Who rules in the fear of God,
- 2 Chronicles 19:6and he said to the judges, “Be careful what you do, for you do not judge for man, but for the Lord who is with you in the matter of judgment.
- Job 29:7When I went out to the gate of the city, When I took my seat [as a city father] in the square,
- Psalms 58:1Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods (heavenly beings)? Do you judge fairly, O sons of men?
- Psalms 82:2How long will you judge unjustly And show partiality to the wicked? Selah.
- Proverbs 17:15He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous Are both repulsive to the Lord.
- Proverbs 31:8Open your mouth for the mute, For the rights of all who are unfortunate and defenseless;
- Isaiah 1:17Learn to do good. Seek justice, Rebuke the ruthless, Defend the fatherless, Plead for the [rights of the] widow [in court].
- Isaiah 5:23Who justify the wicked and acquit the guilty for a bribe, And take away the rights of those who are in the right!
- Isaiah 11:4But with righteousness and justice He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the downtrodden of the earth; And He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
- Isaiah 32:1Behold, a King will reign in righteousness, And princes will rule with justice.
- Jeremiah 21:12O house of David, thus says the Lord: “Administer justice in the morning, And rescue the one who has been robbed from the hand of his oppressor, That My wrath will not roar up like fire And burn so [hotly] that none can extinguish it, Because of the evil of their deeds.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 25:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1They shall justify the righteous - This is a very important passage, and is a key to several others. The word צדק tsadak is used here precisely in the same sense in which St. Paul sometimes uses the corresponding word , not to justify or make just, but to acquit, declare innocent, to remit punishment, or give reasons why such a one should not be punished; so here the magistrates הצדיקו hitsdiku, shall acquit, the righteous - declare him innocent, because…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Render it: (1) If there be a controversy between men, and they come to judgment, and the judges judge them, and justify the righteous and condemn the wicked (compare the marginal reference. and Exodus 23:7; Proverbs 17:15); (2) then it shall be, etc. Deuteronomy 25:2 Scourging is named as a penalty in Leviticus 19:20. The beating here spoken of would be on the back with a rod or stick (compare Proverbs 10:13; Proverbs 19:29; Proverbs 26:3).Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Extent of punishment. (1-3) The ox that treadeth the corn. (4) Marriage of a brother's wife. (5-12) Of unjust weights. (13-16) War against Amalek. (17-19) Verses 1-3 Every punishment should be with solemnity, that those who see it may be filled with dread, and be warned not to offend in like manner. And though the criminals must be shamed as well as put to pain, for their warning and disgrace, yet care should be taken that they do not appear totally vile…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-192-3. if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten--In judicial sentences, which awarded punishment short of capital, scourging, like the Egyptian bastinado, was the most common form in which they were executed. The Mosaic law, however, introduced two important restrictions; namely: (1) The punishment should be inflicted in presence of the judge instead of being inflicted in private by some heartless official; and (2) The maximum amount of it should be limited…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 25:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 25
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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