Exodus 23:3

Gereviseerde Lutherse Vertaling

Gij zult den geringe in zijne zaak niet voortrekken.

Parallel Translations

Gereviseerde Leidse Vertaling
Ook zult gij den geringe niet voortrekken in zijn geding.

Staten Vertaling
Ook zult gij den geringe niet voortrekken en zijn twistige zaak.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Psalms 82:2, Psalms 82:3, James 3:17

Reciprocal: Exodus 23:6 - General Leviticus 19:15 - General Deuteronomy 1:16 - Hear Deuteronomy 1:17 - ye shall hear Job 13:8 - General Isaiah 56:11 - all look 1 Corinthians 15:15 - General

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause. Because he is a poor man, and for that reason endeavour to carry his cause for him, right or wrong, from a foolish pity to him as a poor man, and from an affectation of gaining the applause of people on that account; or "thou shalt not honour" or "adorn" a poor man u, by a set speech in favour of his cause, though wrong, dressed up in the best manner, and set off with all the colourings of art, to make it appear in the most plausible manner; the law is against respect of persons, as not the person of the rich, so neither is the person of the poor to be accepted, but the justice of their cause is to be regarded; so the Targum of Jonathan,

"the poor that is guilty in his judgment or cause, his face (or person) thou shalt not accept to have pity on him, for no person is to be accepted in judgment.''

u לא תהדר "non honorabis", Pagninus, Vatablus, Drusius, Cartwright; "non decorabis", Montanus; "ne ornes", Tigurine version; "ne honorato", Junius Tremellius "ne ornato", Piscator.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 cause because he is poor (compare Leviticus 19:15).

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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 23:3. Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause. — The word דל dal, which we translate poor man, is probably put here in opposition to רבים rabbim, the great, or noble men, in the preceding verse: if so, the meaning is, Thou shalt neither be influenced by the great to make an unrighteous decision, nor by the poverty or distress of the poor to give thy voice against the dictates of justice and truth. Hence the ancient maxim, FIAT JUSTITIA, RUAT COELUM. "Let justice be done, though the heavens should be dissolved."