Exodus 23:3

3 nether shalt thou paynte a porre mans 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.''

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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.

Exodus 23:3 In-Context

1 Thou shalt not accepte a vayne tale, nether shalt put thine hande with the wiked to be an vnrightous witnesse:

2 Thou shalt not folowe a multitude to do euell: nether answere in a mater of plee that thou woldest to folow many turne a syde from the trueth,

3 nether shalt thou paynte a porre mans cause.

4 whe thou metest thine enimies oxe or asse goynge a straye, thou shalt brynge the to him agayne

5 Yf thou se thine enimies asse synke vnder his burthen, thou shalt not passe by and let him alone: but shalt helpe him to lyfte him vp agayne.