Exodus 23:1-9

1 "Do not spread false rumors, and do not help a guilty person by giving false testimony. 1
2 Do not follow the majority when they do wrong or when they give testimony that perverts justice.
3 Do not show partiality to a poor person at his trial. 2
4 "If you happen to see your enemy's cow or donkey running loose, take it back to him.
5 If his donkey has fallen under its load, help him get the donkey to its feet again; don't just walk off.
6 "Do not deny justice to a poor person when he appears in court. 3
7 Do not make false accusations, and do not put an innocent person to death, for I will condemn anyone who does such an evil thing.
8 Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe makes people blind to what is right and ruins the cause of those who are innocent.
9 "Do not mistreat a foreigner; you know how it feels to be a foreigner, because you were foreigners in Egypt. 4

Exodus 23:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 23

This chapter contains several laws, chiefly judicial, relating to the civil polity of Israel, as concerning witness borne and judgment made of cases in courts of judicature, without any respect to poor or rich, and without the influence of a bribe, Ex 23:1-3,6-8, concerning doing good to an enemy in case any of his cattle go astray, or fall under their burden, Ex 23:4,5, and of the oppression of a stranger, Ex 23:9, and then follow others concerning the sabbath of the seventh year, and of the seventh day, with a caution against the use of the names of idols, Ex 23:10-13, next are laws concerning the appearance of all their males at the three feasts, Ex 23:14-17, and concerning the slaying of the sacrifice of the passover, and bringing the first of the firstfruits of the land, Ex 23:18,19 and then a promise is made of sending an angel to them to bring them into the land of Canaan, where they should carefully avoid all idolatry, and show a just indignation against it, and serve the Lord, and then it would be well with them, Ex 23:20-26, and particularly it is promised, that the Lord would send his fear, and his hornets, before them, to destroy the inhabitants of the land, and drive out the rest by little and little, until they should possess the utmost borders of it, which are fixed, Ex 23:27-31, and the chapter is concluded with a direction not to make a covenant with these people, or their gods, nor suffer them to dwell among them, lest they should be a snare unto them, Ex 23:32,33.

Cross References 5

  • 1. 23.1Exodus 20.16;Leviticus 19.11, 12;Deuteronomy 5.20.
  • 2. 23.3Leviticus 19.15.
  • 3. 23.4, 5Deuteronomy 22.1-4.
  • 4. 23.6-8Leviticus 19.15;Deuteronomy 16.19.
  • 5. 23.9Exodus 22.21;Leviticus 19.33, 34;Deuteronomy 24.17, 18; 27.19.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.