Exode 23:3

3 Tu ne favoriseras point le pauvre en son procès.

Exode 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.

Exode 23:3 In-Context

1 Tu ne sèmeras point de faux bruit; ne prête point la main au méchant pour être faux témoin.
2 Tu ne suivras point la multitude pour faire le mal; et lorsque tu témoigneras dans un procès, tu ne te détourneras point pour suivre le plus grand nombre et pervertir le droit.
3 Tu ne favoriseras point le pauvre en son procès.
4 Si tu rencontres le bœuf de ton ennemi, ou son âne, égaré, tu ne manqueras point de le lui ramener
5 Si tu vois l'âne de celui qui te hait abattu sous son fardeau, tu te garderas de l'abandonner; tu devras le dégager avec lui.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.