English Standard Version
Exodus 23:8
8And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.
Exodus 23:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
- New International Version (NIV)“Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the righteous.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe makes even a righteous person twist the truth.
Context of Exodus 23:8
6"You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his lawsuit. 7Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked. And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right. 9"You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. 10"For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield,
Read all of Exodus 23Exodus 23:8 word by word
וְשֹׁ֖חַד לֹ֣א תִקָּ֑ח כִּ֤י הַשֹּׁ֙חַד֙ יְעַוֵּ֣ר פִּקְחִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 23:8
- Deuteronomy 16:19You 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.
- 1 Samuel 8:3Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.
- 1 Samuel 12:3Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you."
- Psalms 26:10in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.
- Proverbs 15:27Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live.
- Proverbs 17:8A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.
- Proverbs 19:4Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
- Ecclesiastes 7:7Surely oppression drives the wise into madness, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
- Isaiah 1:13Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
- Isaiah 5:23who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right!
- Ezekiel 22:12In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take interest and profit and make gain of your neighbors by extortion; but me you have forgotten, declares the Lord God.
- Hosea 4:18When their drink is gone, they give themselves to whoring; their rulers dearly love shame.
- Amos 5:12For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins— you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate.
- Micah 7:3Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together.
Commentaries on Exodus 23:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Thou shalt take no gift - A strong ordinance against selling justice, which has been the disgrace and ruin of every state where it has been practiced. In the excellent charter of British liberties called Magna Charta, there is one article expressly on this head: Nulli vendemus, nulli negabimus aut differemus, rectum aut justitiam - Art. xxxiii. "To none will we sell, to none will we deny or defer, right or justice." This was the more necessary in those…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6-9Verses 6-9 Four precepts evidently addressed to those in authority as judges: (a) To do justice to the poor. Comparing Exodus 23:6 with Exodus 23:3, it was the part of the judge to defend the poor against the oppression of the rich, and the part of the witness to take care lest his feelings of natural pity should tempt him to falsify evidence. (b) To be cautious of inflicting capital punishment on one whose guilt was not clearly proved. A doubtful case…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-9This call for justice includes a mixed list of covenant requirements. Most of these requirements deal with fairness and honesty in daily life. They show how God’s people should treat others with integrity.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-331. put not thine hand--join not hands.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 23:8
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries