Bribe

Bribe - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

None to be taken; "for the gift maketh open eyes blind, and perverteth the cause of the righteous" (Ex. 23:8, literally rendered).

Bribe - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

BRIBE, n.

1. A price, reward, gift or favor bestowed or promised with a view to pervert the judgment, or corrupt the conduct of a judge, witness or other person. A bribe is a consideration given or promised to a person, to induce him to decide a cause, give testimony, or perform some act contrary to what he knows to be truth, justice or rectitude. It is not used in a good sense, unless in familiar language.

2. That which seduces.

Not the bribes of sordid wealth can seduce to leave these ever blooming sweets.

BRIBE, v.t. To give or promise a reward or consideration, with a view to pervert the judgment, or corrupt the conduct. To hire for bad purposes; to purchase the decision of a judge,the testimony of a witness, or the performance of some act contrary to known truth, justice or rectitude.

1. To gain by a bribe.

In familiar language, it is sometimes used in a good sense; as, to bribe a child to take a medicine. Dryden has used the word in a good sense, in solemn language; but such use is rare, and hardly legitimate.

Bribery - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

BRI'BERY, n. The act or practice of giving or taking rewards for corrupt practices; the act of paying or receiving a reward for a false judgment, or testimony, or for the performance of that which is known to be illegal, or unjust. It is applied both to him who gives, and to him who receives the compensation, but appropriately to the giver.

brib'-er-i (shochadh, "a gift," in a corrupt sense, "a bribe"): The Hebrew law condemns everything that would tend to impair the impartial administration of justice, particularly the giving and receiving of gifts or bribes, in order to pervert judgment (Ex 23:8). Allusions are frequent to the prevailing corruption of oriental judges and rulers. "And fire shall consume the tents of bribery" (Job 15:34; 1Sa 8:3; Ps 26:10; Isa 1:23; 33:15; Eze 22:12). Samuel speaks of a "ransom" in the sense of a bribe: "Of whose hand have I taken a ransom (kopher, "covering," the King James Version "bribe") to blind mine eyes therewith?" (1Sa 12:3; Am 5:12; compare Am 2:6).

See CRIMES; JUSTICE; PUNISHMENTS.

L. Kaiser

Definition

To “bribe” means to give someone something of value, such as money, to influence that person to do something dishonest.

• The soldiers who guarded Jesus’ empty tomb were bribed with money to lie about what happened.
• Sometimes a government official will be bribed to overlook a crime or to vote a certain way.
• The Bible forbids giving or taking bribes.
• The term, “bribe” could be translated as “dishonest payment” or “payment for lying” or “price for breaking the rules.”
• To “bribe” could be translated with a word or phrase that means, to “pay to influence (someone)” or to “pay to have a dishonest favor done” or to “pay for a favor.”

Bible References

• 1 Samuel 8:1-3
• Ecclesiastes 7:7
• Isaiah 1:23
• Micah 3:9-11
• Proverbs 15:27-28

Word Data

• Strong’s: H3724, H4979, H7809, H7810, H7936, H7966, H8021, H8641, G52600