Esodo 23:3

3 Parimente non favorire il povero nel suo processo.

Esodo 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.''

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Esodo 23:3 In-Context

1 Non spargere alcuna voce calunniosa e non tener di mano all’empio nell’attestare il falso.

2 Non andar dietro alla folla per fare il male; e non deporre in giudizio schierandoti dalla parte dei più per pervertire la giustizia.

3 Parimente non favorire il povero nel suo processo.

4 Se incontri il bue del tuo nemico o il suo asino smarrito, non mancare di ricondurglielo

5 Se vedi l’asino di colui che t’odia steso a terra sotto il carico, guardati bene dall’abbandonarlo, ma aiuta il suo padrone a scaricarlo.