Deuteronomy 16:19

Deuteronomy 16:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
• New International Version (NIV)Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent.
• English Standard Version (ESV)You 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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.

Context of Deuteronomy 16:19

17Everyone shall give as he is able, in accordance with the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you. 18“You shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your towns which the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. You shall not distort justice, you shall not show partiality; and you shall not accept a bribe, because a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and distorts the words of the righteous. 20Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, so that you may live and possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you. 21“You shall not plant for yourself an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of the Lord your God, which you shall make for yourself.

Deuteronomy 16:19 word by word

לֹא־תַטֶּ֣ה מִשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹ֥א תַכִּ֖יר פָּנִ֑ים וְלֹא־תִקַּ֣ח שֹׁ֔חַד כִּ֣י הַשֹּׁ֗חַד יְעַוֵּר֙ עֵינֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽם׃Read the interlinear

• You shall not distortנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
• justiceמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• showנָכַרnâkar · to recognizeH5234
• partialityפָּנֶהpânîym · face: kindnessH6440
• you shall not acceptלָקַחlâqach · to take: recieveH3947
• a bribeשֹׁ֫חַדshachad · bribeH7810
• becauseכִּיkîy · forH3588
• blindsעָוַר‛âvar · to blindH5786
• the eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• of the wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• and distortsסָלַףsâlaph · to pervertH5557
• the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · word: caseH1697
• of the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 16:19

• Deuteronomy 24:17“You shall not pervert the justice due a stranger or an orphan, nor seize a widow’s garment as a pledge.
• Deuteronomy 27:19‘Cursed is one who distorts the justice due a stranger, an orphan, or a widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
• Exodus 23:2You shall not follow the crowd in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to join together with a crowd in order to pervert justice;
• Leviticus 19:15‘You shall not do injustice in judgment; you shall not show partiality to the poor nor give preference to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.
• 1 Samuel 8:3His sons, however, did not walk in his ways but turned aside after dishonest gain, and they took bribes and perverted justice.
• 1 Samuel 12:3Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I exploited? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to close my eyes with it? I will return it to you.”
• Job 31:21If I have lifted up my hand against the orphan, Because I saw I had support in the gate,
• Proverbs 17:23A wicked person accepts a bribe from an inside pocket To pervert the ways of justice.
• Ecclesiastes 7:7For oppression makes a wise person look foolish, And a bribe corrupts the heart.
• Isaiah 1:17Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor, Obtain justice for the orphan, Plead for the widow’s case.
• Isaiah 33:15One who walks righteously and speaks with integrity, One who rejects unjust gain And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; One who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed And shuts his eyes from looking at evil;
• Jeremiah 5:28They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, so that they may be successful; And they do not defend the rights of the poor.
• Ezekiel 22:12Among you they have taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest, you have injured your neighbors by oppression, and you have forgotten Me,” declares the Lord God.
• Micah 7:3As for evil, both hands do it well. The leader asks for a bribe, also the judge, And the great one speaks the capricious desire of his soul; So they plot it together.
• Habakkuk 1:4Therefore the Law is ignored, And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out confused.
• Zephaniah 3:3Her leaders within her are roaring lions, Her judges are wolves at evening; They have no bones to gnaw in the morning.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 16:19

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18-22Verses 18-22 These verses are closely connected in subject with the following chapter, and introduce certain directions for the administration of justice and the carrying on of the civil government of the people in Canaan. During the lifetime of Moses, he himself, especially inspired and guided by God, was sufficient, with the aid of the subordinate judges (compare Exodus 18:13 ff), for the duties in question. But now that Moses was to be withdrawn, and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-22Verses 18-22 Care is taken for the due administration of justice. All personal regards must be laid aside, so that right is done to all, and wrong to none. Care is taken to prevent following the idolatrous customs of the heathen. Nothing belies God more, or tends more to corrupt the minds of men, than representing and worshipping, by an image, that God, who is an almighty and eternal Spirit, present every where. Alas! even in gospel days, and under a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19show partiality: See study note on 1:16–17.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2018-20. Judges and officers shalt thou make--These last meant heralds or bailiffs, employed in executing the sentence of their superiors. in all thy gates--The gate was the place of public resort among the Israelites and other Eastern people, where business was transacted and causes decided. The Ottoman Porte derived its name from the administration of justice at its gates.Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 16:19

• Bribery
• Injustice
• Integrity
• Judge
• Justice
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Gift
• Inherit
• Atonement, Day of
• Blindness, Judicial
• Calendar
• Criticism
• Exodus, the Book of
• Face
• Genesis
• Judge

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 16

• 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