Exodus 23:7

Exodus 23:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
• New International Version (NIV)Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Keep yourself far from a false matter; do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked.

Context of Exodus 23:7

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. 6“Never deny justice to poor people in court. Avoid 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. 9“Never oppress foreigners. You know what it’s like to be foreigners because you were foreigners living in Egypt.

Exodus 23:7 word by word

מִדְּבַר־שֶׁ֖קֶר תִּרְחָ֑ק וְנָקִ֤י וְצַדִּיק֙ אַֽל־תַּהֲרֹ֔ג כִּ֥י לֹא־אַצְדִּ֖יק רָשָֽׁע׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Keep thee farרָחַקrâchaq · to removeH7368
• from a falseשֶׁ֫קֶרsheqer · deceptionH8267
• matterדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• and the innocentנָקִיnâqîy nâqîy' · innocentH5355
• and righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• slayהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• thou not: for I will not justifyצָדֵקtsâdaq · to justifyH6663
• the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563

Cross-references for Exodus 23:7

• Exodus 23:1⌞The Lord continued,⌟ “Never spread false rumors. Don’t join forces with wicked people by giving false testimony.
• Leviticus 19:11“Never steal, lie, or deceive your neighbor.
• Deuteronomy 19:16This is what you must do whenever a witness takes the stand to accuse a person falsely of a crime.
• Job 22:23If you return to the Almighty, you will prosper. If you put wrongdoing out of your tent,
• Proverbs 4:14Do not stray onto the path of wicked people. Do not walk in the way of evil people.
• Isaiah 33:15The person who does what is right and speaks the truth will live. He rejects getting rich by extortion and refuses to take bribes. He refuses to listen to those who are plotting murders. He doesn’t look for evil things to do.
• Luke 3:14Some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He told them, “Be satisfied with your pay, and never use threats or blackmail to get money from anyone.”
• Ephesians 4:25So then, get rid of lies. Speak the truth to each other, because we are all members of the same body.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:22Keep away from every kind of evil.
• Deuteronomy 27:25“Whoever accepts money to kill an innocent person will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
• Exodus 34:7He continues to show his love to thousands of generations, forgiving wrongdoing, disobedience, and sin. He never lets the guilty go unpunished, punishing children and grandchildren for their parents’ sins to the third and fourth generation.”
• Proverbs 17:15Whoever approves of wicked people and whoever condemns righteous people is disgusting to the Lord.
• Nahum 1:3The Lord is patient and has great strength. The Lord will never let the guilty go unpunished. Raging winds and storms mark his path, and clouds are the dust from his feet.
• Romans 1:18God’s anger is revealed from heaven against every ungodly and immoral thing people do as they try to suppress the truth by their immoral living.
• Romans 2:5Since you are stubborn and don’t want to change the way you think and act, you are adding to the anger that God will have against you on that day when God vents his anger. At that time God will reveal that his decisions are fair.

Commentaries on Exodus 23:7

• 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. 7God's character inspires people to act righteously (see 22:22–24, 27).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-331. put not thine hand--join not hands.Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 23:7

• Accusation, False
• Court
• Evidence
• Injustice
• Justice
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Beware
• Book
• Countenance
• Ingathering
• Refresh
• Seethe
• Turn
• Wrest
• Amos (1)
• Bible, the

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