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 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 one who hates you lying under its burden, and you would refrain from helping it, you shall surely help him with it. 6“You shall not pervert the judgment of your poor in his dispute. Keep yourself far from a false matter; do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked. 8And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the righteous. 9“Also you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers 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 shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
• Leviticus 19:11‘You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.
• Deuteronomy 19:16If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing,
• Job 22:23If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; You will remove iniquity far from your tents.
• Proverbs 4:14Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil.
• Isaiah 33:15He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, He who despises the gain of oppressions, Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, And shuts his eyes from seeing evil:
• Luke 3:14Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”
• Ephesians 4:25Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:22Abstain from every form of evil.
• Deuteronomy 27:25‘Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
• Exodus 34:7keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”
• Proverbs 17:15He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
• Nahum 1:3The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet.
• Romans 1:18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
• Romans 2:5But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

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