God’s Word Translation
Exodus 23:2
2Never follow a crowd in doing wrong. When you testify in court, don’t side with the majority 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⌞The Lord continued,⌟ “Never spread false rumors. Don’t join forces with wicked people by giving false testimony. Never follow a crowd in doing wrong. When you testify in court, don’t side with the majority to pervert justice. 3Never give special favors to poor people in court. 4“Whenever you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering loose, be sure to take it back 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 coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. They said to him, “We don’t know what has happened to this Moses, who led us out of Egypt. Make gods who will lead us.”
- Genesis 6:12God saw the world and how corrupt it was because all people on earth lived evil lives.
- Genesis 7:1The Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ship with your whole family because I have seen that you alone are righteous among the people of today.
- Genesis 19:4Before they had gone to bed, all the young and old male citizens of Sodom surrounded the house.
- Numbers 14:1Then all the people in the Israelite community raised their voices and cried out loud all that night.
- Joshua 24:15But if you don’t want to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Even if you choose the gods your ancestors served on the other side of the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live, my family and I will still serve the Lord.”
- 1 Samuel 15:9Saul and the army spared Agag and the best sheep and cows, the fattened animals, the lambs, and all the best ⌞property⌟. The army refused to claim them for God by destroying them. But everything that was worthless and weak the army did claim for God and destroy.
- 1 Kings 19:10He answered, “Lord God of Armies, I have eagerly served you. The Israelites have abandoned your promises, torn down your altars, and executed your prophets. I’m the only one left, and they’re trying to take my life.”
- Job 31:34because I dreaded the large, noisy crowd and because the contempt of the ⌞local⌟ mobs terrified me so that I kept quiet and didn’t go outside….
- Proverbs 1:10My son, if sinners lure you, do not go along.
- Proverbs 4:14Do not stray onto the path of wicked people. Do not walk in the way of evil people.
- Matthew 27:24Pilate saw that he was not getting anywhere. Instead, a riot was breaking out. So Pilate took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. He said, “I won’t be guilty of killing this man. Do what you want!”
- Mark 15:15Pilate wanted to satisfy the people, so he freed Barabbas for them. But he had Jesus whipped and handed over to be crucified.
- Luke 23:23But the crowd pressured Pilate. They shouted that Jesus had to be crucified, and they finally won.
- John 7:50One of those Pharisees was Nicodemus, who had previously visited Jesus. Nicodemus asked them,
- Acts 24:27Two years passed. Then Porcius Festus took Felix’s place. (Since 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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