Exodus 23:3

3 And just because someone is poor, don't show favoritism in a dispute.

Exodus 23:3 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 23:3

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 F21, 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.''


FOOTNOTES:

F21 (rdht al) "non honorabis", Pagninus, Vatablus, Drusius, Cartwright; "non decorabis", Montanus; "ne ornes", Tigurine version; "ne honorato", Junius & Tremellius; "ne ornato", Piscator.

Exodus 23:3 In-Context

1 "Don't pass on malicious gossip.
2 Don't go along with the crowd in doing evil and don't fudge your testimony in a case just to please the crowd.
3 And just because someone is poor, don't show favoritism in a dispute.
4 "If you find your enemy's ox or donkey loose, take it back to him
5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you lying helpless under its load, don't walk off and leave it. Help it up.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.