Deuteronomy 16:19

Deuteronomy 16:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
• New International Version (NIV)Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent.
• English Standard Version (ESV)You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous.
• New King James Version (NKJV)You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.

Context of Deuteronomy 16:19

17Everyone must appear with a gift as he is able, according to the blessing the LORD your God has given you. 18You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment. Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. 20Pursue justice, and justice alone, so that you may live, and you may possess the land that the LORD your God is giving you. 21Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole next to the altar you will build for the LORD your God,

Deuteronomy 16:19 word by word

לֹא־תַטֶּ֣ה מִשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹ֥א תַכִּ֖יר פָּנִ֑ים וְלֹא־תִקַּ֣ח שֹׁ֔חַד כִּ֣י הַשֹּׁ֗חַד יְעַוֵּר֙ עֵינֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽם׃Read the interlinear

• Do notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• denyנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
• justiceמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• or show partialityנָכַרnâkar · to recognizeH5234
• or show partialityפָּנֶהpânîym · face: kindnessH6440
• acceptלָקַחlâqach · to take: recieveH3947
• a bribeשֹׁ֫חַדshachad · bribeH7810
• forכִּיkîy · forH3588
• blindsעָוַר‛âvar · to blindH5786
• the eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• of the wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• and twistsסָלַףsâlaph · to pervertH5557
• the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697
• of the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 16:19

• Deuteronomy 24:17Do not deny justice to the foreigner or the fatherless, and do not take a widow’s cloak as security.
• Deuteronomy 27:19‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
• Exodus 23:2You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.
• Leviticus 19:15You must not pervert justice; you must not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the rich; you are to judge your neighbor fairly.
• 1 Samuel 8:3But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.
• 1 Samuel 12:3Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.”
• Job 31:21if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate,
• Proverbs 17:23A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
• Ecclesiastes 7:7Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
• Isaiah 1:17Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”
• Isaiah 33:15He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, who refuses gain from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears against murderous plots and shuts his eyes tightly against evil—
• Jeremiah 5:28They have grown fat and sleek, and have excelled in the deeds of the wicked. They have not taken up the cause of the fatherless, that they might prosper; nor have they defended the rights of the needy.
• Ezekiel 22:12In you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD.
• Micah 7:3Both hands are skilled at evil; the prince and the judge demand a bribe. When the powerful utters his evil desire, they all conspire together.
• Habakkuk 1:4Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.
• Zephaniah 3:3Her princes are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves, leaving nothing for the morning.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 16:19

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18-22Verses 18-22 These verses are closely connected in subject with the following chapter, and introduce certain directions for the administration of justice and the carrying on of the civil government of the people in Canaan. During the lifetime of Moses, he himself, especially inspired and guided by God, was sufficient, with the aid of the subordinate judges (compare Exodus 18:13 ff), for the duties in question. But now that Moses was to be withdrawn, and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-22Verses 18-22 Care is taken for the due administration of justice. All personal regards must be laid aside, so that right is done to all, and wrong to none. Care is taken to prevent following the idolatrous customs of the heathen. Nothing belies God more, or tends more to corrupt the minds of men, than representing and worshipping, by an image, that God, who is an almighty and eternal Spirit, present every where. Alas! even in gospel days, and under a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19show partiality: See study note on 1:16–17.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2018-20. Judges and officers shalt thou make--These last meant heralds or bailiffs, employed in executing the sentence of their superiors. in all thy gates--The gate was the place of public resort among the Israelites and other Eastern people, where business was transacted and causes decided. The Ottoman Porte derived its name from the administration of justice at its gates.Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 16:19

• Bribery
• Injustice
• Integrity
• Judge
• Justice
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Gift
• Inherit
• Atonement, Day of
• Blindness, Judicial
• Calendar
• Criticism
• Exodus, the Book of
• Face
• Genesis
• Judge

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 16

• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings