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

5If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen under its load, you must not ignore him, but be sure to help him with it. 6“You must not turn away justice for your poor people in their lawsuits. Keep your distance from a false charge – do not kill the innocent and the righteous, for I will not justify the wicked. 8“You must not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and subverts the words of the righteous. 9“You must not oppress a foreigner, since you know the life of a foreigner, for you were foreigners in the land of 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“You must not give a false report. Do not make common cause with the wicked to be a malicious witness.
• Leviticus 19:11“‘You must not steal, you must not tell lies, and you must not deal falsely with your fellow citizen.
• Deuteronomy 19:16If a false witness testifies against another person and accuses him of a crime,
• Job 22:23If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; if you remove wicked behavior far from your tent,
• Proverbs 4:14Do not enter the path of the wicked or walk in the way of those who are evil.
• Isaiah 33:15The one who lives uprightly and speaks honestly; the one who refuses to profit from oppressive measures and rejects a bribe; the one who does not plot violent crimes and does not seek to harm others –
• Luke 3:14Then some soldiers also asked him, “And as for us – what should we do?” He told them, “Take money from no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your pay.”
• Ephesians 4:25Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:22Stay away from every form of evil.
• Deuteronomy 27:25‘Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’
• Exodus 34:7keeping loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.”
• Proverbs 17:15The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent – both of them are an abomination to the Lord.
• Nahum 1:3The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will certainly not allow the wicked to go unpunished. He marches out in the whirlwind and the raging storm; dark storm clouds billow like dust under his feet.
• Romans 1:18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness,
• Romans 2:5But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed!

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