Deuteronomy 25:1

Deuteronomy 25:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.
• New International Version (NIV)When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges will decide the case, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"If there is a dispute between men and they come into court and the judges decide between them, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty,
• New King James Version (NKJV)“If there is a dispute between men, and they come to court, that the judges may judge them, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked,

Context of Deuteronomy 25:1

“If there is a dispute between people and they go to court, and the judges decide their case, and they declare the righteous innocent and pronounce the wicked guilty, 2then it shall be if the wicked person deserves to be beaten, the judge shall then make him lie down and have him beaten in his presence with the number of lashes according to his wrongful act. 3He may have him beaten forty times, but not more, so that he does not have him beaten with many more lashes than these, and that your brother does not become contemptible in your eyes.

Deuteronomy 25:1 word by word

כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֥ה רִיב֙ בֵּ֣ין אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְנִגְּשׁ֥וּ אֶל־הַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט וּשְׁפָט֑וּם וְהִצְדִּ֙יקוּ֙ אֶת־הַצַּדִּ֔יק וְהִרְשִׁ֖יעוּ אֶת־הָרָשָֽׁע׃Read the interlinear

• Ifכִּיkîy · forH3588
• there is a disputeרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379
• betweenבַּ֫יִןbêyn · betweenH996
• peopleאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• and they goנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
• courtמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941
• the judgesשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
• and they declareצָדֵקtsâdaq · to justifyH6663
• the righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• and pronounceרָשַׁעrâsha‛ · be wickedH7561
• the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 25:1

• Deuteronomy 16:18“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.
• Deuteronomy 17:8“If a case is too difficult for you to decide, between one kind of homicide or another, between one kind of lawsuit or another, and between one kind of assault or another, that are cases of dispute in your courts, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the Lord your God chooses.
• Deuteronomy 19:17then both people who have the dispute shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who will be in office in those days.
• Exodus 23:6“You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute.
• 2 Samuel 23:3The God of Israel said it; The Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over mankind righteously, Who rules in the fear of God,
• 2 Chronicles 19:6He said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for mankind but for the Lord who is with you when you render judgment.
• Job 29:7When I went out to the gate of the city, When I took my seat in the public square,
• Psalms 58:1Do you indeed speak righteousness, you gods? Do you judge fairly, you sons of mankind?
• Psalms 82:2How long will you judge unjustly And show partiality to the wicked? Selah
• Proverbs 17:15One who justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
• Proverbs 31:8Open your mouth for the people who cannot speak, For the rights of all the unfortunate.
• Isaiah 1:17Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor, Obtain justice for the orphan, Plead for the widow’s case.
• Isaiah 5:23Who declare the wicked innocent for a bribe, And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!
• Isaiah 11:4But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the humble of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
• Isaiah 32:1Behold, a king will reign righteously, And officials will rule justly.
• Jeremiah 21:12house of David, this is what the Lord says: “Administer justice every morning; And save the person who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor, So that My wrath will not spread like fire And burn, with no one to extinguish it, Because of the evil of their deeds.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 25:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1They shall justify the righteous - This is a very important passage, and is a key to several others. The word צדק tsadak is used here precisely in the same sense in which St. Paul sometimes uses the corresponding word , not to justify or make just, but to acquit, declare innocent, to remit punishment, or give reasons why such a one should not be punished; so here the magistrates הצדיקו hitsdiku, shall acquit, the righteous - declare him innocent, because…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Render it: (1) If there be a controversy between men, and they come to judgment, and the judges judge them, and justify the righteous and condemn the wicked (compare the marginal reference. and Exodus 23:7; Proverbs 17:15); (2) then it shall be, etc. Deuteronomy 25:2 Scourging is named as a penalty in Leviticus 19:20. The beating here spoken of would be on the back with a rod or stick (compare Proverbs 10:13; Proverbs 19:29; Proverbs 26:3).Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Extent of punishment. (1-3) The ox that treadeth the corn. (4) Marriage of a brother's wife. (5-12) Of unjust weights. (13-16) War against Amalek. (17-19) Verses 1-3 Every punishment should be with solemnity, that those who see it may be filled with dread, and be warned not to offend in like manner. And though the criminals must be shamed as well as put to pain, for their warning and disgrace, yet care should be taken that they do not appear totally vile…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-192-3. if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten--In judicial sentences, which awarded punishment short of capital, scourging, like the Egyptian bastinado, was the most common form in which they were executed. The Mosaic law, however, introduced two important restrictions; namely: (1) The punishment should be inflicted in presence of the judge instead of being inflicted in private by some heartless official; and (2) The maximum amount of it should be limited…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 25:1

• Court
• Judge
• Justice
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Beat
• Exceed
• Hindmost
• Muzzle
• Stripe
• Stripes
• Atonement, Day of
• Condemn; Condemnation
• Criticism
• Exodus, the Book of

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 25

• 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
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings