God’s Word Translation
Exodus 23:6
6“Never deny justice to poor people in court.
Exodus 23:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
- New International Version (NIV)“Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his lawsuit.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“You shall not pervert the judgment of your poor in his dispute.
Context of Exodus 23:6
4“Whenever you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering loose, be sure to take it back to him. 5Whenever you see that the donkey of someone who hates you has collapsed under its load, don’t leave it there. Be sure to help him with his animal. “Never deny justice to poor people in court. 7Avoid telling lies. Don’t kill innocent or honest people, because I will never declare guilty people innocent. 8Never take a bribe, because bribes blind those who can see and deny justice to those who are in the right.
Read all of Exodus 23Exodus 23:6 word by word
לֹ֥א תַטֶּ֛ה מִשְׁפַּ֥ט אֶבְיֹנְךָ֖ בְּרִיבֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 23:6
- Exodus 23:2Never follow a crowd in doing wrong. When you testify in court, don’t side with the majority to pervert justice.
- Deuteronomy 16:19Never pervert justice. Instead, be impartial. Never take a bribe, because bribes blind wise people and deny justice to those who are in the right.
- Deuteronomy 27:19“Whoever deprives foreigners, orphans, or widows of justice will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
- 2 Chronicles 19:7May you have the fear of the Lord in you. Be careful about what you do. The Lord our God is never unjust. He is impartial and never takes bribes.”
- Job 31:13“If I have abused the rights of my servants, male or female, when they have disagreed with me,
- Psalms 82:3Defend weak people and orphans. Protect the rights of the oppressed and the poor.
- Ecclesiastes 5:8Don’t be surprised if you see poor people being oppressed, denied justice, or denied their rights in any district. One authority is watching over another, and they both have authorities watching over them.
- Isaiah 10:1How horrible it will be for those who make unjust laws and who make oppressive regulations.
- Jeremiah 5:28They grow big and fat. Their evil deeds have no limits. They have no respect for the rights of others. They have no respect for the rights of orphans. But they still prosper. They don’t defend the rights of the poor.
- Jeremiah 6:28They are all vicious rebels. They go around slandering. They are all like bronze and iron. They corrupt themselves.
- Jeremiah 7:6Suppose you do not oppress foreigners, orphans, and widows, or kill anyone in this place. And suppose you do not follow other gods that lead you to your own destruction.
- Amos 5:11You trample on the poor and take their wheat from them for taxes. That is why you build houses from hand-cut stones, but you will not live in them. You plant beautiful vineyards, but you will not drink their wine.
- Micah 3:1Then I said: Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel. You should know justice.
- Zephaniah 3:1How horrible it will be for that rebellious and corrupt place, the city of violence.
- Malachi 3:5“I will come to judge you. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers, lying witnesses, and those who cheat workers out of their wages and oppress widows and orphans. I will also testify against those who deprive foreigners of their rights. None of them fear me,” says the Lord of Armies.
- James 2:5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Didn’t God choose poor people in the world to become rich in faith and to receive the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?
Commentaries on Exodus 23:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor - Thou shalt neither countenance him in his crimes, nor condemn him in his righteousness. See Exodus 23:5, Exodus 23:7.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 23:6
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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