Exodus 23:6

6 Thou shalt not pervert the rights of thy poor in his cause.

Exodus 23:6 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 23:6

Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
] As the poor man was not to be favoured when his cause was bad through an affected pity for him as a poor man, so his judgment was not to be wrested or perverted, when his cause was good, because of his poverty; which is too often the case, through the power of rich men, and the prevalence of their gifts and bribes, and to curry favour with them: the phrase, "thy poor", is very emphatic, and intended to engage judges to regard them, as being of the same flesh and blood with them, of the same nation and religion; and who were particularly committed to their care and protection under God, who is the Judge and protector of the poor, of the widow and the fatherless.

Exodus 23:6 In-Context

4 If thou should encounter thine enemy’s ox or his ass astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
5 If thou see the ass of him that hates thee lying under his burden, will thou forbear to help him? Thou shalt surely help him to raise it up.
6 Thou shalt not pervert the rights of thy poor in his cause.
7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and slay thou not the innocent and righteous; for I will not justify the wicked.
8 And thou shalt take no bribe; for the bribe blinds the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010