Exode 23:7

7 Tu ne prononceras point de sentence inique, et tu ne feras point mourir l'innocent et le juste; car je n'absoudrai point le coupable.

Exode 23:7 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 23:7

Keep thee far from a false matter
Or "word" ^F26; from receiving a false testimony, or taking the false or wrong side of a cause, or engaging in a bad one; keep aloof off from it, as much at a distance from it as possible:

and the innocent and the righteous slay thou not;
that is, do not condemn them to death, nor join with the majority in their condemnation, if they appear to be innocent and righteous; nor give orders, or join in giving orders to the executioner to put such to death. The Targum of Jonathan is,

``he that goes righteous out of the house of thy judgment (out of the sanhedrim, to which he belonged), and they find out his sin (afterwards), and he that goes out guilty, and they (afterwards) find out his righteousness, do not slay:''

for I will not justify the wicked:
the wicked judge in pronouncing an unjust sentence on innocent and righteous men, or if they absolve wicked men, at the same time they put to death the innocent and righteous, God will not justify those wicked men cleared by them, but will, in his own time and way, sooner or later, inflict the deserved punishment on them: this is not contrary to ( Romans 4:5 ) for though God justifies the ungodly, he does not justify ungodliness in them, or them in ungodliness, but from it, and that by the imputation of the righteousness of his Son.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F26 (rqv rbdm) "a verbo mendacii", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius, Junius & Tremellius, Tigurine version, Fagius.

Exode 23:7 In-Context

5 Si tu vois l'âne de ton ennemi succombant sous sa charge, et que tu hésites à le décharger, tu l'aideras à le décharger.

6 Tu ne porteras point atteinte au droit du pauvre dans son procès.

7 Tu ne prononceras point de sentence inique, et tu ne feras point mourir l'innocent et le juste; car je n'absoudrai point le coupable.

8 Tu ne recevras point de présent; car les présents aveuglent ceux qui ont les yeux ouverts et corrompent les paroles des justes.

9 Tu n'opprimeras point l'étranger; vous savez ce qu'éprouve l'étranger, car vous avez été étrangers dans le pays d'Egypte.