New English Translation
Exodus 23:2
2“You must not follow a crowd in doing evil things; in a lawsuit you must not offer testimony that agrees with a crowd so as 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“You must not give a false report. Do not make common cause with the wicked to be a malicious witness. “You must not follow a crowd in doing evil things; in a lawsuit you must not offer testimony that agrees with a crowd so as to pervert justice, 3and you must not show partiality to a poor man in his lawsuit. 4“If you encounter your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, you must by all means return it 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 in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Get up, make us gods that will go before us. As for this fellow Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him!”
- Genesis 6:12God saw the earth, and indeed it was ruined, for all living creatures on the earth were sinful.
- Genesis 7:1The Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, for I consider you godly among this generation.
- Genesis 19:4Before they could lie down to sleep, all the men – both young and old, from every part of the city of Sodom – surrounded the house.
- Numbers 14:1Then all the community raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night.
- Joshua 24:15If you have no desire to worship the Lord, choose today whom you will worship, whether it be the gods whom your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But I and my family will worship the Lord!”
- 1 Samuel 15:9However, Saul and the army spared Agag, along with the best of the flock, the cattle, the fatlings, and the lambs, as well as everything else that was of value. They were not willing to slaughter them. But they did slaughter everything that was despised and worthless.
- 1 Kings 19:10He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”
- Job 31:34because I was terrified of the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I remained silent and would not go outdoors –
- Proverbs 1:10My child, if sinners try to entice you, do not consent!
- Proverbs 4:14Do not enter the path of the wicked or walk in the way of those who are evil.
- Matthew 27:24When Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that instead a riot was starting, he took some water, washed his hands before the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You take care of it yourselves!”
- Mark 15:15Because he wanted to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them. Then, after he had Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified.
- Luke 23:23But they were insistent, demanding with loud shouts that he be crucified. And their shouts prevailed.
- John 7:50Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before and who was one of the rulers, said,
- Acts 24:27After two years had passed, Porcius Festus succeeded Felix, and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix 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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries