the Second Week after Easter
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Updated Bible Version
Exodus 23:3
Bible Study Resources
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- CondensedParallel Translations
neither shall you favor a poor man in his cause.
Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.
You will not be partial to a powerless person in his legal dispute.
If a poor person is in court, you must not take his side just because he is poor.
and you must not show partiality to a poor man in his lawsuit.
nor shall you favor or be partial to a poor man in his dispute [simply because he is poor].
nor shall you show favor to a poor person in his dispute.
Thou shalt not esteeme a poore man in his cause.
nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his case.
And don't favor the poor, simply because they are poor.
On the other hand, don't favor a person's lawsuit simply because he is poor.
Neither shalt thou favour a poor man in his cause.
"In court, don't treat a person in a special way simply because that person is poor.
nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.
Neither shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.
Do not show partiality to a poor person at his trial.
Do not show favoritism to a poor person in his lawsuit.
And you shall not favor the lowly in his lawsuit.
Thou shalt not paynte a poore mas cause.
neither shalt thou favor a poor man in his cause.
But, on the other hand, do not be turned from what is right in order to give support to a poor man's cause.
Neither shalt thou esteeme a poore man in his cause.
neither shalt thou favour a poor man in his cause.
Neither shalt thou countenance a poore man in his cause.
And thou shalt not spare a poor man in judgment.
neither shalt thou favour a poor man in his cause.
And do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit.
Also thou schalt not haue mercy of a pore man in a `cause, ethir doom.
and a poor man thou dost not honour in his strife.
Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.
neither shall you favor a poor man in his cause.
You shall not show partiality to a poor man in his dispute.
And do not slant your testimony in favor of a person just because that person is poor.
And do not show favor to a poor man when he has a problem.
nor shall you be partial to the poor in a lawsuit.
Even a poor man, shalt thou not prefer in his quarrel.
Neither shalt thou favour a poor man in judgment.
nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his suit.
nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute.
Contextual Overview
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
Cross-References
And Canaan begot Sidon his first-born, and Heth,
And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying,
And Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the sons of Heth.
The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth. There was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.
And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life be to me?
in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a burying-place.
Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with you.
Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.
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."
