Exodus 23:3

3 Neither shalt thou favour a poor man in his cause.

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 Thou shalt not accept a false report; extend not thy hand to the wicked, to be an unrighteous witness.
2 Thou shalt not follow the multitude for evil; neither shalt thou answer in a cause, to go after the multitude to pervert [judgment].
3 Neither shalt thou favour a poor man in his cause.
4 -- If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt certainly bring it back to him
5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under its burden, beware of leaving [it] to him: thou shalt certainly loosen [it] with him.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Lit. 'adorn,' 'honour.'
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.