Christian Standard Bible
Exodus 23:2
2“You must not follow a crowd in wrongdoing. Do not testify in a lawsuit and go along with a crowd to pervert justice.
Exodus 23:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:
- New International Version (NIV)“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd,
- English Standard Version (ESV)You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice,
- New King James Version (NKJV)You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.
Context of Exodus 23:2
1“You must not spread a false report. Do not join the wicked to be a malicious witness. “You must not follow a crowd in wrongdoing. Do not testify in a lawsuit and go along with a crowd to pervert justice. 3Do not show favoritism to a poor person in his lawsuit. 4“If you come across your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.
Read all of Exodus 23Exodus 23:2 word by word
לֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּ֖ים לְרָעֹ֑ת וְלֹא־תַעֲנֶ֣ה עַל־רִ֗ב לִנְטֹ֛ת אַחֲרֵ֥י רַבִּ֖ים לְהַטֹּֽת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 23:2
- Exodus 32:1When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Come, make gods for us who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt — we don’t know what has happened to him!”
- Genesis 6:12God saw how corrupt the earth was, for every creature had corrupted its way on the earth.
- Genesis 7:1Then the Lord said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation.
- Genesis 19:4Before they went to bed, the men of the city of Sodom, both young and old, the whole population, surrounded the house.
- Numbers 14:1Then the whole community broke into loud cries, and the people wept that night.
- Joshua 24:15But if it doesn’t please you to worship the Lord, choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship — the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living? As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord.”
- 1 Samuel 15:9Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and choice animals, as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things.
- 1 Kings 19:10He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Armies, but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are looking for me to take my life.”
- Job 31:34because I greatly feared the crowds and because the contempt of the clans terrified me, so I grew silent and would not go outside?
- Proverbs 1:10My son, if sinners entice you, don’t be persuaded.
- Proverbs 4:14Keep off the path of the wicked; don’t proceed on the way of evil ones.
- Matthew 27:24When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. See to it yourselves!”
- Mark 15:15Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them; and after having Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified.
- Luke 23:23But they kept up the pressure, demanding with loud voices that he be crucified, and their voices won out.
- John 7:50Nicodemus — the one who came to him previously and who was one of them — said to them,
- Acts 24:27After two years had passed, Porcius Festus succeeded Felix, and because Felix wanted to do the Jews a favor, he left Paul in prison.
Commentaries on Exodus 23:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil - Be singular. Singularity, if in the right, can never be criminal. So completely disgraceful is the way of sin, that if there were not a multitude walking in that way, who help to keep each other in countenance, every solitary sinner would be obliged to hide his head. But רבים rabbim, which we translate multitude, sometimes signifies the great, chiefs, or mighty ones; and is so understood by some eminent…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-3Verses 1-3 These four commands, addressed to the conscience, are illustrations of the ninth commandment, mainly in reference to the giving of evidence in legal causes. Compare 1 Kings 21:10; Acts 6:11. Exodus 23:2 This verse might be more strictly rendered, “Thou shalt not follow the many to evil; neither shalt thou bear witness in a cause so as to incline after the many to pervert justice.” Exodus 23:3 Countenance - Rather, show partiality to a man‘s…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3It is important to speak the truth, even when facing evil people, a crowd, or misguided motives (23:1, 2, 3, 7–8).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. decline--depart, deviate from the straight path of rectitude.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 23:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 23
- 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
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