Exodus 23:7

Gereviseerde Lutherse Vertaling

Wees verre van valse zaken. Den onschuldige en rechtvaardige zult gij niet doden; want Ik laat den goddeloze geen gelijk hebben.

Parallel Translations

Gereviseerde Leidse Vertaling
Houd u ver van valse zaken, en dood den onschuldige en hem die het recht aan zijn zijde heeft niet; want ik zal hem die ongelijk heeft niet in het gelijk stellen.

Staten Vertaling
Zijt verre van valse zaken; en den onschuldige en gerechtige zult gij niet doden; want Ik zal den goddeloze niet rechtvaardigen.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

far from: Exodus 23:1, Leviticus 19:11, Deuteronomy 19:16-21, Job 22:23, Proverbs 4:14, Proverbs 4:15, Isaiah 33:15, Luke 3:14, Ephesians 4:25, 1 Thessalonians 5:22

the innocent: Deuteronomy 27:25

for I will not: Exodus 34:7, Proverbs 17:15, Nahum 1:3, Romans 1:18, Romans 2:5, Romans 2:6

Reciprocal: Exodus 18:16 - a matter Exodus 20:16 - General Exodus 23:2 - to decline Leviticus 19:15 - General Leviticus 19:16 - stand Deuteronomy 1:16 - Hear Deuteronomy 1:17 - ye shall hear Deuteronomy 16:19 - respect Deuteronomy 25:1 - General 1 Kings 8:32 - justifying Psalms 15:5 - nor taketh Psalms 82:2 - judge Psalms 94:21 - condemn Proverbs 24:24 - that Ezekiel 22:12 - taken gifts 1 Timothy 6:10 - the love

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Keep thee far from a false matter,.... Or "word" z; from receiving a false testimony, or taking the false or wrong side of a cause, or engaging in a bad one; keep aloof off from it, as much at a distance from it as possible:

and the innocent and the righteous slay thou not; that is, do not condemn them to death, nor join with the majority in their condemnation, if they appear to be innocent and righteous; nor give orders, or join in giving orders to the executioner to put such to death. The Targum of Jonathan is,

"he that goes righteous out of the house of thy judgment (out of the sanhedrim, to which he belonged), and they find out his sin (afterwards), and he that goes out guilty, and they (afterwards) find out his righteousness, do not slay:''

for I will not justify the wicked: the wicked judge in pronouncing an unjust sentence on innocent and righteous men, or if they absolve wicked men, at the same time they put to death the innocent and righteous, God will not justify those wicked men cleared by them, but will, in his own time and way, sooner or later, inflict the deserved punishment on them: this is not contrary to Romans 4:5 for though God justifies the ungodly, he does not justify ungodliness in them, or them in ungodliness, but from it, and that by the imputation of the righteousness of his Son.

z מדבר שקר "a verbo mendacii", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius, Junius & Tremellius, Tigurine version, Fagius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Four precepts evidently addressed to those in authority as judges:

(a) To do justice to the poor. ComparingExodus 23:6; 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 was rather to be left to God Himself, who would “not justify the wicked,” nor suffer him to go unpunished though he might be acquitted by an earthly tribunal. Exodus 23:7.

(c) To take no bribe or present which might in any way pervert judgment Exodus 23:8; compare Num 16:15; 1 Samuel 12:3; Acts 26:26.

(d) To vindicate the rights of the stranger Exodus 23:9 - rather, the foreigner. (Exodus 20:10 note.) This verse is a repetition of Exodus 22:21, but the precept is there addressed to the people at large, while it is here addressed to the judges in reference to their official duties. The caution was perpetually necessary. Compare Ezekiel 22:7; Malachi 3:5. The word rendered “heart” is more strictly “soul,” and would be better represented here by feelings.