Tree of Life Version
Exodus 23:2
2“Do not follow a crowd to do evil. Nor are you to testify in a case, to follow a crowd and 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“Do not to spread a false report. Do not join hands with the wicked by becoming a malicious witness. “Do not follow a crowd to do evil. Nor are you to testify in a case, to follow a crowd and pervert justice. 3On the other hand, nor should you takes sides with a poor man in his case. 4“If you find your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you must surely bring it back to him again.
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 32:1Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Get up, make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what’s become of him!”
- Genesis 6:12God saw the earth, and behold it was ruined because all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.
- Genesis 7:1Then Adonai said to Noah, “Come—you and all your household—into the ark. For you only do I perceive as righteous before Me in this generation.
- Genesis 19:4They had not yet lain down when the men of the city (the men of Sodom) surrounded the house—from youth to elderly, all the people without exception.
- Numbers 14:1All through that night, the entire community raised up their voices. The people wept.
- Joshua 24:15If it seems bad to you to worship Adonai, then choose for yourselves today whom you will serve—whether the gods that your fathers worshipped that were beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will worship Adonai!”
- 1 Samuel 15:9But Saul and the people spared Agag as well as the best of the sheep, the cattle, even the fatlings and the lambs, and all that was good, since they were not willing to utterly destroy them; everything that was worthless and feeble, they destroyed completely.
- 1 Kings 19:10“I have been very zealous for Adonai-Tzva’ot,” he said, “for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and slain Your prophets with the sword—and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it!”
- Job 31:34because I feared a great multitude, and the contempt of clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside.
- Proverbs 1:10My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in.
- Proverbs 4:14Do not enter the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil people.
- Matthew 27:24When Pilate saw he was accomplishing nothing, but instead a riot was starting, he took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this blood,” he said. “You see to it yourselves!”
- Mark 15:15Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Bar-Abba for them. And after he had Yeshua scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.
- Luke 23:23But they were insistent, demanding with loud shouts that He be executed. And their voices prevailed.
- John 7:50Nicodemus, the one who had come to Yeshua before and was one of them, said to them,
- Acts 24:27But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and wishing to do the Judean leaders 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
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