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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“Be sure never to charge anyone falsely with evil. Never sentence an innocent or blameless person to death, for I never declare a guilty person to be innocent.

Context of Exodus 23:7

5If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it. 6“Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. 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. 8“Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent. 9“Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners 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“Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.
• Leviticus 19:11“ ‘Do not steal. “ ‘Do not lie. “ ‘Do not deceive one another.
• Deuteronomy 19:16If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime,
• Job 22:23If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent
• Proverbs 4:14Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
• Isaiah 33:15Those who walk righteously and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil—
• Luke 3:14Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”
• Ephesians 4:25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:22reject every kind of evil.
• Deuteronomy 27:25“Cursed is anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
• Exodus 34:7maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
• Proverbs 17:15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the Lord detests them both.
• Nahum 1:3The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.
• Romans 1:18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
• Romans 2:5But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be 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